Hi Everyone,
The Lorton area of the Burke Lake Sector held some very nice birds as well.
Mike Friedman, Russ Taylor and I had a great day, registering the 2nd best
species total in the last 4 years for the area with 68 spp, though actual
numbers of individuals birds were rather low.
The most notable bird was our very first bird of the day, a very cooperative
LONG-EARED OWL at about 3:30 AM that Russ first identified. We also found the
3 common owl species. Later in the morning a WILSON'S SNIPE called out from a
marshy pond on a private portion of the Laurel Hill area, and an AMERICAN
WOODCOCK flushed near the golf course just feet away from us.
Later in the morning we first heard a COMMON RAVEN then watched as it flew over
our heads at Sandy Run Park. Amazingly, just 45 minutes later, we spotted two
COMMON RAVENS jostling over a piece of food at the Lorton Landfill. We tallied
2 Ravens for the day, assuming that the first one seen was one of the pair,
though this is difficult to fully ascertain. A single Raven has been seen in
the Lorton area for at least the last three winters, and I believe this is the
first time multiples have been found.
We also tallied 141 BLACK VULTURES, 5 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, 2 BROWN THRASHERS, 1 AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW,
18 SAVANNAH SPARROWS (Landfill), 3 FOX SPARROWS, and 1 PURPLE FINCH. Lorton at
its finest!
Happy New Year,
Jay Keller,
Arlington
-----Original Message-----
From: MARC RIBAUDO <moribaudo@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Dec 31, 2007 2:04 PM
To: VA-BIRD <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Va-bird] Belvoir CBC sightings
Just a few notable sightings from the Leesylvania sector of the Ft. Belvoir
CBC on Sunday, 12/30.
3 common loons off the Leesylvania State Park fishing pier late in the
afternoon
125 laughing gulls
1 barred owl at Featherstone NWR
1 catbird at Metz Wetlands
2 pine siskins at Leesylvania State Park
2 eastern phoebes
7 purple finches
Happy New Year.
Marc Ribaudo
Woodbridge, VA