VA BIRDers,
Rich Rieger and I got out to find a few March birds today. Our highlight
was 2 Vesper Sparrows on the western end of Harrison Rd (Fauq Co) in corn
stubble across from the old farm manse here PLUS 2 more at Sky Meadows (Fauq
Co) near the fence line of the Rolling Meadows trail, north side (left), as
one walks from the parking lot.
Our theme today was No. VA piedmont birding where we visited Fauquier Co,
Loudoun Co, Pr Wm Co and Fairfax Co. Other species highlights today were: 6
Wood Duck on Belvoir Rd pond (Fauq Co), a No. Shoveler on UOSA (Frfx Co),
Canvasback and Greater Scaup on Belvoir Rd pond and Burke Lake (Frfx Co), 6
Red-breasted Mergansers on Burke Lake, 6 Horned Grebe + 2 Red-necked Grebes
on Burke Lake, 2 Red-necked Grebes on UOSA, Osprey at Burke Lake, 36
American Coot at UOSA (an observer there claimed Caspian Terns dropped in an
hour earlier today...hmmm...) 3 Wilson's Snipe nr Belvoir Rd pond, 10
Bonaparte's Gulls at UOSA, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker + Brown Creeper on Piney
Swamp Rd (Loudoun Co), Common Raven calling west of Sky Meadows SP (Fauq
Co), 11 Tree Swallows at or nr Sky Meadows SP, 90 American Pipit on western
portion of Harrison Rd, 2 Pine Warblers singing at Conway Robinson SF (Pr Wm
Co), a single Savannah Sp near area of Vesper Sparrows at Sky Meadows found
only with significant effort in field, 3 White-crowned Sparrows at Sky
Meadows, Eastern Meadowlarks easily found in most places plus 600
Brown-headed Cowbirds along entrance road to bridle trail area Sky Meadows.
For the latter, I note finding a 800-strong cowbird flock less than a half a
mile from this location on 3 Nov 2013 which suggests that the main portion
of the group has returned.
Kurt Gaskill
