Two soras, two virginia rails and a pumping american bittern were highlights
at eight am today. The rails were near the first tee on the boardwalk,
visitor center side.
Kurt gaskill
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-----Original message-----
From: Mary Ann Good <magood1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: VA-Bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Mar 18, 2012 00:53:50 GMT+00:00
Subject: [Va-bird] Balls Bluff National Cemetery, Leesburg
Donna Quinn, Germaine Connolly, and I took a "green" walk for St. Paddie's
Day at Balls Bluff National Cemetery along the Potomac north of Leesburg
this morning. It's a great place for wildflowers, which we enjoyed between
birds. As Kurt mentioned, birds not commonly heard singing were singing
this morning as it warmed up and the fog cleared. What is more cheering
than the Winter Wren's tinkling song? We also heard a song I'd never heard
before and traced it to a Brown Creeper, which I've often heard delivering
its call of 3 high thin notes, but never its full song before, repeated
again and again. Other highlights were a Barred Owl that we ran into twice
and unexpectedly seeing four Red-shouldered Hawks circling together over the
trees, with two additional ones calling from opposite sides. We couldn't
figure out what would have brought 4 together at this time of year. There
was also a very lovable Garter Snake that put up with a little
snake-handling for photos, and o
f course wildflowers! Many varieties blooming and many more to come! The
Bluebells are just on the verge of an amazing show. This is a gem of a spot
in the spring.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck - 4-6
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk - 6
Killdeer
Barred Owl - 2 (1 heard)
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
No. Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
E. Phoebe - 3
Am. Crow
Fish Crow
Car. Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - singing
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren - singing
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
Am. Robin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
No. Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Am. Goldfinch
Mary Ann Good
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