VA BIRDers,
A few notables in No. VA at locations near the Potomac R from the last two
days:
Saturday 10 Nov was slow with highlights being Great Egret & Forster's Terns
at Quantico Cr (seen fr Possum Pt Rd) and Red-breasted Nuthatch and Pine
Siskins in Pr William Forest Park on the gravel road to Breckinridge
Reservoir off Joplin Rd. The latter area had a good concentration of Hermit
Thrush, including some singing.
Sunday, 11 Nov was more productive. Highlight was a Green Heron at the
Great Marsh of Mason Neck, from the platform at the end of the Great Marsh
Trail. HY bird, normal vocalization, short flights and looking healthy.
Amazingly late - my late records for No. Va are Oct 19, 2000 Huntley Meadows
(Gaskill), Oct 25, 2004 Huntley Meadows (Rich Rieger), Nov 9, 1988 Dyke
Marsh (Obs. unkwn) and Dec 23, 1978 (Locations and obs unknwn, Ft Belvoir
CBC).
Waterfowl numbers in and near the Great Marsh were pretty good and tallies
below include Redhead and Greater Scaup. Huntley had some waterfowl
including 3 Wood Duck and 8 Northern Pintail. Pohick Bay produced a Common
Loon, the Great Marsh held a Northern Harrier, 19 Greater Yellowlegs and 1
Lesser Yellowlegs, Huntley Meadows had 2 Wilson Snipe at dusk, E. Phoebe and
Gray Catbird were at the Great Marsh, and Fox Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrow (LISP
south of the tower and 20 feet west of the boardwalk, close to the typical
late date for this species), 16 Rusty BBs and several Pine Siskins were at
Huntley.
Kurt Gaskill
Waterfowl totals nr the Great Marsh of Mason Neck (note: no wintering Tundra
Swan yet):
C. Goose 140
Gadwall 235
Am. Wigeon 74
Am. Black Duck 160
Mallard 45
No. Shoveler 19
Green-winged Teal 5
Canvasback 24
Redhead 1
Ring-necked Duck 435
Greater Scaup 2
Lesser Scaup 153
Bufflehead 5
Hooded Merganser 4
Ruddy Duck 290
Pied-billed Grebe 25
Am. Coot 230
