I truly enjoy reading all the bird posts. During my work day I plot and plan
my route home to try and spot owls and what others post-leaving the long trips
for my days off. Thanks for the inspiration and ideas I read of each day from
all the posts ( :
JoDee Seagren
From: chip.taggart@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 14:36:20 -0500
To: leesheehanmiller@xxxxxxxxx
CC: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Northern Virginia Notes, 18 Jan 2014
I am one of those who greatly appreciates the emails, even though I rarely
respond. Reading the emails keeps me in touch with what others are seeing,
rare birds or not. I find knowing birds to be on the lookout for particularly
helpful as I prepare to head out. The postings have also introduced me to
new - for me - places to bird; places at which I enjoy the natural beauty and
serenity as well as good birding. I also find the debates about the
identification of a particular sighting both educational and motivational; I
am quite amazed at the expertise there is in this group.
So I value and appreciate the time people take to post their adventures.
Know you are appreciated despite the silence.
Chip Taggart
Sent from my iPad
On Jan 20, 2014, at 9:45 AM, Lee <leesheehanmiller@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:*** You are subscribed to va-bird as jodeeseagren@xxxxxxxxxxx. If you wish to
This list does tend to be sighting oriented- which is great. The list is
active, sightings are quickly posted and well corroborated- or carefully
debated.
At the same time, in the past month there have been posts regarding
scientific studies and journals as well as much discussion regarding the
Washington Post and "eared grebes"
What did occur to me while out waiting for snowy owl is the appreciation
for more sharing regarding Virginia walks and events.
I am grateful for the information shared and available and will be adding
to it.
Lee Miller
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 20, 2014, at 9:05, "David Gibson" <davidrhorer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:*** You are subscribed to va-bird as chip.taggart@xxxxxxxxx. If you wish to
Lew, Brilliant comments. Your last few lines really ring true for me.
Sorry you were chastised--and hope it was private. Dave
----- Original Message ----- From: "Lew Proudfoot"
<lewis_s_proudfoot@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 6:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Northern Virginia Notes, 18 Jan 2014
I agree - when I joined the Mississippi list, we had a lot of chats,
really talking among friends, sharing stories and philosophy. Had people
leave the list because it was too chatty!
Then I went to Southern California, and at that time the list was more an
advanced rare bird alert. I was chastised for posting that I had seen Long
Billed Curlew at Redondo Beach, very exciting for me, since it is very
rare in Mississippi, but seasonally common in SoCal.
Here, we seem to be pretty list-oriented. I'd welcome more stories, tips,
and community. We're mostly about the birds, true, but we're about birding
and celebrating nature, too, aren't we?
Lew Proudfoot
The Wind In My Face
Annandale, VA
On Sunday, January 19, 2014 2:34 PM, KEN LIPSHY <wuzupdoc12@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Keep posting!
Folks may not respond but they always pay attention.
I am always hearing about posts that folks have read.
Kenneth Lipshy
Www.crisismanagementleadership.com
On Jan 19, 2014, at 2:28 PM, "David Gibson" <davidrhorer@xxxxxxxxxxx>happen to stumble acr
wrote:
Kurt, Why do you think the posts are becoming an "anachronism"? I have
one thought about this. I'm from MA--and Fred Atwood and I have conversed
about this. Massbird is a lot more "chatty" than Va-bird (that was Fred's
word--and I concur). Both listserves have almost the same # of
subscribers (I've researched this). But up there, when you post something
mildly interesting or even not so, you generally get a good # of
responses (wow, where exactly, that's cool, nice bird, I've never birded
there before, etc.). Down here, the opposite is true (this is my
experience). I rarely get responses to my posts and even have found
myself wondering--did I make a mistake and post to the wrong address. Up
in MA you tend to get feedback. (And that is encouraging--and encourages
one to keep posting.) Down here not so much. My tendency is to think--if
no one is interested or no one takes notice, why should I bother. I'll
just continue to post to ebird and if other folks
oss my sightings--then great! If not, then that's the way it goes. (I
exaggerate a bit here--but to make a point). Va-bird is, IMO, a relatively
quiet place. I also wonder if broadening the bird discussion a bit on this
listserve would help. Up in MA there's more discussion of bird-related
topics than there is here--and that seems to generate more
discussion--though sometimes the moderator does have to rein things in a
bit. For example, in MA this would become a thread and perhaps a doz. or
more others---and sometimes many more--would chime in. Threads can go on
and on, though, and people can disagree and sometimes strongly. But that's
where the moderator comes in. Anyway--these are some of my thoughts. Dave
Gibson, Chesapeake
Regards, Dave
----- Original Message ----- From: "Kurt Gaskill" <KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2014 9:28 PM
Subject: [Va-bird] Northern Virginia Notes, 18 Jan 2014
VA BIRDers,
Here are a few notes on my quest today to fill my Northern Virginia month
list. Since these VA BIRD posts are quickly becoming an anachronism, what
with few birders posting anything (even when rare, i.e., seen only once
or
twice in a season in an area) I will add a few extra items in the hopes
it
has more value than a day or week-old e-bird listing.
I started off at 8 am meeting Ed Eder at Dyke Marsh. We walked Haul Rd
hoping for winter stragglers but, despite the sunny blue skies, the cold
(30F) and wind (10-20mph) kept passerine activity to a minimum. We noted
that the large waterfowl rafts were gone (it was also high tide, which
may
be a contributing factor), although there were some groups of Lesser
Scaup
and Ruddy Duck plus a few other species. The 2 Horned Grebes are still
hanging in at Dyke - an amazing year for this species in No. VA, found in
over half the habitats visited today. Bald Eagles are still constructing
a
nest visible from the dogleg which means we now have two active eagle
nests
at Dyke.
We headed up to Jones Point - City of Alexandria - and quickly found a
Peregrine. The area just to the east of the lighthouse held an
Orange-crowned Warbler, reported by Dave Boltz earlier this week. In the
same tree were both kinglets and a Brown Creeper.
Ed and I parted - it was about 1100 - and I drove to Prince William Co.
Landfill. I thought the cold, windy weather coupled with Saturday
delivery
would result in a good larid showing. How wrong could I be! About 600
gulls were tallied and only 9 were dark-backed and ALL belonged to the
typical 3 species of Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed. Yet
there
were two consolation prizes. One was a Common Raven. The other was this
huge flock of E. Starlings (about 1250) that met up with a Cooper's
Hawk. I
thought the Coop would strafe the flock. Nope. It flew somewhat languidly
near the flock and then went into vertical stoop, plunging downward 200
feet
or more, snapping neatly out of the dive and grabbed a starling on the
hood
of a truck at the landfill workface. Amazing! As it carried its prize
away, flying low into the adjacent woods, the starlings and gulls
scattered
to the 4 winds, filling the sky with birds.
Since the balance of the gulls had to be somewhere, I headed to various
gull
spots. The first was Quantico Cr along Possum Point Rd. The tide was low
and a few hundred gulls were in attendance. But, no dark-backed gulls or
white gulls. There was an excellent waterfowl showing - I always forget
how
delightful it is to bird this area as it always is filled with birds.
Tundra
Swans, Gadwall, wigeon, pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasbacks, Hooded
Mergansers, Pied-billed Grebes, cormorants... all easily and quickly
seen.
The best payoff occurred as drove out - a Sharpie was chasing a group of
White-throated Sparrows across the road.
Next stop was to the north - Neabsco Creek. There were a few dozen of the
bigger gulls here but nothing unusual. Hunters had put up an large mixed
flock of Mallards and Am. Black Ducks - about 160 total. And nearby, 2
Horned Grebes puttered about. I then motored further north to the
overlook
of Occoquan Bay Marina. Here I found good numbers of large sized larids -
about 50 Great Black-backs and 120 Herring Gulls. Plus one Lesser
Black-backed Gull. Again, excellent waterfowl numbers with Redheads
joining
the day's tally and a lone Red-breasted Merganser in the protected
marina.
Plus, 2 nearby Horned Grebes.
The sun was close to setting so I sped north to Roach's Run, hoping to
find
Gerry Hawkins' Great Egret. Passing by the golf course near Dyke Marsh on
the GW Parkway and south of the Stone Bridge I spied a Merlin in a tree.
Continuing north I made it to Roach's Run but the egret was not to be.
So I
turned around at DCA and drove into the Gravelly Point parking lot. 2
dozen
or more birders were about but, sigh..., no Snowy was seen. As many left
I
ran into Larry Meade and David Ledwith and, as we chatted, lo and behold
the
Snowy rose up and perched on a tall pole with a red light (it was first
seen
by another birder who got us on the owl - thank you!). The owl then flew
closer to some posts and perched for a few minutes before flying off and
disappearing. The time was about 515 to 530pm. I think the owl may have
originally been in a rip rap area behind the checkerboard-roofed
building.
In any case, it was a good day although I only added 3 species to the
month
list, now at 110.
Kurt Gaskill
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