During three walks each way to and from school this past week, and two visits
to Waples Mill Park (Oct 30 after school, and Nov 2 this AM) I was able to find
60 species of birds in Oakton. The walks were through Oak Marr Park (OMP)
between the two campuses of Flint Hill School (FHS). Waples Mill Park (WMP)
is not officially named and is at the intersection of Waples Mill Rd and Fox
Mill Rd behind the patch of bamboo.
"Best" birds were merlin, marsh wren, house wren, yellowthroats, and purple
finch. This AM was one of those delicious mornings that you don't want to end.
The fall colors, blue sky with beautiful cloud patterns, close views of the
amazing plumage of the drake wood ducks, and the constant sweet whistles of
white-throats, carolina wrens and song sparrows made me want to sing too.
Here are the highlights:
40 Wood Ducks and 39 Mallards at WMP this AM Nov 2 (both species also present
in fewer numbers Oct 30)
3 Sharp-shinned Hawks WMP Oct 30
2 Cooper's Hawk FHS
5 Killdeer FHS baseball field Oct 29
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker WMP this AM
1 Merlin Oct 28 Oak Marr neighborhood at dawn
1 Phoebe still present WMP this AM
340 Fish Crows flying over head at dawn over OMP Oct 29 calling
1 Brown Creeper OMP Oct 28
1 House Wren WMP this AM
1 Marsh Wren WMP this AM
8 Winter Wren at WMP this AM
So, with 21 Carolina Wrens, there were at least 31 wrens of 4 species at WMP
this AM. Tried for sedge but no luck.
Hermit Thrushes 1 at OMP Oct 28,29; 2 at WMP this AM
1 Catbird still lingering at WMP this AM, also 2 found at FHS during the week
One flock of 21 Cedar Waxwings at WMP this AM.
Common Yellowthroats at WMP: 3 on Oct 30 and 1 this AM (all female or immature)
1 Yellow Palm Warbler at WMP this AM
6 Towhees at WMP this AM
25 Chipping Sparrows at WMP Oct 30 but none today
At least 50 Swamp Sparrows at WMP this AM (25 on Oct 30)
Also WMP continues to have large numbers of Song (75), White-throat (55), and
Junco (35), and some Field (6 today, 15 on Oct 30)
5 Purple Finches calling as they flew over this AM at WMP, my first of the
season.
45 Goldfinches at WMP this AM; I found only 3 there on Oct 30
All the best
Fred
Frederick D. Atwood fredatwood at yahoo dot com
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
