Apologies for the late posting.
Following up on a tip by Anne McLung, John Pancake and his wife found
and identified a Fork-tailed Flycatcher on route 625, Bethany Church
Road, outside of Lexington in Rockbridge County on Nov 11. Several
photos were taken that clearly substantiate the identification.
Subsequent search parties failed to re-find this bird.
This is the second record of this South American vagrant in the
mountains and valleys region of Virginia -- the first was in Bath County
in 2003. There are 4 coastal Virginia records. This species is not to
be confused with the Scissors-tailed Flycatcher, an uncommon visitor
from the western states for which we even have a few breeding records in
piedmont Virginia.
For Dick Rowe, John Pancake, et al
John Spahr
Staunton, VA
