VA BIRDers,
Rich Rieger and I went west to Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Education
(aka BRCES), arriving about 0715, and then visited a few spots that we hoped
would have migrants. For the latter, our strategy was creek and stream
crossings with adjacent forests. This strategy proved good as the first
year female Connecticut was on the little creek crossing about midway along
Tail Race Rd, just west of Rt 15. The bird was seen well for many minutes.
OK, now to the data!
At BRCES we did the field near the main gate on Sawmill Lane, the adjacent
power line cut, then the trail that ended in the field west of the main
gate, then drove and did Arnold Lane. We had 3 very active groups and a few
smaller groups. Highlight was probably the Yellow-bellied Fly which was
seen briefly by one of us. The warbler count was OK but not amazing. The
best mixed flock was in the middle of Arnold with lots of warblers,
flycatchers and thrush. The list is next. After that, I will summarize our
3 main hot spots of afternoon activity (not too hot, but OK given its after
lunch!).
BRCES N=63:
C.Goose 2
Black Vulture 8
Turkey Vulture 11
Bald Eagle 1, first yr
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Am. Kestrel 1
Mourning Dove 2
E. Screech Owl 2
C. Swift 14
RT Hummer 3
Red-bellied WP 5
Downy WP 7
Hairy WP 2
No. Flicker 3
Pileated WP 4
E. Wood Pewee 3
Yellow-bellied Fly 1
Least Fly 2
E. Phoebe 6
Great Crested Fly 1
White-eyed V 11, jeez, everywhere, 2 were clearly juvie
Yellow-thr V 2, still singing, albeit intermittently
Red-eyed V 5
Blue J 21
Am. Crow 8
Com. Raven 1
Tree Sw 10
C. Chickadee 28
T. Titmouse 12
White-br Nuthatch 14
C. Wren 13
H. Wren 6
BG Gnatcatcher 1
E. Bluebird 1
Veery 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 2
Am. Robin 3
Gray Catbird 12
Brown Thrasher 7
E. Starling 3
Tennessee 4
Nashville 2
Chestnut-sided 4
Magnolia 6
Black-thr Blue 2
Black-thr Green 7
Blackburnian 2
Blackpoll 1
Black & White 2
Am. Redstart 4
Com. Yellowthroat 9
Canada 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
E. Towhee 3
Field Sp 10
Song Sp 1
No. Cardinal 13
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 6
Bobolink 1, flyover
Am. Goldfinch 7
Featherbed Lane at the Catoctin Bridge:
YB Cuckoo 1
E. Screech Owl 1
E. Wood Pewee 1
E. Phoebe 1
Red-eyed V 1
Blackpoll 1
Black-thr Green 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Taylorstown Catoctin Bridge:
E. Phoebe 1
Warbling V 1
Red-eyed V 1
Gray Catbird 1
Am. Redstart 1
Black-thr Green 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Tail Race Rd at creek crossing midway along N-S axis of road:
Red-eyed V 1
Nashville 1
Magnolia 2
Connecticut 1
Canada 1
other notables were:
Belted Kingfisher on little pond south of Ash George Rd
6 Rough-winged Sw mixed in with several Tree Sw on Featherbed Rd 0.5 mi west
of Catoctin Br
Kurt Gaskill
