VA-Birders,
Shorebirding was pretty good this morning during the hour before high
tide (7-8AM) along Cameron Run, from a half block west of Bluestone Dr.
to a couple blocks east where the stream passes under the Capital
Beltway. Larry Cartwright, Paul Kane, and I had some sleeping
Short-billed Dowitchers at close range, and a Western Sandpiper made a
season's debut. Two immature Black-crowned Night-herons were present,
and one of them was practicing his fishing technique by playing with a
stick. He actually did catch at least one fish while we watched.
For those of you who like the challenge of identifying molting SB Dows
to subspecies, you may want to take a look at my photos at
http://www.pbase.com/paulasullivan/cameronrun_alexandria_va/ and see ;
what you think.
This location has hosted many interesting shorebirds and waders over
the last 4 years since I've been keeping records, including Little Blue
Herons, White-rumped, Pectoral and Stilt Sandpipers, and Long-billed
Dows. There were a couple of Wilson's Phalaropes here in 2002. Even a
Black-bellied Plover and a Red Knot made a rare appearance. This is a
good spot to keep an eye on.
Today's birds were:
GB Heron 2
Great Egret 7
Snowy Egret 1 (immature)
Green Heron 2
BC Night-Heron 3 (2 immatures)
Canada Goose
Mallard
Killdeer 11
Greater Yellowlegs 8
Lesser Yellowlegs 5
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 15
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 9
SB Dowitcher 3
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher 3
Eastern Kingbird 5
Barn Swallow 3
No Mockingbird 2
Song Sparrow 1
Paula Sullivan
Alexandria
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