Went to Conway Robinson this morning in hopes of locating the Red-breasted
Nuthatch reported by Marc Ribaudo yesterday, didn't happen. However, there were
hot and cold running migrants in several mixed "flocks", mostly along the old
railroad bed trail both along the clear cut and west through the forest, mainly
around the swampy area about midway between the western two cross trails.
Dribs and drabs everywhere else. Along the clearcut, the highlights were two
Blue-winged Warblers, and a large flock of at least 25 Pine Warblers (those
close enough that I could positively ID, and possibly as high as 50, as many
more were moving through the pine trees farther away from the clear cut (saw
the Common Yellowthroats here). I continued west along the railroad bed through
the forest. There is a little open swamp on the North side, and from here
through 100 yds west, I spent an hour or more as small mixed flocks of warblers
and other birds (e.g. Baltimore Oriole) moved through - another 9 species of
warblers on this stretch - highlight - Canada Warblers, a group of five
Black-throated Green Warblers, and a bright female Cape May Warbler.
The woodpeckers were also well represented, all 6 species one can expect to see
this time of year (26 individuals seen and/or heard). In the NE corner of the
clear cut, I saw a pair (M & F) each of Downy and Hairy WP, and a lone female
Red-bellied WP within about 10 feet of one another in the crown of a dead tree.
Scott D. Priebe
Springfield, VA
https://ebird.org/va/view/checklist/S48352335
