Lynn and I found some nice birds this morning at the New York Monuments area of
Manassas Battlefield. That location is amazingly reliable during fall
migration. If there's a dip in the temperature in September, there *will* be a
lot of birds there.
Typical of this location, was the combination of multiple summer birds who have
yet to disappear; multiple wintering species forming our "FOS" for both of us;
and the "regular" migrants, not found in NoVa in summer or winter.
Examples of those three categories included (1) Pewee and Tanager; (2) most of
the warblers; and (3) Sapsucker, Creeper, and both Kinglets.
Checklist is below. There was one glaring miss: I have found one or more
Cuckoos here on most visits, but none today.
-Steve Johnson and Lynn Rafferty
Fairfax, Virginia
Manassas National Battlefield Park--New York Monument, Prince William,
Virginia, US
Sep 29, 2017 7:15 AM - 9:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
Comments: parking lot, meadow immediately NE of lot, and entrance road
39 species (+1 other taxa)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2 all 5 WP species today
visited the central dead tree above the thicket in the middle of the meadow;
often 3-4 WP species there at the same time. warblers and BHVI also posed in
it several times, completely exposed in bright sun.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 2 FOS for both of us
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3 calling and flying back and forth.
could easily have been 6-8 birds there today.
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 2
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 6 3 in NY Monument area, 2 at entrance on
S side of Lee Hwy, 1 on N side
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 8
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 3
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2 LER only, heard only
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1 FOS; SJ only? in pines next to
parking lot
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 2 pair foraging together in pines
next to parking lot
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 3 everywhere; could have been
5-6, but just 3, assuming many repeat views of same birds
Catharus sp. (Catharus sp.) 1 probably Swainson's but only brief glimpse
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 4
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 3
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 1 SJ only
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 1
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 1 quite showy,
prominent foraging in pines next to parking lot
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 3 along entrance road
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 1 SJ only? at base of thicket in
center of meadow
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 2 males either immature
and/or molting; subdued rosy chest spot, streaky chests and faces, lots of
orange/yellow tints, bright red axillaries when they flew.
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 3
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39453736
