My schedule did not coincide with Sunday's Augusta Co Field Trip, capably led
be
Allen Larner. So I missed the Long-eared Owl that John Rowlett and his group
found and showed Allen's group. I think this is only the 2nd visual
confirmation of this owl in Highland. I hope someone got a photo. After
learning about from John I visited the area at least 3 times including just at
dawn today but neither saw nor heard the owl. For the following list I did
pretty much the same route that the Allen did, only a day later and then added
some other locales this morning. The list is therefore a compilation of two
days.
Some interesting observations include the ragged appearance of the Broad-winged
Hawks, which are obviously molting. All 3 had multiple primaries and tail
feathers missing. One of the Y-b Cuckoos was seen running on the road, tail
a-cock, looking like a small road-runner -- quite amusing. Rt 601 was
productive, with Myrtle, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided &
Black-throated
Green Warblers, all in one copse of mixed evergreen and deciduous trees. Also,
Golden-crowned Kinglets, several Savannah and Vesper Sparrows up there, but no
Horned Larks. Rt 642 (Laurel Fork Rd) yielded the usual assemblage of warblers
plus a singing Nashville Warbler on Middle Mtn. Not many summer records for
this species. Did not hear the Alder Flycatcher at Straight Fork on 642 this
time, but I did hear one in the swampy area where 600 intersects US 250. Bob
Ake found one at there 2 years ago. An Orchard Oriole by Forks of Water was a
surprise. This may be my first in Highland, where they are quite uncommon.
Other critters of interest (to me at least):
1) Black, Spicebush, Pipevine, Tiger & Zebra Swallowtail butterflies. The
Zebra
Swallowtail was on Allegheny ridge, well above 4,000 ft.
2) Mammals (non-bovine/ovine/equine/hominid types) included groundhogs,
muskrat,
4 squirrels (fox, gray, red & chipmunk) and deer. I'm still searching for my
first Highland Co. coyote.
3) Regarding chipmunks, I have never seen such numbers as this spring. I'm
sure
I saw or heard well over 50, including many young. Since these cute little
things are omnivorous and aggressive I wonder what effect such a bumper crop
might have on ground nesting birds. If they find a nest they apparently wait
until the parent vacates it and then they attack the eggs or young. Perhaps
that is why there seem to be fewer juncos about??
4) I also saw a doe suckling a fawn on 642. This is actually the 2nd time I
witnessed such a tender event on that road.
5) This morning on 637 (Dug Bank Rd) I saw an adult doe with a baseball-size
mass at the base of her jaw/upper neck area. It did not seem to interfere with
her grazing or chewing. I suspect it was a goiter as it seemed to be midline.
Don't know how common this is or what other types of lumps deer get in this
area.
John Spahr
Staunton & New Hampden
Location: Highland County, VA, US
Observation date: 6/6 & 6/7/11
Number of species: 97
Canada Goose 2
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 2
Ruffed Grouse 1
Turkey Vulture 35
Bald Eagle 3 (all juvs)
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Killdeer 8
Mourning Dove 18
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3
Black-billed Cuckoo 2
Chimney Swift 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 7
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 8
Acadian Flycatcher 3
Willow Flycatcher 4
Least Flycatcher 9
Eastern Phoebe 13
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Yellow-throated Vireo 3
Blue-headed Vireo 5
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 23
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 17
Common Raven 5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Tree Swallow 45
Barn Swallow 58
Cliff Swallow 5
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 15
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 18
Veery 5
Hermit Thrush 2
Wood Thrush 2
American Robin 46
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 16
European Starling 150
Cedar Waxwing 20
Golden-winged Warbler 4 (3 at M O'Bryan, w/ one carrying food; 1 on 637)
Yellow Warbler 19
Chestnut-sided Warbler 9
Magnolia Warbler 9
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Blackburnian Warbler 7
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 4
Ovenbird 4
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Mourning Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 7
Canada Warbler 2
Eastern Towhee 13
Chipping Sparrow 27
Field Sparrow 21
Vesper Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow 2
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 18
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Scarlet Tanager 7
Northern Cardinal 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5
Indigo Bunting 12
Bobolink 23
Red-winged Blackbird 38
Eastern Meadowlark 30
Common Grackle 24
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 9
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 68
House Sparrow 18
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
