After a very productive month in the 'tropics' (Dominican Republic and
Florida), nice to get out today locally, to catch up on recent arrivals and
glory in the bluebells, which seem to be having an excellent season! My local
patch is on the border of Annandale and Fairfax City.
Birds of note: Green Heron (1); Wood Duck - single male on one small pond, 2
pairs on Accotink Creek; Red-shouldered Hawk - disappointing to find last
year's nest remains as it was in March - only half built and unoccupied - but
an adult cried out as I approached the nest site - is it the remains of a
broken partnership, or is there another nest site nearby that I have not
noticed yet?; Bald Eagle - last Sunday had my 5th ever yard bird, the second
immature for this year - my 5-year-old granddaughter was impressed, though
she doubted my ID because the bird did not have a white head!; Eastern Phoebe
(1); Golden-crowned Kinglet (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet - must be passing
through, as 5 seen this morning; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - three different
pairs, including one near a last year's nesting site; Eastern Bluebird - a
pair has returned (Barbara - they are just north of the Wakefield garden
plots); Brown Thrasher - 3 sightings, at least 2 birds - one of these was at
the top of an isolated 80-foot plus tree, the highest I have ever seen one
singing; Northern Parula - several heard; Yellow-rumped Warbler - lots, one
or two practically in male breeding plumage; Common Yellowthroat - at least
two singing males; Field Sparrow - this species used to be one of my 'usual
culprits' but now quite irregular, so pleased to find two separate birds, one
in good breeding habitat, though not singing; and Purple Finch - small flock,
with at least 6 males and 1 female, too busy feeding to sing.
Stephen Eccles
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