A very cold and windy morning along Long Branch Stream Valley Park in
Annandale, Fairfax County. Didn't see much other than several Blackpolls and
a male Baltimore Oriole until nearly 9.30 am, when I reached the
intersection with Woodland Way. There is a very degraded patch there,
over-run with exotic creepers of many kinds. But it does produce plenty of
cover and Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Red-eyed Vireo and Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher are regulars there. This morning, it seemed that this is where
all the migrants chose to keep out of the wind. A little spishing brought
out all the regulars, as well as a couple of female American Redstarts, a
Nashville Warbler, many Blackpolls, a male Chestnut-sided Warbler and then
the two big surprises: a Warbling Vireo and a very skulky Black-billled
Cuckoo.
Stephen Eccles