Adding to Ben's list (Ben I think that we met in the Woodcock Meadow):
I counted 10 Fox Sparrows in the far back corner of the Woodcock Meadow!
Good stuff, such beautiful birds. Also in the Woodcock Meadow was an
American Kestrel. One of the more interesting things that happened while
I was prowling around in the Woodcock Meadow was the sudden appearance
of a very vocal pair of Red-shouldered Hawks that caused the literal
hundreds of Robins, Juncos, and Flickers to explode out of the meadow
seeking cover. I also had the good fortune of flushing a Woodcock from
underfoot while, appropriately enough, exiting the Woodcock Meadow.
Another bird that let me approach close, me being oblivious to its
presence until it flushed, was a Barred Owl. Luckily for me it only flew
about 20 feet away where it studied me with its intense Owl gaze before
deciding to move on. Finally I found a pair of Cooper Hawks setting up a
nesting territory, they were very vocal. Both the Owl and the Coopers
where seen near the Maintenance Yard.
A beautiful morning at a wonderful place!
A somewhat longer version of this write-up can be found here:
http://www.fairfaxbirding.com/2007/03/12/huntley-meadows-3122007-signs-of-spring/
-----------------------------------
Jeff Clark
Fairfax City, VA
http://www.nothoo.com
http://www.fairfaxbirding.com
Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup wrote:
Didn’t get out on Saturday, but this morning I took advantage of the spring
forward and got to the back side of Huntley before sunrise. I was surprised
to hear two WOODCOCK in the woods north of the parking lot, and another by
the first bluebird box in the first meadow (around 7 a.m.). I didn’t hear
any at the Woodcock meadow, but it was probably to light by the time I got
there. Other signs of spring were my first migratory PHOEBES (3 total), 5
TREE SWALLOWS, 1 PINE WARBLER singing in the last meadow on the right, and a
dozen WOOD DUCKS flying over the central wetland. Other goodies include 2
fox sparrows and 2 winter wrens.
For those who haven’t been there in a while, the park did prescribed burns
in the first meadow and the Woodcock Meadow. The robins, juncos, and
flickers seem particularly drawn to the current conditions. It will be
interesting to see how regrowth occurs over the rest of the year.
Good birding.
Ben Jesup
Alexandria
