VA BIRDers,
I started out Saturday not seeing any crossbills at Lake Fairfax Park,
Fairfax Co (on Friday, 22 March, I spotted 2 Red Crossbills in the pines
along the soccer fields adjacent to Skateboard Heaven at 9am). Dejected, I
left looking for interesting birds in the piedmont. I found few - highlight
was a female Common Goldeneye on Beaverdam Reservoir, Loudoun Co (not easy
to find after mid-March in No. Va). Also present was a Common Loon and a
Horned Grebe. The Harrison Rd/Belvoir Rd ponds in Fauquier produced a nice
mix of ducks including Am. Wigeon. Sky Meadows produced a Northern Harrier,
Eastern Phoebes were widespread in the afternoon, a Common Raven flew over
the gas station/McD's at Marshall, a Horned Lark was in fields outside of
Upperville (Loudoun), a fresh and sharply attired Swamp Sparrow was along
Carr Rd (Fauquier), 3 White-crowned Sparrows were along the beginning of the
Sky Meadows Bridle Trail, and a Rusty Blackbird flew over Lake Fairfax Park
and a few others were noted in Fauquier Co.
Today Rich Rieger joined me and we started at The Point at 730am, then moved
to Julie Metz/Neabsco Creek (PW Co), then Veteran's Park (PW Co), then
Occoquan Bay NWR (PW Co), followed by a visit to the nearby Marina (PW/Frfx
Cos), followed by Pohick Bay, Mt Vernon and the Great Marsh (all Frfx Co).
We finished at Dyke Marsh at 5pm. Highlights were: Blue winged Teal at
Vet's Park (2) and across from Occ. Marina (6, Fairfax Co), 20 Northern
Pintail at The Point (about one more week and this species will be
essentially gone), 3 Redhead in Pohick Bay, 2 Greater Scaup off the Great
Marsh (we tallied 19 duck species, all in Virginia for the day), Wild Turkey
at The Point, good showing of Pied-billed Grebes (26) and Horned Grebes (13)
in Pohick Bay, Great Egret at Vet's Park, Greater Yellowlegs at Neabsco,
Boneparte's Gulls at Occ. Marina, Great Marsh and Dyke Marsh, 3 Laughing
Gulls at Dyke (finally!), adult Lesser Black-backed Gull at The Point, 3
Forster's Terns at Pohick (ties my second earliest return date - the
earliest is 18 March), YB Sapsucker and Brown Creeper at Vet's Park, Tree
Swallows: 72 at Neabsco and 125 at Dyke, Barn Swallow in Frfx Co across from
Occ. Marina, 3 Brown Thrashers singing at The Point, 8 Fox Sparrows for the
day in various locations, White-crowned Sparrows at Julie Metz and Occ. Bay
NWR, Rusty Blackbirds at The Point and Occ. Bay NWR, 7 Purple Finch at Julie
Metz and a few Pine Siskin at a feeder at Mason Neck. Lastly, Song
Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and Juncos were quite conspicuous today
and E. Towhees were calling in most places.
The following are the aggregate waterfowl totals for Sunday.
C. Goose 73
Wood Duck 20
Gadwall 76
Am. Wigeon 7
Am. Black Duck 37
Mallard 45
Blue-winged Teal 8
No. Shoveler 24, all at Vet's Park
No. Pintail 20
Green-winged Teal 56
Canvasback 10
Redhead 3
Ring-necked Duck 86
Greater Scaup 2
Lesser Scaup 2876
Bufflehead 19
Hooded Merganser 25
Common Merganser 10
Red-breasted Merganser 79
Ruddy Duck 39
Pied-billed Grebe 35
Horned Grebe 20
Am. Coot 495
Kurt Gaskill
