VA BIRDers,
I left early to visit the Nokesville area, first stopping along Joplin Rd
(619) outside of Triangle near the intersection of Breckinridge Rd for the
first of season Whip-poor-will at about 6am. After a listening for a few
minutes I noted a Brown Thrasher was also singing which turned out to be
part of the day's theme - lots of our early migrants have arrived in the
last week; swallows, Brown Thrashers, Eastern Towhees, and Chipping Sparrows
dominated the mix. Also of great interest, Spring Beauties have begun to put
on a show and the first Virginia Bluebells are blooming!
I visited a few spots near Nokesville, mainly along field edges and started
developing a fine sparrow tally. I noted that the Horned Larks seen during
the last trip were still at the same locations. I then went to the Rt 234
Wetlands to scout out for the Prince William Conservation Alliance Field
Trip (http://www.pwconserve.org/) on Saturday, April 18. Before I walked a
foot down the trail I was met by a small fall-out of sparrows feeding in the
grass - this one spot contained Field Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows, a Fox
Sparrow, and Junco - a few feet away one could here the "pinks" of
White-throated Sparrows and a nearby Eastern Towhee sang. Occasionally, one
of the Vesper's would sing its song. Very nice!
The wetlands continued with more of the regular sparrows - Fields, Songs,
Swamps, and White-throats. I noted a single American Bittern escaping into
a harder to reach portion of the marsh. The open water held a few Canada
Geese, a coot, Mallards, Blue-winged Teal and Wood Ducks. As I walked back
the car, the Vesper Sparrows still sung!
Throughout the morning there was noticeable raptor activity in the skies.
Osprey flying north was a pleasure to see as well as accipiters and
shoulders and tails. As noon approached I left for home, taking Rt 234 and
visited the Prince William County Sanitary Landfill. Although only about
400 gulls were present, there were 2 very sharp looking Laughing Gulls and
one very crisp adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. In addition, there was a
good candidate for a 2nd spring Thayer's Gull. Nearby were 5 Bald Eagles,
including 2 adults and the holding ponds held 4 Wood Duck and 5 Bufflehead.
Notables of today's 71 species are listed below.
Kurt Gaskill
Wood Duck 8
Blue-winged Teal 2
Bufflehead 5
Am. Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 53
Turkey Vulture 12
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 5
No. Harrier 3, incl one male
Sharpie 1
Coops 2
Red-shouldered 5
Red-tailed 9
Am. Kestrel 8
Am. Coot 1
Killdeer 6
Laughing Gull 2
Ring-billed Gull 475, several groups flying over the piedmont, only 175 at
the landfill
Herring Gull 203, 3 over the piedmont and one Thayer's-type
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Whip-poor-will 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
E. Phoebe 3
Purple Martin 2
Tree Sw 10
No. Rough-winged Sw 1
Barn Sw 2
Hermit Thrush 1
Brown Thrasher 17
Yellow-rumped 1
Pine 3
E. Towhee 14
Chipping Sp 15
Field Sp 20
Vesper Sp 3
Savannah Sp 4
Fox Sp 1
Song Sp 47
Swamp Sp 13
White-thr Sp 32
White-crn Sp 2
Junco 37, often singing near pines and cedars
Red-winged BB 250, flocks still about
E. Meadowlark 14+
Pine Siskin 1
