Lynn and I scored our FOS today at Sky Meadows State Park (Fauquier County) for
4 species: EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, GRAY CATBIRD, INDIGO BUNTING, and ORCHARD ORIOLE.
I think the less common birds we found were WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (2 adults)
and DARK-EYED JUNCO (1).
The main behavior note today is that several species were a-courtin' and/or
a-procreatin'.
I have a question, about entering zeros (0) for species at eBird. I often do
this, either to record a note that we thought we heard or saw a bird, but
couldn't confirm it; or, to record an absence, that a given species was
definitely not found.
Does this create a problem anywhere? I trust, it does not show up in any data
that we know of?
Thanks!!
Steve Johnson
Fairfax, Virginia
Begin forwarded message:
From: ebird-checklist@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: May 2, 2015 3:05:15 PM EDT
To: stevejohnson2@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: eBird Report - Sky Meadows SP - MFR03, May 2, 2015
Sky Meadows SP - MFR03, Fauquier, US-VA
May 2, 2015 7:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: entrance kiosk, picnic/RHWP area, visitor's center, &
Shearman's Mill
39 species
Canada Goose 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 4 conservative count. in the usual picnic / RHWP
area. saw one going in and out of hole many times, calling from it, etc. 2
others were "making the bird with 4 wings".
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1 at first parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 at visitor center. another small flycatcher
nearby, never got a look at it. possible pair. my FOS.
Blue Jay 50 conservative count. one flock of 30; pairs and small groups
seen throughout.
American Crow 1
Tree Swallow 30 throughout the park at all 4 stops. probably many more
than this number.
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Eastern Bluebird 8
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 4 at Bridle Trail / Shearman's Mill area
Brown Thrasher 2 both at visitor center
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 6
Common Yellowthroat 2 singing constantly for close to an hour at first
parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road
Palm Warbler 2 at first parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road, also
Bridle Trail area
Yellow-breasted Chat 0 we both really thought we heard one in the Bridle
Trail area but never could spot it
Chipping Sparrow 2
Field Sparrow 3 wins today's prize for persistent, non-stop singing. at
first parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road
White-crowned Sparrow 2 yes that's right 2, not just 1, and not a single
White-Throat the whole day!! These two were both near the Bridle Trail
parking lot.
Dark-eyed Junco 1 acknowledged this is late. have a photo, will post
link here later. at the visitor center. long looks, unmistakeable.
Northern Cardinal 1
Indigo Bunting 1 at first parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road. our
FOS
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Eastern Meadowlark 1 near visitor center
Common Grackle 7
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard Oriole 3 one male off by itself; M&F pair courting. at first
parking lot on picnic / RHWP side road. our FOS
American Goldfinch 4
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23177258
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
