Hello all
This morning around 10 am Pat & I were out in search of Tree Swallow's in the
northern part of Augusta County . We had just left a large flock that seem to
be staging on Bells Lane . While in the area we took a trip up to Leonard's
Pond in Rockingham County to see if any shorebirds were around . Here is the
list of birds found . Killdeer -- 25+ , One Solitary Sandpiper , 5 Pectoral ,
one White Rumped Sandpiper & 3 Wilson's Snipe . Also there were a small flock
of Swallows of about 100 birds -- about 50 each of Tree & Northern Rough --
winged . Now back to Augusta County . On Bells Lane the large flock of
Swallows were mostly Tree with a round figure of 1,700+ Tree & about 100 + of
Northern Rough -- winged . This was a true sight of migration taking place .
The power lines were covered as far as one could see . The dirt area around one
of the small ponds was blue from them just landing on the ground , weed stems &
tree tops covered with blue . The fields covered with birds gleaning insects
off the tall grass . After leaving Bells Lane we went North & here we got
another 35 Tree Swallows along Rt. 608 near New Hope . After Leonard's we went
to the Swoope area & here we found at least another smaller flock of Tree
Swallows near Smith's Pond . In this group we had at least 300+ birds . At
Quillen's we had 4 Green -- winged Teal & at the Dupont Pond in Waynesboro we
had one Snow Goose . At McCune's we had another small flock of Tree Swallow's
of 27 . All in all not a bad day of bird watching . Listed below is the break
down of birds today .
Augusta County --- * records
Snow Goose -- 1-- Dupont Pond
Green - winged Teal -- 4 -- Quillen's
*Tree Swallow -- 1,700 -- Bells Lane -- 300 -- Swoope -- 35 New Hope -- 27--
Mccune's Total --2,062
*Rough -- winged Swallow -- 100 + -- Bells Lane
Rockingham County -- Leonard's Pond
Killdeer -- 25+
Solitary Sandpiper -- 1
Pectoral -- 5
White -- rumped -- 1
Wilson's Snipe -- 3
Tree Swallow -- 50
Rough -- winged Swallow -- 50
Happy Birding to all
Pat & Allen Larner
Staunton
