Ever since BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES start being reported in the Shenandoah
Valley and in neighboring MD counties I have been hoping for one in my yard and
have been checking out every chickadee that appeared since I'm only a mile or
so from the Blue Ridge Mountains and only about 4 miles from Clarke Co. PINE
SISKINS showed up about a week ago (& except for last year they show up most
every year) and both FOX SPARROWS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS have been regulars
for about a week now but until this morning the only chickadees had been
CAROLINA CHICKADEES just as they have been for the last 13 years. However, a
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE finally turned up this morning along with a couple of
CAROLINA CHICKADEES. Side-by-side, the differences between the two species
were obvious and its always great to be able to add a new species to one's
yard/local patch list.
Best, Joe Coleman near Bluemont, Loudoun Co
