VA-Birders,
Today I visited mostly Fauquier and Clark Counties, as well as a couple of
areas in WV in search of any winter finches I might be able to find. I only
found a single Pine Siskin with many Goldfinches near Rippon, WV and not even a
Purple Finch anywhere, and really not expecting to find much better. But, you
have to look to find them!
I drove the entire length of Crenshaw Rd starting at about 10 AM and somewhat
quickly found a perched male SHORT-EARED OWL at the intersection of Glenmore
Lane (marked private) in the second or third tree back from Crenshaw. I had
extended scope views of the bird from Crenshaw as it somewhat alertly looked
around its surroundings, though I could not get a digiscope to work due to the
very dark/dreary conditions.
I was driving past Snicker's Gap by 1:00 PM so I stopped. Where was everybody?
It wasn't very birdy, but I did luckily have a very nice adult NORTHERN
GOSHAWK fly over to the west at about 1:45. Supercilium evident, had the adult
slate-blue upperside and grey-barred underside, and had some rather obvious
streaking on the breast area. I was hoping for a Golden Eagle but it never
happened.
I later went to Blandy Farm where there were at least a dozen Red-breasted
Nuthatches, and for the first time ever at that location for me, I noted a
definitive BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE among the numbers of Carolinas. I am very
familiar with them from growing up in central PA, noting the clean white nape
(not greyish), broken bib line, bright white secondaries, and lower calls. I
heard another likely BCCH later in a nearby tree. I drove the wildlife drive
to see of the Shrike was around and did not find it. I also checked the
fishing pond area at Sky Meadows on the way home for that (same?) Shrike and
likewise came up empty.
I didn't really find what I was looking for, but ended up with some nice birds.
Fun day.
Jay Keller,
Arlington
