VA Birders,
Seven hardy birders showed up for a rainy morning of birding at Shenandoah
University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield in eastern Clarke county.
The park is just east of the Shenandoah River Bridge on Route 7. The walk was
led by Dave Boltz and Elton Morel. We endured a couple of rain showers passing
through but it wasn't all that bad.
Our species total was a bit on the low side at 47 species, but as Dave Boltz
previously posted, we found an Olive-sided Flycatcher at the far north end of
the golf course loop near a small pond before the cart path goes up a very
steep hill. We enjoyed prolonged looks at this bird despite the bad light and
drizzling rain.
Other notable species were an adult male Baltimore Oriole, two Black-and-white
Warblers, two Common Yellowthroats, a Magnolia Warbler, an American Redstart,
several still singing Warbling Vireos, a couple of Blue Grosbeaks, many Indigo
Buntings and flyovers of ravens.
The complete eBird checklist is below.
Elton MorelArlington, VA
Shenandoah University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield, Clarke,
Virginia, US
Sep 2, 2017 7:40 AM - 12:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: NVBC walk led by Dave Boltz & Elton Morel. Periods of rain. Walked
the north loop of the course only.
47 species
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1 Heard only
Bald Eagle 3
Mourning Dove 6
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Heard only
Chimney Swift 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Heard only
Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 Flycatcher perched at very top of dead snag. Smaller
than a GCFL but bigger than a pewee or Empid. Dark, bull-headed profile. Dark
vest with blurry streaked effect contrasting with clean, bright white throat
and centerline between the dark vest. White tufts on sides of rump occasionally
seen (but not in any of the photos). Seen at the far north end of the course
near a pond where the cart path goes up the very steep hill. No vocalizations.
Terrible photos taken from long distance, in light rain and bad light; photos
heavily cropped and magnified.
Eastern Wood-Pewee 5
Eastern Phoebe 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Warbling Vireo 3 Heard only, still singing.
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 2
Common Raven 3
Tree Swallow 30
Barn Swallow 4
Carolina Chickadee 12
Tufted Titmouse 6
White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Heard only
Carolina Wren 12 Heard only
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Eastern Bluebird 8
American Robin 1
Gray Catbird 1
European Starling 50
Cedar Waxwing 20
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 8
Eastern Towhee 1 Heard only
Northern Cardinal 15
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 10
Baltimore Oriole 1 Nice adult male
American Goldfinch 10
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38956098
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
