I spent 1 1/2 hrs driving around the Nokesville area looking for the Snow
buntings and Longspurs. No unusual geese. I did see many Red-tailed hawks, 5-6
American Kestrels, 2 Sharp-shinned hawks, and one light morph Rough-legged
hawk. I did finally find Horned larks (70-80) and 3 Lapland longspurs but no
snow buntings further down Parkgate Rd. There is a fairly short gravel rd.
connecting Parkgate and Aden roads(several miles east of the Nokesville end of
Parkgate), that has a name that begins with a B and is about 8 letters
long(lots
of help, huh). They were in the big field in the southeast corner of this
intersection with Parkgate. I'd never been on this gravel road before but the
days
highlite was down it. Aboout 1/8th mile from Aden rd end of it on the west
side of this gravel rd is a fenceline with cedars growing along it. There was
an
unusual looking hawk sitting on one of the fence posts about 40yds from the
rd. There is a long gravel drive back to a slightly older house set quite a
ways
from the road there and I just pulled in it and set up my scope. It was an
adult female Perengrene falcon sitting on the post eating a Mourning dove. I
watched it for about 15 min and the homeowner came out and walked down to see
if
I had car trouble or what and he got a good look as well. When I had to
leave(it was really hard to leave, getting to watch it feed) it was still
setting
there. If you go out in that area during the week early in the morning be VERY
CAREFUL. All those roads through that area are pretty heavily trafficked and
there are some crazy speeding drivers through there. On the way back to Zion
Crossroads there was an adult Bald eagle flying parallel to hwy15 about 2 miles
south of Gordonsville, about 20 yds off the road-a beautiful sight. Dave
White Zion Crossroads
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