VA BIRDers,
Mark Moran, Marc Ribaudo and myself met up at The Point for morning birding,
Mark and I continued at Julie Metz and then split up, I hit a few other
places starting with a quick pass through Leesylvania SP, then Veteran's
Park, Occoquan Marina, Burke Lake, Riverside Drive Park, and concluding at
Dyke Marsh. Waterfowl numbers continue to go down as local Canada Geese and
Mallards are on or near nest sites and the migrants have mostly departed.
Grebe numbers are down enough to suggest that their peak was last week.
Common Loons on Burke Lake. DC Cormorant numbers continue to climb with
scattered groups seen flying north-ish over water and land. Eastern Phoebes
are still strong with locals at nest sites, Blue-headed Vireos and Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers obviously starting with the flood expected in 7-12 days or so.
A single Purple Martin joined the now typical 3 swallows. GC Kinglet was
still about and RC Kinglets were singing more frequently. Warbler diversity
and numbers building. Resident Chipping Sparrows taking up positions, a few
Song Sparrows still moving through, the last gasp of Juncos scattered about,
an overhead Pine Siskin noted and a singing Purple Finch. The morning
started calm but got breezy as noon approached - lots of white caps on the
river after noon which may have hid waterfowl. 71 species at The Point and
93 for the day when I quit at 430pm. Estimated numbers and notes below.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 54
Tundra Swan 1, ash pond at The Point, maybe wounded?
Wood Duck 31
Gadwall 80, Most on Belmont Bay, some in Quantico Cr
Am. Wigeon 3, Quantico Cr
Am. Black Duck 10
Mallard 12
Blue-winged Teal 5, single on Burke Lake with the Lesser Scaup
Green-winged Teal 7
Redhead 1, mixed in with coots on Quantico Cr
Ring-necked Duck 5
Greater Scaup 2, Belmont Bay
Lesser Scaup 170
Bufflehead 19
Hooded Merganser 1, Quantico Cr
Common Merganser 7
RB Merganser 96
Ruddy Duck 142
Common Loon 2, Burke Lake very nicely dressed!
Pied-billed Grebe 6
Horned Grebe 1, at Dyke off picnic area
DC Cormorant 162
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 7
Osprey 41, I admit this is a conservative count
Bald Eagle 13
Cooper's 1
Red-shouldered 1
Red-tailed 4
Am. Kestrel 2
Am. Coot 275, Quantico Cr and Belmont Bay
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 16
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Wilson's Snipe 1
Boneparte's Gull 34, several places
Forster's Tern 10, Neabsco Cr
Barred Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
E. Phoebe 4
Blue-headed V 2, The Point
Blue Jay 8
Purple Martin 1, Riverside Dr
Tree Sw 62
No. Rough-winged Sw 5
Barn Sw 2
Winter Wren 1, singing on Possum Pt Rd near road construction site
GC Kinglet 1
RC Kinglet 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3, also at Julie Metz
Hermit Thrush 3
Brown Thrasher 3
Yellow-rumped 8
Yellow-throated 7
Pine 2
Black & White 1
LA Waterthrush 1
E. Towhee 3
Chipping Sp 3
Field Sp 3
Song Sp 12
Swamp Sp 3
White-thr Sp 24
DE Junco 7
Purple Finch 1
Pine Siskin 1
