Hi all,
I birded three different times at school today and so I will post the three
of them here.
This morning after my mother dropped me off at school I went over to the
cafeteria which overlooks some woods and a retention pond. This was at 7:30
am. (School usually starts at 7:30 except on Tuesdays which is an hour late
start) I did not remind my parents so I could get in early and birdwatch. I
started off by seeing a few crows, then a bunch of bluebirds. I estimated
between 10-20. Soon after the bulk of them began to leave I noticed a
warbler. I saw two white wing bars and the yellow throat, breast, and heard,
with very faint streaks on the flanks; I came to the conclusion of Pine
Warbler. Right after that I decided to keep this list and spotted a
Yellow-throated Warbler. Some minutes after the warblers left I kept seeing
a Chimney Swift. This was odd to me because every time I saw it it was
flying in the same direction and then i lost sight of it. It did this to me
three times and I couldn't decided whether it was the same bird or different
birds. Eventually I saw two then three then a small group of 6. Here is my
tally from 7:30-8:30
Bluebirds 10-20
Pine Warbler 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
American Crow 3
Chimney Swift 6
Chipping Sparrow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1-2
American Goldfinch 3
Passerine spp. 3
Later that morning I had P.E. After doing stretches and what not we went
outside to run a mile around the track. On the walk to the track I noted a
small flock of about 20 cowbirds with some starlings and some finches
nearby. Near the track I saw an raptor fly in. I noted the quick wingbeats
and I believe pointed wings to be characteristic of kestrel. Tally from
8:45-9:15:
Brown-headed Cowbird 20
European Starling 15 (many were heard, but not seen)
House Finch 4
American Kestrel 1
American Crow 8
Eastern Bluebird 3
I had thought that there was a football game today (I am the videographer)
so I told my mother not to pick me up unless I called saying there wasn't a
game today. Turned out it was tomorrow so I was fortunate to have a 30
minute wait till I was picked up. The sun was really hot and it bothered my
eyes when I had to look up at the several raptors I saw. The first one I saw
I first caught a shadow out of my peripheral vision I looked up and dreaded
what I saw. I saw a large raptor, or at least appeared so. The tail was
short and white. I might have seen yellow where the legs were, but I am not
positive (looking straight up put a strain on my neck)I also am not sure
about the colour of the head I thought it was white but I had one really
short glimpse and lighting could have been a factor.. I began to think, okay
Bald Eagle. But the way the wings were shaped appeared very vulture-like so
I began to think perhaps Black Vulture that was partly albino. I don't
recall any flaps in the wings. I am not positive on the identity on the
bird. I did see a young Eagle on Friday at the football game here at JP the
Great. I didn't see much else except a gull, probably laughing, and two
buteos. I literally had to arch my back a bit and look up as far as I could
to see these birds. I saw on at first but then saw two. I saw no significant
colouration so I have to go with characteristics. The birds were as high as
some planes are like when you look at them. They had fan-like tails like
Red-tails would, and wings appeared rounded. They, naturally looked really
small, so I began to think Sharpie or Cooper's but I am not sure even
looking at my Peterson. Below is the tally from 2:45-3:00:
Gull spp 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Buteo spp. 2
Eagle/vulture spp 1
Regards,
Jacob Barkett,
Woodbridge, VA
