We had an amazing year of birding in the central Piedmont (Prince Edward
and all surrounding counties) during 2017. We submitted tons of great eBird
records that filled many gaps in our avian knowledge. The best birds of the
year were selected either because 1) They were listed as rare in eBird, 2)
They were seen outside of their normal date range, or 3) It was the only
sighting of an uncommon species all year. Availability of good photos was a
plus as well. Enjoy some of the wonderful stats and highlights from the
year:
*2017 County Stats*
*Prince Edward*: 198 species ~3170 checklists
*Buckingham:* 156 species ~550 checklists
*Appomattox:* 144 species ~1000 checklists
*Charlotte:* 141 species ~160 checklists
*Lunenburg:* 132 species ~340 checklists
*Cumberland:* 132 species ~200 checklists
*Amelia:* 129 species ~200 checklists
*Nottoway:* 124 species ~230 checklists
That's a total of ~5850 complete checklists for Central Virginia in 2017!
(Way up from ~2850 checklists for 2016.)
*Highlight Species*
*Prince Edward:*
Baltimore Oriole at private residence, Nov. 23, 2016 - Mar. 4, 2017
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35214081
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/gbbc/view/checklist/S34857302
Common Mergansers at Sandy River Reservoir, Jan. 12
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33625599
Black Scoter at Briery Creek Lake, Jan. 17
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33756334
Loggerhead Shrike along County Line Road, Feb. 3
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39085337
Surf Scoter at Wilck's Lake, Mar. 15
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35206460
Black-capped Chickadee at Briery Creek Lake, Mar. 17
(First county, regional, and southern Piedmont record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35247224
Snowy Egret at Briery Creek Lake, Apr. 20 - May 2
(Second county and third regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36116568
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36837541
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36510128
Black-crowned Night-Heron at Wilck's Lake, Apr. 23
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36259033
Warbling Vireo & Blue-winged Warbler at Wilck's Lake, Apr. 26
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S36296873
Bay-breasted Warbler at Wilck's Lake, Apr. 28
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S36376268
Wilson's Warbler at Wilck's Lake, May 8
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S36837437
Bank Swallows at Briery Creek Lake, May 13
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36815488
Tricolored Heron at Briery Creek Lake, Jun. 29
(Second county, second regional, and seventh Piedmont record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37890875
Black-crowned Night-Heron at Briery Creek Lake, Jul. 6
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38421407
White Ibis near Farmville Dog Park, Jul. 17-20
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38247189
White Ibis at Briery Creek Lake, Jul. 25 - Aug. 17
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40481350
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38694029
Cliff Swallow at private lake, Jul. 31
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38434649
Semipalmated Plover at Briery Creek Lake, Aug. 5
(Third county and fourth regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38499365
Western Sandpiper at Briery Creek Lake, Aug. 14
(First county and regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38649607
Black-billed Cuckoo at Briery Creek Lake, Aug. 30
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38907113
Sanderlings at Briery Creek Lake, Sep. 6
(Second county and regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39513130
Lincoln's Sparrow at Wilck's Lake, Oct. 17
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39992563
Tundra Swans at Sandy River Reservoir, Nov. 8 & 9
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40381688
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40395076
Long-tailed Duck at Sandy River Reservoir, Nov. 8
--- https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40377169
Snow Geese at Twin Lakes State Park, Nov. 8
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40382864
Clay-colored Sparrow at Sandy River Reservoir, Nov. 9
(First county, first regional, and second southern Piedmont record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40395058
Snowy Owl on Redd Shop Road, Nov. 17
(First county and third regional record! Reported to Bird Club three days
later.)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S42053820
Blue-headed Vireo at private farm, Dec. 1
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40866869
Common Merganser at Sandy River Reservoir, Dec. 29
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41412153
*Buckingham:*
Tundra Swan at Warren Ferry, Feb. 10
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41219254
Trumpeter Swans at Wingina Boat Ramp, Jul. 21
(Technically listed as Nelson County, but the swans were in the middle of
the river. First county and second regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38257705
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (& Cliff Swallow) at private lake, Aug. 4
(First county and regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38469797
White Ibis at private lake, Aug. 5
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38484984
Yellow Warbler at James River State Park, Nov. 27
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40808527
*Appomattox:*
Brown-headed Nuthatch at Holliday Lake State Park, May 5
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S36640261
Common Merganser on the James River, May 20
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S37039729
White Ibis at Holliday Lake State Park, Aug. 6
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38522572
Black Tern at Holliday Lake State Park, Aug. 20
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31168901
Long-tailed Duck (& Redhead) at Holliday Lake State Park, Dec. 31
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41473513
Greater White-fronted Geese along Stonewall Road, Dec. 31
(First county and second regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41478903
*Charlotte:*
Loggerhead Shrike along County Line Road, Feb. 3
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34129009
Mississippi Kite at Staunton River Battlefield State Park, Jun. 10
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37504800
White Ibis, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, & Wilson's
Phalarope at Hogan Creek WMA, Aug. 28
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38866567
*Lunenburg:*
Loggerhead Shrikes discovered at private farm, Jan. 28
(Breeding resident pair raised four young this year!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33996090
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38096039
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38802417
*Cumberland:*
Loggerhead Shrike along Cartersville Road, Feb. 18
(Bird likely stayed all year since it was spotted again in the fall.)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34606729
White Ibis over Appomattox River in Farmville, Jul. 20
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38240498
Ross's Goose at Bear Creek Lake State Park, Dec. 27
(First county and third regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41391290
*Amelia:*
Merlin on Drunkard Road, Jan. 10
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33590270
Worm-eating Warbler at Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park, Jun. 1
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37661343
Eurasian Collared-Doves at Amelia Court House, Jul. 31
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S38417293
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (& Philadelphia Vireo) at Sailor's Creek
Battlefield State Park, Sep. 24
(First county and second regional record!)
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39366980
*Nottoway:*
Snow Geese at field west of Piedmont Geriatric Hospital, Jan. 21
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33825973
Dark-eyed Junco x White-throated Sparrow (hybrid) along Lone Pine Road, May
15
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36900323
Snow Goose at Piedmont Geriatric Hospital Pond, Nov. 25
--- http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40718889
*Prince Edward County Missed Species* (seen in 2016 but not 2017)
Cackling Goose
Canvasback (seen three days after the year ended)
White-winged Scoter
Common Goldeneye (seen three days after the year ended)
Red-necked Grebe
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Mississippi Kite (reported but not confirmed)
Merlin
Philadelphia Vireo
Veery
Worm-eating Warbler
Vesper Sparrow
Did I miss anything? What was the best bird of year? Vote HERE
<https://youpoll.me/3876/>. There were many more records I wanted to add
but the list would just go on and on. Please feel free to give your take on
the highlights of 2017.
Evan Spears
Farmville, VA
