John Pratt & I spent the morning yesterday doing the circuit at Occoquan Bay
NWR. Mostly, avian activity was somewhat subdued, until near the end of our
walk, where the Sparrows became quite active. As we were about to leave to the
parking lot, we encountered another birder who told us he had seen a Vesper
Sparrow near where Charlie Road meets Bravo Road. So, we headed that way but
did not need to go that far, as the bird was perched on a low branch where
Bayview Road meets Charlie. It sat long enough for scope looks and a few
(distant) photos. The photos of this bird (not great) follow after the mystery
bird link, below.
While watching that bird, a different bird flew into the top of the same tree.
I got a very poor photo of this bird
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveboltz/6260862422/ , but the mundane, grayish ;
streaking on the chest and overall larger than the Vesper appearance have me
stumped. The pattern in the tail is a shadow, not a field mark. I don’t see the
bill as being large enough for a Grosbeak, and its notched tail and size had me
exclude Bunting. There is a hint of yellow on the forecrown. Again, this is an
awful picture, but the only one I got, and I’ve improved it as much as my
Photoshop skills allow.
Other highlights were 3 Brown Thrashers, 57 Pie-billed Grebes in Belmont Bay
from the marina, 3 very active Belted Kingfishers, my FOS Junco, a Brown
Creeper, and a few Palm Warblers near the parking lot. Complete list below.
Dave Boltz
Alexandria/Fairfax Co.
Occoquan Bay NWR - CPW02, Prince William, US-VA
Oct 18, 2011 7:07 AM - 11:22 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.5 mile(s)
57 species
Canada Goose 38
Wood Duck 5
Gadwall 7
American Wigeon 2
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 18
Ruddy Duck 25
Pied-billed Grebe 67
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
American Coot 255
Laughing Gull 335
Ring-billed Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Forster's Tern 3
Mourning Dove X
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 7
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 38
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 5
Common Yellowthroat 2
Palm Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 55
Eastern Towhee 5
Chipping Sparrow 2
Field Sparrow 1
Vesper Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 4
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
American Goldfinch X heard only
House Sparrow X
