Hello VA-Birders,
This afternoon I visited Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary in Arlington, then
proceeded south to Dyke Marsh in Fairfax County. The highlight ar Roaches Run
was the relatively high number of PIED-BILLED GREBES - seven!!
I first went to Hunting Creek to see if the Wilson's Warbler previously
reported there was still around. I didn't find it but I did see the
(presumably same) LINCOLN'S SPARROW first seen on the DC CBC. Handsome-looking
bird. It is showing a lot of yellow on the flanks and over the breast, with
hints of fine streaking and a dusky, poorly-defined breast spot. Nice January
bird if one is keeping track! I picked through the gulls, but found nothing
unusual. A RC KINGLET bounced around the vines.
Later on Haul Road, highlights included 2 RED-BREASTED MERGS, a nice male
EASTERN TOWHEE, and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD flying overhead alone giving its rusty
hinge call.
I did not find one Yellow-rump, or a bird of prey of any kind. It's been a
while since I saw an accipiter too!
I should also point out that before heading to these places, I was travelling
on Route 50 and observed an AMERICAN KESTREL on a wire above the road, perhaps
1/2 mile before the bridge heading into DC. Another birder had mentioned that
he had been seeing a Kestrel in Rosslyn (Arlington) in recent months, and for
those of you who are unfamiliar with this area, it is definately a cityscape,
so it is surprising to find a Kestrel there. The list for Dyke is below.
Jay Keller,
Arlington
Canada Goose 346
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 61
Lesser Scaup 38
Bufflehead 11
Common Merganser 6
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 4
Ring-billed Gull 485
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 16
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 18
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 6
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 4
Winter Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 5
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 56
Cedar Waxwing 28
Eastern Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 13
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 27
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Red-winged Blackbird 24
Rusty Blackbird 1
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 12
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