Hello VA-Birders,
I took a hike this morning in the Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve,
in Prince William and Fauquier County. I was curious to see if there were
any summer residents there that I can't find closer to home at places like
Scotts Run and Huntley Meadows, both in Fairfax County. The only bird I'd
put in that category is a worm-eating warbler, heard singing in the
northwestern part of the preserve.
Also, I haven't seen the brown thrashers in Falls Church since that one week
in mid-June when they were out every day. They were in the grass next to the
W&OD bike path. They may still be there hanging out in the thick
shrubbery-there's plenty of that nearby. Maybe they were only out on the
grass exploiting some short-term food source (cicadas?). I noticed that when
they were out there, so were lots of other birds, mainly house and song
sparrows. It's not nearly as lively now.
Peter Frechtel
Falls Church
