VA BIRDers,
I visited Huntley Meadows today and the highlight was Mourning Warbler,
singing along the entrance road towards the maintenance facility, near where
the trail and road diverge. It quickly moved north along the creek as I
tried to watch it at about 0630 this morning. By the way, from my No. VA
records, the period from 18 to 25 May is peak for finding Mourning Warblers.
I worked the area from the Telegraph Rd side of the park early in the
morning and then visited the VC side in the early evening. Other highlights
were Hooded Merganser with 6 - 2 week old merglets, Wild Turkey gobbling
behind the maintenance area, Spotted Sandpiper along Barnyard Run, American
Woodcock flying in a copse of woods next to the woodcock meadow (maybe a
breeder?), Willow Flycatcher in the woodcock meadow, Bank Swallow over the
small lake, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, YB Chat, Field Sparrow singing in
the meadow to the east of the platform, and Lincoln's Sparrow in the "Coast
Guard Marsh". I recorded 72 species, a tie with an effort on this same date
in 2001 (Also a tie with 5/19/08; all other years produced fewer species
for this date give or take a few days), which means it was a good day at
Huntley for this time of year.
I started a bit after 6am heading down the road from the Telegraph Rd
parking area. I did the pond trail and then the woodcock meadow, afterwards
heading through forest to the Coast Guard Marsh, then off trail until back
to the new asphalt trail to the water control feature - probably about 4
miles. Despite finding the Mourning Warbler early in the morning, the
warbler diversity was quite paltry with many misses - yet, good counts of
Magnolia (8), American Redstart (7) and Ovenbird (10) plus singles of YB
Chat and the Mourning. The local breeding Common Yellowthroats tallied 35.
Thrush were perhaps a bit less than average:
Eastern Bluebirds 4
Veery 1
Gray-cheeked 1
Swainson's 5
Wood 1, this latter is surprising, heard only in a portion of the park with
very little invasive Japanese Stiltgrass
American Robin 14
A good count for Great Crested Flycatcher (7) was obtained but only one
Eastern Kingbird. A pair of White-eyed Vireos, 32 Red-eyed Vireos, and
single Carolina and House Wrens (the former is surprising). A few Gray
Catbirds, 18 Cedar Waxwings, and a surprising 6 Eastern Towhees as I never
considered this species as widespread breeders in the park (at least the
west section) - this year I appear to be wrong. The Blue Grosbeak tally was
4 suggesting movement through the area, ditto for Scarlet Tanager with 7
tallied. Indigo Buntings were only 10, so perhaps the bulk of this species
has moved through. A single Baltimore Oriole was singing east of the main
boardwalk leg.
Big Misses? Red-shouldered Hawk - I am still flabbergasted.
Kurt Gaskill
