Hi all,
Max Nootbaar, my mom, and I birded the day away in Augusta and Rockingham
Counties today. I haven't put my lists in eBird yet so I'm not sure of my
final number of species but it was quite a great day.
We started at InVista Ponds here we had 4 Coots, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 2
Kingfishers, and 1 GB Heron. At Ridgeview Park we found a pair of adult
Red-shouldered Hawks copulating right near the nest that RS Hawks nested in
last year! Hope they successfully nest there again! Also here we added 2
Chipping Sparrows, a pair of Wood Ducks, 1 Towhee, and 1 GC Kinglet.
At Hestons Farm Ponds, although there was nothing on the water, Max picked up
on a large accipiter flying just to the west, across Shalom Rd. At first we
thought it was a Cooper's but I spotted the gray back, and more strikingly, the
light gray chest with gray barring. Both Max and I were able to watch it for
approx. 60 more seconds as it flew away but made a few circles showing the
oddly-shaped tail, smallish head compared to body, and once again, all gray
plumage. In comes another raptor diving the large accipiter, MUCH MUCH
smaller, a Sharp-shinned and it was great to have a direct comparison with the
Sharp-shinned and the adult Northern Goshawk!
Along Hall School Rd although we didn't find the Rough-legged Hawk we did have
a nice look at at least 1 flyby Purple Martin (FOY) and 2 Horned Larks. There
wasn't anything of note at the Stuarts Draft WWTP. At Old Quarry Pond we added
7 Ruddy Ducks and 2 Lesser Scaup. On McCune's Pond we counted 37 Gadwall, 4
Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Shovelers, and 2 Wigeons.
We stopped off near my house and spotted the Great Horned Owl on the old
Red-tailed Hawk nest. Along Strickley Rd we added only 3 more Horned Larks.
Up in Rockingham, along Route 340 south of Merck at the Longspur spot we lucked
in to a small Horned Lark group, and with it, the Lapland Longspur that gave
great looks! I believe Max got some photos of the Longspur.
Along Nicholson and Model Roads we added 2 more Horned Larks 2 Kestrels, and 2
Cooper's Hawks. On Power Dam Rd we added 1 Phoebe. At Silver Lake we saw 2
Wigeons.
At Wildwood Park in Bridgewater we added 1 Screech-Owl. At the Bridgewater
College Campus Pond we added 1 female Redhead. 1 Adult Bald Eagle was on the
Donnelley Drive eagle nest. At Nazarene Church Rd Wetlands we added 3
Green-winged Teal and another Ring-necked Duck. At the Narrow Back Rd Pond we
had 2 Horned Larks, 1 Killdeer, and 3 female Redheads.
Along Badger Rd we added 1 American Tree Sparrow and 1 Red-headed Woodpecker.
We finished the day back in Swoope in Augusta County where we had 1 adult Bald
Eagle, 17 Gadwall, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, and at dusk along Cattleman Rd near
Livick Rd, at least 2 Short-eared Owls.
Thanks to Max Nootbaar and my mom for a really fun day and good birding to all,
Gabriel Mapel
New Hope, Va
