Hi,
I had a fun time birding at Sky Meadows on this wet but beautiful fall day. I
thought that the birding might be slow because of the rainy conditions but
birds were numerous and quite active. It certainly is mild today - 66F before
sunrise, 71F around noon. Light precip. off and on, fog over the ridges.
Breezy early (south-southeast). Upon leaving, the western sky was clearing a
bit. The leaves are a bit past peak out there.
As I type this at home, I hear thunder.
I birded the Shearman's Mill Trail, the nearby parking area and the fishing
pond area. Top birds were FOX, LINCOLN'S and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS as well as
RUSTY BLACKBIRD and PURPLE FINCH.
The birds were dominated by sparrows - 11 species. Sparrows are one of my
favorite things about Sky Meadows. The woods were esp. full of them today.
Generally easier to see them in the woods today, they were generally shy in the
open).
species of particular interest (mostly migrants)
Can. Goose, 70
B. Eagle, 1 (poorly lit, couldn't determine ad. or imm.)
Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 (hunting the woods)
R.t. Hawk, 1 ad and 1 imm.
Am. Kestrel (prob. a local), 1
Red-headed Woodpecker, 1
Y.b. Sapsucker, 1m
No. Flicker, 5
E. Phoebe, 2
Blue Jay, 14
Com. Raven, 1
G.c. Kinglet, 2
R.c. Kinglet, 3
Am. Robin, 8
Cedar Waxwing, 39
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 12
Palm Warbler, 8 (2 brown, the others may have been yellow)
E. Towhee, 1
Chipping Sparrow, 9
Field Sparrow, 8
Savannah Sparrow, 9
Fox Sparrow, 1 (first of season for me, I don't see them quite this early)
Song Sparrow, 55
Lincoln's Sparrow, 2 (finally my fos)
Swamp Sparrow, 13
White-thr. Sparrow, 60
White-cr. Sparrow, 16 imm. and 2 ad. (fos for me)
D.e. Junco, 8
Red-w. Blackbird, 410
Rusty Blackbird, 1m (sang, fos for me)
Purple Finch, 2 female type (first of season)
Some normally common species were scarce, ex. only a few Chickadees and
Titmouse.
Happy birding to you,
Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.
