Hi all:
I bike sometimes after work along the W&OD bike trail in Vienna and will be
forwarding
any interesting sightings (or thoughts) to you guys to peruse from time to
time.
I also carry along my camera (perhaps somewhat foolishly) with a 200-400mm
zoom lens
with the hope of photographing a few birds along the way.
For those who are unfamiliar with the area, the W&OD bike trail runs from
Falls Church and
past Loudoun County. From the section that I usually bike (at least mile
13-16 going west),
you can find primarily open deciduous woods with Sycamore trees in the
creeks below on the
north side of the trail. On the south side big power line towers with their
accompanying lines parallel the trail on the left. Below them, and somewhat
lower than the raised bike trail, you will find lowlands with primarily
disturbed brush and occasional wetlands where the creeks overtop from time to
time. Lots of frogs peep
from the woodlands and thorns are everywhere on this side. There is a gravel
trail paralleling the wetlands,
but access is poor because of extensive shrubbery and lots of thorns as I
can painfully attest to. There is
at least one wood duck box and bluebird house in this area. There is also a
Soccer area, which for some
silly reason has a no trespassing sign.
Vienna Bike Trail was very dead today, However, a Belted Kingfisher,
rattled at me with its machine gun-
like call as it flit rapidly over the creeks that it favors so much.
I heard what sounded like a pair of Barred Owls who-cooks-for-you-ing on the
north side where a few Cedar pines could be found.
Rufous-sided Towhees were shreeking at me periodically along the trail as
well. Needless to say
cardinals were commonplace. About 6 song sparrows were singing from the
brush near the trail,
and a few mockingbirds could also be found. A murder of Fish crows flew by
as well.
Other than that the trail was very dead.
Speaking of dead, Does anybody have any knowledge about the persistence of
herbicide toxins that were
used many years ago underneath the Power lines to limit growth there?
Environmental Impact?
Good birding all.
Naturalist-at-large,
Stuart Kent Merrell
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