Hello,
Three sharp-eyed birders joined me for Sunday's birdwalk at Sky Meadows State
Park. I personally didn't think we'd see a whole lot because of the time of
year but many birds were quite active. The humidity took a lot out of us. I
was glad to get into my air conditioned car afterward.
A calling Eastern Screech-Owl, great view of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo perched on
a fence, enough Red-headed Woodpeckers to satisfy and a flock of Indigo
Buntings were the highlights. Afterward, one birder joined me to look for
shorebirds at the farm ponds near the silo and barn but the ponds are dry and
no shorebirds were present. Several years ago one had a better chance of
finding shorebirds at the park's ponds than nowadays.
Butterflies were abundant during our visit.
The bird list for the walk:
Turkey Vulture, 3
Mourning Dove, 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 3
Eastern Screech-Owl, 1
Chimney Swift, 1
Red-headed Woodpecker, 6 ad. and 1 imm.
Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1
Downy Woodpecker, 2
E. Wood-Pewee, 2
E. Phoebe, 1
E. Kingbird, 6
Am. Crow, 4
Fish Crow, 1
crow sp., 1
Com. Raven, 2
Purple Martin, 1
Barn Swallow, 22
Car. Chickadee, 2
White-br. Nuthatch, 2
Car. Wren, 1
E. Bluebird, 7 (ad. & imm.)
Am. Robin, 5 ad., 1 imm.
Gray Catbird, 1
No. Mockingbird, 2
Eur. Starling, 1
E. Towhee, 1
Chipping Sparrow, 13 (ad. & imm.)
Field Sparrow, 2 ad. & 1 imm.
Song Sparrow, 1
No. Cardinal, 3
Blue Grosbeak, 2
Indigo Bunting, 13
Red-winged Blackbird, 15+/-
E. Meadowlark, 2
Brown-hdd. Cowbird, 1 imm.
Baltimore Oriole, 1
Am. Goldfinch, 6
blackbird sp. and/or Starling, 15+/-
And after the walk at the farm ponds and fishing pond area:
Great Blue Heron, 1
Black Vulture, 1
Red-tailed Hawk, 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 1 nectaring on Buttonbush
Am. Crow, 1
Purple Martin, 1
Barn Swallow, 24
E. Bluebird, 1
Gray Catbird, 4
Field Sparrow, 1
Song Sparrow, 2
Red-winged Blackbird, 4
Am. Goldfinch, 1
Happy birding,
Scott Baron
Vienna, Va.
