VA BIRDers,
Since the daylight savings time relaxation gave us an extra hour this
morning, I left early for the piedmont of No. VA in the hopes of filling in
some species for the November list. I went to Harrison Rd about 30 minutes
before sunrise (no Short-eared Owls for me), then thru Rectortown to Sky
Meadows. At the Bridal trail parking lot I ran into Elton Morel (8 am) and
we linked up for that area. Then I visited a few spots in Loudoun Co near
Upperville. Top bird today was a Sedge Wren on the nature trail just south
of the parking area/silo. Extremely shy - lots of chip notes and a few
seconds of glimpse showing characteristic pattern on breast/wings/head
through vegetation (Elton did not see it, but the call notes were diagnostic
as these were short segments of the song). The other highlights on this
windswept day (at least 30 if not 40 mph gusts) were Tundra Swan (4 on farm
pond with geese nr Sky Meadows flying to gap of Rt 50), Ross's Goose (farm
pond, usual spot), Hooded Mergansers, Peregrine Falcon, Barn Owl, E. Screech
Owl, Horned Lark (Harrison Rd), Brown Creeper, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper
Sparrows, a large flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds (at least 800-strong) west
of the farm pond that the Ross's Goose hangs out, and Purple Finch (Carr
Rd). The wind took its toll as many species I would expect were not to be
found like E. Phoebe, any late neotrop, catbird, thrasher or towhee. Total
species today was 67.
The diving ducks were clearly coming through with Bufflehead, Ring-necked
and Ruddy Ducks noted in several areas - of interest were a pair of
Buffleheads on the fishing pond at Sky Meadows plus a male Hooded Merganser.
The Vesper, Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows were out on some hay bales off
the Bridal Trail as you reach the first junction. Lastly, the sparrow
totals for the day (about 630 to 1430) were:
Chipping Sp 28
Field Sp 11
Vesper Sp 3
Savannah Sp 10
Grasshopper Sp 1
Song Sp 89
Swamp Sp 7
White-thr Sp 55
White-crn Sp 13
Junco 17
Kurt Gaskill
