I got into Occoquan NWR as soon as the gate opened this morning and spent a
very good 3+ hours birding there. A King Rail was calling in the marshy area
to the north of Easy Rd, it seemed very close to the edge of the reeds but I
was not able to see it although I waited at least half an hour hoping it would
come out. I was so busy trying to see it I almost missed a Beaver crossing the
trail. By the time I noticed it it was just diving into the water on the other
side. A Wilson's Snipe also flew up from about the same area. Along Delta Rd.
I found two Vesper Sparrows, three Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a yellow Palm
Warbler, and heard a singing House Wren. There was a singing Yellow-throated
Warbler near the golf course fence and three Purple Martins near the auto drive
exit. Other notable birds were six Turkeys near the parking lot, at least six
Bonaparte's Gulls on the bay, and a large flock of scaup which appeared to all
be Lesser.
I then headed down to Possum Point Road where I saw a Lesser Yellowlegs, 64
Ruddy Ducks, several Yellow-throated and Pine Warblers, a Hermit Thrush, and a
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
On my way back to Front Royal I checked Harrison Rd and heard one Vesper and
Savannah Sparrow singing in the corn stubble. There was one female Lesser
Scaup on the pond. At Belvior Pond there were seven Ruddy Ducks and a
Bufflehead.
James Fox
Front Royal
