Hello, birders.
This morning I tried to find shorebirds in the Alexandria area. The Potomac
was running too high for mudflats to be present at mid-tide so no shorebirds
were at the mouth of Hunting Creek. I enjoyed seeing the Bald Eagles at their
nest nearby. When they flew away a Kingbird chased them. A surprise
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER sang from one of the small trees along the river.
A visit to Cameron Run produced no shorebirds except for a Killdeer overhead.
At Sky Meadows SP, I could find no migrating shorebirds at the duck ponds or
the farm ponds. A pair of Killdeer would have to do. I wonder where they are
nesting? I found a dozen tiny Spring Peepers near the farm ponds. They
weren't even one inch long, perhaps they recently emerged?
It was a pleasant day but I was tired of pulling ticks off of my legs and
wasn't finding the birds that I had hoped for. Just before sunset I happened
to be passing by near the area where I found a Blue-winged Warbler pair two
weeks ago. To my surprise the BLUE-WINGED "beee-buzzzzzed" from the edge of
the woods. The gate was going to be locked and I didn't think it would be
singing so late in the day so I hadn't planned on searching for it. It uttered
its song once more before I hurried to my car. They are probably attempting to
nest, perhaps I'll search for a nest in a couple of weeks. This is a good
addition to the bird list, which I am working on updating.
At dusk I heard and then saw a pair of Eastern Screech-Owls. Very cool! And
then at the fishing pond bats caught insects overhead while my first fireflies
of the season danced in the high grass and thistle. It was a magical scene.
Two AMERICAN WOODCOCK were "peenting" and one repeatedly did a flight display
before I left at 9:15. A very nice evening.
Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.
