With the imminent summer vacation around time, you can notice that traffic
is lighter on the roads. Thank goodness! This at least allows me to drive a
bit slower on a few of Loudoun Counties beautiful country roads. The fact
that the local sheriff's office is pulling speeders over like crazy helps a
bit too. Now birds are the only beings flying along. The farmers have been
busy haying but that has not deterred the birds a bit. Plenty of Eastern
Blue birds, Flycatchers and Blackbirds use the hay bales. The intersection
of Stumptown Rd and Loyalty Rd is a great spot for roadside birding. Plenty
of swallows are around, including Tree and Barn, a Purple Martin showed up
and a few Chimney Swifts were chatting away while chasing the local bugs.
While scouting for Dickcissels, I saw a pair of Orchard Orioles and a few
Grasshopper Sparrows where chasing each other. The Dickcissel, which I heard
from the car, was found singing on the power lines about 150 yard north of
Stumptown Rd along Loyalty Rd. This was a nice and unexpected bird. It seems
that this year more Dickcissels are reported in the state.
Happy birding,
Gerco
Leesburg, VA
