VA Birders:
Fifteen Northern Virginia Bird Club members led by Phil Silas and I birded the
Aquia Landing Beach Park and Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve in Stafford
county this morning. We saw 52 species at Aquia Landing and 25 species at
Crow's Nest for a combined total of 59 species.
Notable sightings at Aquia Landing Beach Park were two Red-necked Grebes seen
in the channel directly north of the parking lot, Horned Grebes, Red-breasted
Mergansers, 30+ Rusty Blackbirds along the entrance road, 2 Brown Creepers in
the woods at the entrance to the park, 3 Eastern Phoebes - two calling in the
trees around the parking lot and a third at the entrance to the park, flyovers
of Tree Swallows, one Eastern Meadowlark flew over the parking lot and a
surprise flyover of a Common Raven. Ospreys and Bald Eagles were also well
represented. I was disappointed to not even hear any rails nor see a snipe in
the marsh.
We then went over to the Crow's Nest NAP to view the marsh along the Accokeek
Creek. Notable sightings here were briefly seen scope views of a male and
female Blue-winged Teals before they spooked and flew east down Accokeek Creek,
at least 200 Tundra Swans, many Green-winged Teals and American Black Ducks, a
few Wood Ducks, two Northern Pintails and a male American Wigeon. The best
viewing was from the 3rd viewing area at the end of the trail about 1/2 mile
east of the parking lot.
After lunch (and finding Kurt Gaskill), I decided to explore the rarely visited
(at least according to the number of eBird lists) Curtis Park Lake that is west
of Stafford, north of Route 17 off of Hartwood Road (612). I wasn't really
expecting to find much so I was surprised to find 3 Red-necked Grebes, one
Horned Grebe almost in breeding plumage, and six Red-breasted Mergansers as
well as a few other ducks.
What an amazing winter season for Red-necked Grebes!
The eBird checklists from all three locations are provided below.
Elton Morel
Arlington, VA
Aquia Landing - CFB01, Stafford, US-VA
Mar 15, 2014 7:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: NVBC bird walk.
52 species
Canada Goose 75
Mute Swan 3 Resident birds. Orange bill, black knob on top of bill, long tails
relative to a Tundra Swan.
Tundra Swan 50 Six in the marsh, the rest were flyovers.
Wood Duck 1 Flyover.
Gadwall 150
Mallard 30
Green-winged Teal 2 Quick, long distance flyby.
Canvasback 75
Ring-necked Duck 20
Greater Scaup 2
Lesser Scaup 50
Bufflehead 40
Hooded Merganser 2
Red-breasted Merganser 30 Most of them were drakes.
Ruddy Duck 50
Pied-billed Grebe 5
Horned Grebe 6
Red-necked Grebe 2 Seen on the far side of the channel looking north from the
parking lot. Long, stocky necks, block-headed, dusky yellow dagger-like bill,
grayish cheek patch, larger than the nearby Horned Grebes.
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Great Blue Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 20
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 8
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
American Coot 750 In two large flocks.
Ring-billed Gull 100
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Heard only.
Downy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 3
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 4
Common Raven 1 Flyover; a surprise find at this location.
Tree Swallow 4 Long-distance flyovers.
Carolina Chickadee 12
Tufted Titmouse 1 Heard only.
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Heard only.
Brown Creeper 2
Carolina Wren 6
Eastern Bluebird 2 Heard only.
Northern Mockingbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 15
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 12
Red-winged Blackbird 100
Eastern Meadowlark 1 Flew in over the parking lot in early AM. Landed somewhere
in the marsh was heard later singing from the marsh.
Rusty Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 40
Crow's Nest, Stafford, US-VA
Mar 15, 2014 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: NVBC bird walk.
25 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 100
Tundra Swan 200 Large assemblage of Tundra Swans at this location; most
abundant bird here.
Wood Duck 12
Gadwall 20
American Wigeon 1 Long-distance scope view.
American Black Duck 150
Mallard 30
Blue-winged Teal 2 Long-distance scope view, unfortunately they were briefly
seen before they spooked and flew away. Seen from the most eastern of the three
viewing areas about 1/2 mile east of the parking lot.
Northern Pintail 2 Also seen from the most eastern of the three viewing areas
about 1/2 mile east of the parking lot.
Green-winged Teal 50
Greater/Lesser Scaup 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Bald Eagle 1
Ring-billed Gull 100
Belted Kingfisher 1 Heard only.
Blue Jay 1 Heard only.
American Crow 5
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Heard only.
Winter Wren 1 Briefly seen.
Carolina Wren 1 Heard only.
Song Sparrow 2 Heard only.
Swamp Sparrow 1 Heard only.
White-throated Sparrow 1 Heard only.
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Curtis Memorial Park - PBV02, Stafford, US-VA
Mar 15, 2014 2:10 PM - 2:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: <br />Submitted from BirdLog World for iOS, version 1.7.1
17 species
Canada Goose 50 A few on the edges of the lake, most were flyovers in a single
flock.
Mute Swan 2 Orange bills, black knob on top of bill, long tails. SW corner of
the lake.
Canvasback 4
Ring-necked Duck 3
Bufflehead 2
Hooded Merganser 3
Red-breasted Merganser 6
Horned Grebe 1 Well on its way to breeding plumage.
Red-necked Grebe 3 Initially seen from boat launch parking lot on the east side
of Curtis Park Lake off of Stony Hill Road (662), then again in better light
from the parking lot on the southwest side of the lake at Curtis Park. Long,
stocky necks, block-headed, dusky yellow dagger-like bill, grayish cheek patch,
larger than the nearby Horned Grebe.
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 4
Ring-billed Gull 1
American Crow 3
Carolina Chickadee 2 Heard only.
American Robin 1
Northern Cardinal 2
