I did some birding out Route 66 today -- hitting Blandy Arboretum and
Shearman's Loop of Sky Meadows.
Blandy was interesting -- huge flocks of cedar waxwings and robins. The fields
contained American tree and white crowned sparrows, in addition to song, swamp,
white throated, and juncos. I looked for crossbills but did not find any --
did find a purple finch. I went out the back way and found a red headed
woodpecker and flicker on the back side.
Shearman's mill trail held lots of sparrows -- field, white crowned, swamp,
song and white throated. Yellow bellied sapsuckers were a nice addition (I
went 5 for 7 on woodpeckers -- missed seeing hairy and flicker).
The highlight came on the way home as I exited the beltway -- on Braddock Road
-- I looked over and saw a Common Raven pacing my car. Big, wedge tail and a
honking big bill. My first Fairfax County Raven.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/73831614@N00/sets/72157649949494230/
Bill