VA BIRDers,
Top find by Rich Rieger and myself was a Clay-colored Sparrow in the weedy
wet field behind the Ranger's house and near the beginning of the Bridle
Trail at Sky Meadows. We finally got good looks at about 20 feet near the
creek where the wooden bridge of the nature trail crosses it. As is typical
for this location, the rewards go to the birders who venture away from the
trail - we started from the eastern end to keep the sun behind us most of
the time.. Also noted at this location was a Tennessee Warbler giving
confiding looks at 7 feet. Other highlights were Vesper and Lincoln's
Sparrow. On the eastern arm of this trail (about a half mile away as the
Raven flies) there is a large weedy field with 2 bermed ponds which also
produced a fine mix including more Lincoln's, Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrow
and an Orange-crowned Warbler. The thorny berry shrubs on the berms were an
obstacle for effective sparrow-ing, so we had to go around them and probably
missed a few birds. Complicating today was a horse event using the Bridle
trail. Highlights are below.
We also stopped by the Rectortown Fields and, although they looked less
weedy and neglected they still sported 2 No. Harriers, 3 Red-shouldereds and
1 Red-tail.
Kurt Gaskill
Highlights at Sky Meadows:
Bald Eagle 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Red-headed WP 1
E. Phoebe 3
Com. Raven 2
Horned Lark 1
House Wren 1
GC Kinglet 1
RC Kinglet 5
Tennessee 1
Orange-crowned 1
Yellow-rumped 14
Palm 3
Com. Yellowthroat 1
E. Towhee 4
Clay-colored Sp 1
Chipping Sp 1
Field Sp 34
Vesper Sp 2
Savannah Sp 20
Grasshopper Sp 2
Song Sp 67
Lincoln's Sp 3
Swamp Sp 12
White-thr Sp 26
White-crn Sp 6
Indigo Bunting 1
