Interesting to see your report, Joe, because I just got back from spending
some time at the Dulles Wetlands, after an NVBC bird walk at Banshee Reeks,
where there were also many AM. PIPITS. They also were, many of them, mixed
with the hordes of Robins beside and in the dirt road, but many were also in
the flooded tussocky area by the road directly in front of the Bald Eagle
nest. I know there were 30, probably many more. It was fun seeing them
approach me up close as I concentrated on watching the BALD EAGLE nest,
where one was sitting the nest, and the other poked solicitously around the
rim.
As I reluctantly drove out of the Wetlands toward Rt. 15, one more treat
awaited me. Where the road parallels Rt. 15 before entering it, there was a
large flooded puddle in the grass beside the road, and foraging in it was a
large flock. I pulled carefully over, and saw that besides the Robins and 3
or 4 more Pipits, it was mostly RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. I counted 52 at one
counting, male and female, most in spring plumage but a few still showing a
little rusty.
There was a good contingent of ducks on the Wetlands also--4 NO. PINTAILS, 4
NO. SHOVELERS (1M, 3F), 10 AM. WIDGEON, 25 GADWALL, 20 GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
and a single WOOD DUCK.
To add to the species seen at Banshee Reeks (sorry, Larry), which will be
reported separately, I also saw our missing Cardinal, Wh-breasted Nuthatch,
1 Killdeer, 1 Herring Gull with the swarms of Ring-Bills, Hairy Woodpecker,
Pileated Woodpecker, a couple more Phoebes, Swamp Sparrow, and Red-Winged
Blackbirds.
Near my house driving home, a juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a
board fence with some harassing Crows perched on each side. They were too
busy to mind me sitting there watching their skirmishes.
A great morning despite the cold feet and wind!
Mary Ann Good
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Joe Coleman
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 10:26 AM
To: va-bird
Subject: [va-bird] Pipits as a Yard Bird
Yesterday afternoon during the snow storm I noticed lots of Robins in
the yard & what at first glance appeared to be several sparrows. A
closer look revealed that while there were a few sparrows there, most
of the smaller birds were AMERICAN PIPITS, the first for my yard list.
When I went for a walk a couple of hours on my local dirt roads later,
Ebenezer Church Rd & Yellow Schoolhouse, there were lots of Robins in
the road and a lot of smaller birds as well, many of which were
AMERICAN PIPITS. At first I thought they were picking up grit but
when they let me get closer, within 10' of them, I noticed some of
them were pulling up partially frozen worms and eating them. At one
spot there were at least 20 pipits with several others scattered up &
down the roads. What I first thought was a merlin, but turned out to
be a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, scattered all of them at one point.
This morning there were again lots of birds on the dirt roads, busily
eating & reluctant to move out of my way.
Birds at my feeders over the past few days have included up to 6 FOX
SPARROWS and 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS.
Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co.
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