Drove down to the Sumerduck area of Fauquier Co. today, with a friend, to
check on the Dickcissels reported there a couple of days ago. We did not
find them at the turf farm, where they had been. The field of weeds, where
they had been reported, has been plowed in the last day or two. No weeds,
no Dickcissels!
We then checked out the road to the manager's residence at Phelps WMA where
we found a nice Prairie warbler, heard several chats, but DID NOT see or
hear any Blue Grosbeaks.
Not to be skunked, we drove over to Culpeper Co. to the area around Batna
Rd and Blackjack Rd (off of Rt.3) where they had been last year. Here we
found several Dickcissels singing loudly from the cedar trees along the
road by the field.
We then went back to Phelps to have lunch and look some more. We pulled in
to the last parking area before the residence area and immediately had a
Prairie Warbler fly in and land in a low hanging oak branch ( singing
loudly) a mere 15 -FEET for the car. NICE VIEW!! We also had a Pine
warbler, and bunches of Indigo buntings Later we walked to the pond by the
residence and had a super view of a chat with an insect in it's beak and
some other goodies. STILL COULD NOT FIND ANY BLUE GROSBEAKS AT ALL!
We ended up back at the turf farm where we had super looks at two horned
larks, in the plowed field, close to the road and very close to us. we may
have also seen one female Dickcissel in the weeds at the unplowed edge of
the field. Nice day; but does anyone have a really reliable place for Blue
Grosbeaks?
--
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.
