[Va-bird] bittern, swans, siskins, thousands of ring-necked ducks, upper Northern Neck
- From: Frederick Atwood <fredatwood@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Virginia Bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 19:24:41 -0800 (PST)
Hello VA-Birders,
Today December 1, I was in King George County and
Westmoreland County from 7:30 AM to dusk (5:30
PM). Though the invigorating wind seemed to keep
many of the landbirds hidden and made it
difficult to see waterfowl on the Potomac River,
it was a gorgeous day with 84 species and lots of
fun sightings.
I started at Muddy creek along route 3 at the
border of Stafford and King George counties where
85 wood ducks entertained me with their raised
crests and squeals. Then I visited the nearby
ponds/lakes that were formerly sand/gravel mines.
I have never seen so many ring-necked ducks in
the lake on LaGrange Lane, over 5000 of them in
that lake alone (!), most of whom were sleeping.
Only about 15% were females. Though there were
not many individuals of the other species there
was a nice assortment including several
canvasbacks, a female redhead and a pintail. The
hooded mergansers were a joy to watch as the
males showed off their crests and bobbed their
heads between synchronized-diving fishing forays.
From there I went to Washington's Birthplace
where I was excited to see that the tundra swans
have returned to Pope's Creek. Though they were
almost all sleeping and silent when I saw them at
mid-day it was great to have them back again.
In Leedstown along Layton Landing Rd I found my
first pine siskins for the county (eating sweet
gum seeds) and a large flock of pipits. In
Leedstown I also found two fox sparrows.
Finishing the day at a private farm overlooking
Drake's Marsh in Leedstown I saw an American
Bittern fly into the marsh at dusk (also my first
for the county) and hundreds of waterfowl
settling into the marsh and river for the night.
White-crowned sparrows were singing beautifully
as the sky glowed pink and a lone spring peeper
chirped.
Here are the eBird lists for anyone interested in
the details.
All the best
Fred
Location: King George ponds
Observation date: 12/1/07
Number of species: 51
Canada Goose 1100
Gadwall 22
American Wigeon 20
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 89
Northern Shoveler 1
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 9
Canvasback 24
Redhead 1 female
Ring-necked Duck 6050 15% female
Lesser Scaup 1 female
Bufflehead 43 23 male
Hooded Merganser 110 about 50% male
Ruddy Duck 380 about 50% male
Pied-billed Grebe 26
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Bald Eagle 7 3 ad 4 imm
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1 male
American Coot 145
Laughing Gull 175
Ring-billed Gull 555
Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 10
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Eastern Bluebird 4
American Robin 110
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 40
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Savannah Sparrow 13
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 15
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 2
================================================
Location: George Washington Birthplace
National Monument
Observation date: 12/1/07
Notes: These numbers include route 624 to end
of Muse Rd on the other side of Pope's Creek.
Cedar Waxwings and Gannets are also newcomers
for the season. 150 of the cormorants were
flying down the river far out. Not many bay
waterfowl probably because wind made choppy
water for poor visibility. (No scaup, ruddies or
scoters seen in Potomac.) Also surprised by lack
of RBNU, perhaps because of wind?
Number of species: 52
Canada Goose 1715
Tundra Swan 189
Gadwall 7
American Wigeon 2
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 102
Bufflehead 50
Common Goldeneye 23
Ruddy Duck 5
Red-throated Loon 1
Common Loon 2
Horned Grebe 2
Northern Gannet 11
Double-crested Cormorant 160
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 15
Bald Eagle 6
Northern Harrier 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull 20
Herring Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Forster's Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Northern Flicker 3
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 15
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 7
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 6
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 11
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
Eastern Bluebird 7
Hermit Thrush 5
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 40
Yellow-rumped Warbler 5
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 4
Dark-eyed Junco 29
Northern Cardinal 11
Red-winged Blackbird 15
==============================================
Location: Leedstown area
Observation date: 12/1/07
Was surprised not to hear any owls or
red-breasted nuthatches.
Number of species: 60
Canada Goose 300
Wood Duck 2 Fly-over at dusk.
Gadwall 2 in Drake's marsh
American Black Duck 5 in Rappahannock R
Mallard 125 In addition a few hundred
unidentified ducks were flying in at dusk.
Northern Shoveler 3
Ring-necked Duck 1 In Trader pond at dusk
Ruddy Duck 4 In Rappahannock R
Wild Turkey 5
Double-crested Cormorant 85 Mostly hanging
out around the pound nets in the Rappahannock
River.
American Bittern 1 Flew from Trader pond
where it had been invisible into Drake's Marsh
at
dusk.
Great Blue Heron 4
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 25
Bald Eagle 7
Northern Harrier 4 Over marshes and
fields near river. I stayed until dark scanning
for short-eared owl in same habitat but saw none.
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 4
Killdeer 3
Wilson's Snipe 2 Flew over at dusk.
Ring-billed Gull 185 In Parker field and
Rappahannock R
Forster's Tern 3 Pound net posts in river.
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 60
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 7
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 130 120 were in Parker farm
field where recently plowed.
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
Brown Creeper 2
Carolina Wren 12
Winter Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Eastern Bluebird 16
Hermit Thrush 4 PD Creek.
American Robin 155 Eating hackberry and
wild grapes.
Northern Mockingbird 7
European Starling 20
American Pipit 113 110 were in Parker
farm field on Horner's Mill Rd. 3 were at Trader
farm.
Cedar Waxwing 105 Three flocks. Eating
wild grape and persimmon.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 16
Field Sparrow 20
Savannah Sparrow 7
Fox Sparrow 2, 1 at PD Creek; 1 at Traderfarm.
Song Sparrow 88
Swamp Sparrow 37
White-throated Sparrow 75
White-crowned Sparrow 40 All at Trader
Farm in two locations. Beautiful songs all the
time.
Dark-eyed Junco 20
Northern Cardinal 30
Red-winged Blackbird 675 Many were in
trees eating sweet gum seeds. Many were in corn
field eating remnant fallen corn.
Eastern Meadowlark 4
Common Grackle 1450
Pine Siskin 8; 7 were in a flock by
themselves on Layton Landing rd. They were
eating
sweetgum seeds
American Goldfinch 17 eating alder,
trumpet creeper and persimmon
Frederick D. Atwood fredatwood@xxxxxxxxx
Flint Hill School, 10409 Academic Dr, Oakton, VA 22124
703-242-1675
http://www.agpix.com/fredatwood
http://www.flinthill.org
http://tea.armadaproject.org/tea_atwoodfrontpage.html
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