I birded Barrett House then Laurel Hill Equestrian Center this morning starting
about 7 AM - dim and cloudy, but no rain.
I went mainly for sparrows, and was not disappointed. At Barrett House, a 10-20
sparrows (and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler) were feeding along the first 100 feet of
the gated, paved road that runs from the parking area to the golf course.
Initially, due to pre-"sunrise" low light, I could identify few of them, though
an adult White-crowned Sparrow stood out. I saw one Spizella sp. that was not a
Field Sparrow, which I did see here, but the light was too dim to determine
whether Chipping or Clay-colored. However, it appeared much paler than the Song
and White-crowned Sparrows it was feeding with; if forced to guess, I would say
Clay-colored but that may be wishful thinking given last year's wintering
Clay-colored Sparrow at the nearby Equestrian Center.
Started at Laurel Hill Equestrian Center at 8:15, hoping to find a Lincoln's
Sparrow. Dipped on the Lincoln's, but the first sparrow I saw was a Vesper
Sparrow between the parking lot and and the catchment basin perched atop a tall
weed. The white eye-ring was like a beacon in the dim light. Of course I failed
to bring my camera (thought the light was too dim). While watching sparrows in
the catchment basin, a Merlin flew by, maybe 50 feet above me. The birdiest
spots here were in and around the catchment basin and around the dead tree
inside the hairpin turn on the Workhouse Loop trail.
I saw 8 species of sparrow between the two areas - but no White-throated
Sparrows.
https://ebird.org/va/view/checklist/S49319497
https://ebird.org/va/view/checklist/S49319985
Scott D. Priebe
Springfield, VA
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