There was a huge flock of blackbirds (maybe 6,000 to 8,000) in the vicinity
of Rte 245 (exit 31 on I-66) and Harrison (Rte 750) and Mount Eccentric Rds. on
Thursday, January 19th. Prominent were Common Grackles plus large numbers of
Brown-headed Cowbirds, some Redwings and Starlings, and also both Brewer's
and Rusty Blackbirds.
The three of us were able to get close up views of the Brewer's and Rusties
as they spread across both Harrison and Mount Eccentric Roads and the adjacent
fields. For the most part though, they presented a restless, swirling mass of
birds sweeping over the fields and alighting in stands of trees in the area.
We diligently searched the swarming flock for Yellow-headed Blackbirds, but
did not find any.
The Harrison Rd. pond was crammed full of Canada Geese, but no ducks other
than Mallards. The Belvoir Rd. pond was host only to 8 Ring-neck Ducks and 4
Canada Geese.
An earlier stop at Lake Brittle produced the resident Lesser Black-backed
Gull and lots of land birds including Purple Finch. A late afternoon stop on
Crenshaw Rd. at Rectortown produced two Tree Sparrows in the hedge row
(previously reported by Todd Day). We stayed around until the first of the
Short-eared
Owls appeared shortly after 4:30 PM. ( On a previous visit a week earlier
(1/12), we had observed the first Short-eared Owl at 4:20 PM and tallied at
least
7, if not 9, owls then.)
Ralph Wall
Great Falls, VA
