Fellow birders,
Highlights of an early morning visit to Leesylvania State
Park by me and a friend included a singing Scarlet Tanager that was so
orangish I initially thought it was a Baltimore Oriole when it first flew
over me. Research indicates that this bird likely was a male in its first
alternate plumage and not a bird in definitive alternate plumage. Warblers
at this park consisted of Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler,
Yellow Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ovenbird. Other
highlights here included Great Crested Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Purple
Martin, Red-eyed Vireo, Spotted Sandpiper, Brown Thrasher and Caspian Tern.
Highlights of a stop at Julie Metz Wetlands included Common
Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Gray Catbird and White-eyed Vireo (2).
We concluded the morning at Monticello Park in Alexandria,
where we saw a Blue Grosbeak bathing in the stream as we entered the park
and three male Scarlet Tanagers and a Great Crested Flycatcher doing the
same as we left the park at about 12:30. Warbler highlights for us here
consisted of Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern
Parula, Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and, somewhat
uncommonly for the park, Prothonotary Warbler.
White-throated Sparrows continue to be numerous, but the numbers of Hermit
Thrush and Ruby-crowned Kinglets have declined significantly from last week,
and we did not encounter any Dark-eyed Juncos.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
