Hi all,
My dad and I birded throughout northern Augusta County today and found several
interesting things. The top birds are 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves in Mount Solon:
My dad and I were at the "Mount Solon Pond" (along Freemason Run Rd, just west
of the 4-way intersection in Mount Solon) and we heard a dove calling about 150
yards south of the pond. After a few seconds, I immediately recognized it's
lower-pitched, and more barking, less cooing song than a Mourning Dove. After
a quick check of the Sibley Birds App, I confirmed what I thought from the
beginning, that we were hearing a E. Collared-Dove. We drove back to the 4-way
intersection and then a short distance south on Natural Chimneys Rd. We parked
in the post office parking area and after a little scanning I found the
Collared-Dove perched in a tree in the yard of a house to the west of Mount
Solon Rd (and almost directly northwest of the apparently abandoned Mount Solon
Grocery, just about kitty-corner between Natural Chimneys Rd and the Mount
Solon Pond). I took a few distant photos from the post office parking lot and
then walked up the road and
stopped at the Mount Solon Grocery to attempt some closer photos. As soon as
I got here I heard an unfamiliar chattering, almost Catbird-like call and
looked up, to see a Eurasian Collared-Dove land on a telephone wire almost
directly above my head! Of course I assumed this was "the" Collared-Dove, but
the original Collared-Dove was still perched in the tree in the yard of the
house to my north! I was able to snap off a lot of photos of both
Collared-Doves, and the bird on the wire flew off after a while but the bird in
the tree stayed perched the entire 25 minutes I was there. For anyone
searching for these birds, I would suggest parking at either the Mount Solon
Grocery or the Post Office and scan all area trees, wires, poles, etc. Both
birds were calling intermittently.
Other Augusta County Highlights today: 4 Canvasbacks (Narrow Back Rd Pond), 3
Buffleheads (Narrow Back Rd Pond), 1 Cooper's Hawk (Broad Run Rd), 10 Killdeer
(various locations), 124 Mourning Doves (various locations), 5 Eastern Phoebes
(various locations), 2 Fish Crows (Mount Solon), 3 Common Ravens (various
locations), 77 Horned Larks (Ridge Rd), 1 GCKinglet (Natural Chimneys Regional
Park), 15 American Pipits (various locations), 3 Hermit Thrushes (2 on Ridge
Rd, 1 on Badger Rd), 3 Chipping Sparrows (Natural Chimneys RP), 33 Field
Sparrows (various locations), 14 Savannah Sparrows (various locations), 19 Fox
Sparrows (various locations), 1 Swamp Sparrow (Ridge Rd), 172 WTSparrows
(various locations), 78 WCSparrows (various locations), 207 DEJuncos (various
locations), 1 Rusty Blackbird (Broad Run Rd), 775 Common Grackles (various
locations).
We ran a few quick errands in Harrisonburg and then stopped off at Lake
Shenandoah where we found 7 Canada Geese, 1 distant male Scaup (sleeping, not
sure if it was Greater or Lesser), 7 RBMergansers, 1 Ruddy Duck, 2 PBGrebes, 1
Horned Grebe, 4 continuing Red-necked Grebes, 1 Am. Coot, and 1 Fox Sparrow.
At the Lakeview Golf Club Pond along Shen. Lake Drive we found 70 RNDucks and 1
Canvasback.
Thanks so much to my dad for a very fun day and Good Birding to all,
Gabriel Mapel
New Hope, VA
