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Updated on Wednesday, November 14 at 03:01 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.

Five people participated in the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's visit to the 
Lucketts area in Loudoun County this morning. We looped around on the roads 
east of Lucketts. 


While we didn't find anything especially unusual among the 40 species of birds 
we did find a juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER on Hibler Rd, several small flocks of 
CEDAR WAXWINGS, a FOX SPARROW, and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS in a couple of different 
locations. And there were vocalizing Spring Peepers. 


Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy can be found at 
www.loudounwildlife.org. 


Birds observed:
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
American Kestrel 1
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon 
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy WP
Northern Flicker 
Pileated WP 1
Blue Jay 
American Crow 
Fish Crow 
Carolina Chickadee 
Tufted Titmouse  
White-breasted Nuthatch  
Carolina Wren 
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin 
Northern Mockingbird 
European Starling 
Cedar Waxwing  
Field Sparrow
FOX SPARROW 1
Song Sparrow   
White-throated Sparrow  
Dark-eyed Junco 
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle 
House Finch  
Am Goldfinch 
House Sparrow

Joe Coleman, near Bluemont VA_______________________________________________
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Saw my first Hooded Mergansers (2 m, 1 f) at Ben Brenman Park in Alexandria
this afternoon.

Cliff Otto
Alexandria_______________________________________________
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the greater KIPTOPEKE STATE PARK, VIRGINIA, area, NOVEMBER 7-13, 2007. 
Some of this I've reported previously to some of you on the days when it
happened.  A few corrections and many additions appear below.  The banding
totals are unofficial and preliminary, as are some of the hawk counts.

November 7, 2007, Wednesday.  Chincoteague N.W.R., VA.  Late afternoon. 
Still very dry in spite of recent rains.  Snow Goose Pool has some areas of
standing water, not much more than a skim really, and water in the ditches.

15 Great & 12 Snowy egrets.  1 Black-crowned Night Heron.  30 Dunlin.  12
Boat-tailed Grackles.  1 Royal & 15 Forster's terns.  2 gannets.  225 Snow
& 10 Blue geese.  2 Ruddy Ducks.  4 shovelers.  2 pintails.  2 kingfishers.
 60 Green-winged Teal.  1 sharpie.  Also: a great look at a Fox Squirrel on
the road.  3 Sika Elk.  7 ponies.

Groups from Kendlewood, a Quaker retirement community near Philadelphia,
and Virginia garden clubs are present today.  One of the ladies from
Kendlewood rolls down her window, her only words, surveying Snow Goose
Pool, "Isn't this sad?"  Run into David Whitehurst.

2 miles N of where Rt. 679 goes E from N of Accomac:  a Bald Eagle, 4:30
P.M.  Willis Wharf at sunset, the tide is wrong, see only 8 Willets and a
Greater Yellowlegs.  5:05 P.M.

Thursday, November 8.  Kiptopeke State Park hawkwatch platform.  

Jeff Birek is laid low by the bug, so, to my surprise, the conduct of
today's hawk count falls to me.  From 8 A.M. - 4 P.M. I see 14 raptor
species, only 56 of them non-vultures, but one is a GOLDEN EAGLE early in
the day (c. 8:45 A.M.), another is an imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK at 3:42 P.M. 
The golden is seen earlier that morning at Sunset Beach Resort by David
Matson and his colleague, Carlos Espul, visiting from Mendoza, Argentina. 
An imm. Red-shouldered Hawk is hanging around the adjacent fields and
pounces on a grasshopper one time.  Jeff says it also feeds on mantises. 
In an earlier post I'd misID'd this as a Red-tail.  No northbound migration
today.

RAPTOR RECAP:  227 TOTAL = 32 Black & 139 Turkey vultures, 3 Ospreys, 12
Bald Eagles, 5 Northern Harriers, 11 Sharp-shinned, 5 Cooper's, 1
Red-shouldered & 23 Red-tailed hawks, 1 imm. Golden Eagle, 1 Northern
Goshawk, 1 American Kestrel, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine Falcon, and 1 unID'd
raptor.  Many of the Bald Eagles and vultures are not counted today if they
do not seem to be migrating, are just lollygagging around instead.  Robert
Klages mans the hawktrapping station so Joe Medley can take the GREs.  A
Red-tailed Hawk is his only capture today.

Also at KSP:  at least 4 CAVE SWALLOWS.  a flight of 2,557 American Robins.
 a flyby imm. Tundra Swan.  7 Royal Terns.  185 goldfinches.  4 Common
Loons.  a Wilson's Snipe.  25 Surf Scoters.  9 Blue Geese go over, heading
due SSW across the Bay.  3 Great Blue Herons.  Almost every time I do a
scan 1 or more Bald Eagles are in sight.

Visitors to the hawkwatch platform:  Deniz Aygen and her little
16-month-old daughter, whose name escapes me, Jethro Runco, Robert Klages,
David & Carlos, and Harold Burks.  Jethro and his assistant, Dee Viel, band
over 200 landbirds today.

As with the other 4 days I spend here now, the feeders swarm with
goldfinches, often 20 or more at a time, and good numbers of Red-breasted
Nuthatches and Pine Siskins.  Gannets are in view almost continuously over
the Bay.  The high count of siskins at the feeders reached 16 in sight
simultaneously.

39 Northern Saw-whet Owls were banded last night by Shannon Ehlers, 3 of
them foreign recoveries.  Jethro catches 2 others in the landbird nets.  

Friday, November 9.  Spend 7:15-3:15 on the hawkwatch platform.  Not as
many raptors but there is a Golden Eagle at 12:49 P.M.  Robins are good
again with c. 2,310.  Cormorant flight: c.  Laughing Gulls.  11
Wood Ducks.  1 Cave Swallow spotted by Jeff.  5 Bald Eagles in sight
simultaneeosuly.  2 Rusty Blackbirds.  7 flickers, the "best" day for them
of these 5 days.  95 Fish Crows.  

Last night 49 (!) saw-whet owls were banded.  Abby Odell sends me over a
delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon & biscuits after providing a
soul-warming repast at the yurt for some of the others.  There's a 6-point
buck near the platform.

Ramp Lane, 4-5:30 P.M.  Talk with Adam Folk from Tom's River, and Hank
Jones.  Hank runs a clamming business; he's the one who owns the very nice
marsh cabin near Thoms Creek.  At Ramp Lane:  11 imm. White Ibis, 5 Clapper
Rails (one swimming across the Intracostal Waterway), 1 American Bittern, 9
black ducks, 3 Black-crowned Night, 5 Great Blue & 2 Tricolored herons, 2
Great & 1 Snowy egret, 12 Dunlin, 12 Wood Ducks, 1 Green-winged Teal, 3
Short-billed Dowitchers, 12 Brown Pelicans, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Bald
Eagles, 1 Northern Harrier & a sharpie.

TREE SWALLOW ROOST.  Not huge as used to happen at Oyster but I watch c.
200 form the after-sunset, swirling helix rather high up, then descend to
within a few feet over the Spartina alterniflora marsh.  The flock wends
back and forth at this low elevation, turning 44 times, before FINALLY
descending into the center of the saltmarsh across the ICW at 5:16 P.M.
EST, by which time it's almost dark.  4 boats come in from the bays.  Their
operators pull them and trailer off.  3 unsuccessful hunters (muzzleloading
season is on) come out of the woods.  A few minutes later I see 6 deer.

A quick Mexican dinner at Don Valerio's and then meet with others (Tad
Finnell, John Fox, Larry Lynch, Ned Brinkley [the coordinator], Sue Heath
et al.) at Kelly's Pub to plan, most informally, for tomorrow's "rarities
roundup weekend".  Others on hand tomorrow will include Bill Williams,
Brian Taber, John Spahr, Dave Clark, and Paul Nasca.

Saturday, November 10.  Rain and gloom early on then gradually clearing,
becoming windy and cold.  Most of the much-needed rain falls in the
pre-dawn darkness.  From the platform:

2 Red-throated Loons, 10 Pine Siskins, an ad. female peregrine, 1 Barn & 5
or more Cave swallows, 1 Merlin, 2 sapsuckers, 10 Common Loons, 65
migrating scoters & 30 gannets.  My favorite: an American Golden Plover
that flies behind us but close that Brian heard before we saw it.  Also,
one doe.

Others today see:  Black-and-white Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, and
Dickcissel (Bill Williams and John Spahr).  At Ramp Lane Dave Clark calls
in a WHITE-FACED IBIS to Todd Day over in the Washington area who in turn
reaches Bill Williams a few minutes after the Ibis' discovery in the middle
of the C.V.W.O. meeting.  Sue Heath and Tad Finnell find a WESTERN KINGBIRD
 up near Nassawadox.

In mid-afternoon the Odells provide food for the multitudes on the
platform: delicious upstate Pennsylvania meats, brownies, apples,
cornbread, and cider.  I have 4 meals today.  Attend the annual meeting of
the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory at Sunset Beach Resort from 3-6. 


Sunday, November 11.  Veterans Day.

Ramp Lane, 7:15-8:30 A.M.  Good, close views, some 75 feet or less, of the
White-faced Ibis by several of us, Brian Taber, Paul Nasca, Steve
Thornhill, John Fox et al.  The eyes are bright red.  The legs are a
reddish suffused with blackish hues, sort of the color of the stalks of
chokeberries.  Extensively photographed.  Other birds there, most of them
tame and unconcerned with our presence:  9 imm. White Ibis, 16 Greater
Yellowlegs, 13 Green-winged Teal, 5 Hooded Mergansers, 30 American Black
Ducks, 3 Short-billed Dowitchers (heard), 24 flyover Snow Geese, 2 Snowy
Egrets, an imm. Little Blue Heron, an Osprey, 55 Fish Crows, 3 Northern
Harriers, and 2 does.  Others see a Sora here later in the day.  Often the
ibis feeds in close proximity, within a foot or so, of the Little Blue and
a Snowy.  Several times these 3 species are within a space of 3 feet or so.

In the evening, 4:30-5:30, Bob Anderson, Thuy Tran and I return along with
refuge volunteer Jan Larson and Dee Viel, have additional good views of the
ibis along with a late Cattle Egret.  A huge distant and strung out skein
of cormorants numbers about 130 birds.  The ibis lifts off at 4:40 and Bob
watches it through his Leica scope all the way to Fisherman's Island, where
it puts down into the shrubbery to roost.  A Great Horned Owl calls in the
distance.  Many of the birds present in the morning are still here.  Two
woodcock against the glow of the western sky as we leave.  4 deer.  

The rest of the day, 9-4:15, I'm at the K.S.P. hawkwatch, where the raptor
flight is a small one.  But we see Cave Swallows again.  Once I have 3 in
sight.  Perhaps there are 7-8 here, hard to tell, plus a Barn Swallow
again.  57 Common Loons go over headed SW into the Bay including loose
aggregations of 19, 18, 11, and 6 with a couple of Red-throated Loons.  Joe
Medley spots a hummingbird at the hummer feeder.  The consensus is:
Ruby-throated.  Well seen several times at close range.  Once when,
unfortunately, no one else is there a flock of 30 Rusty Blackbirds flies
over.

Lots of visitation, unusual for November, including a New Jersey Audubon
Society group led by Scott Barnes.  The Odells serve cake and ice cream to
celebrate the birthday of their twin girls.  Eagle-eyed Zach Millen is also
down from the Lancaster area.  Up at Arlington X Capeville roads Paul Nasca
and others find shorebirds west of Arlington in the big earth field: 
perhaps 200 Dunlin, 25 Black-bellied Plovers, and 4 turnstones.  Today's
very high tide probably the reason.  11 saw-whets were banded last night.

Dinner at the Eastville Inn with Bob and Thuy.  Good food.  A lot of
attractive overhead with prints of local scenes, game birds, and fish, guns
mounted on the walls.  On the way in to the inn Bob points out Comet
Holmes, visible to the NE, a smudge of diffuse light c. 45 degrees up. 
After 3 glasses of wine at the motel and a big martini at the inn I get
quite tipsy, but fortunately Bob is doing the driving.

Monday, November 12.  Sam Stuart, hawkcounter a few years ago, visits.  The
hummingbird is present again, comes right under the platform shelter.  When
Jeff tells Sam the hummer almost perched on his shoulder (true), Sam
responds: "That would be O.K. if you're a miniature pirate."  Forsooth.  An
otherwise disappointing day; everwhere I went I saw less than expected.  At
Kiptopeke State Park a flyover Red-throated Loon and good, close looks at
at least 8 Bald Eagles but little else.  Later Jeff and Sam find a Lesser
Black-backed Gull at Chincoteague (Tom's Cove).

"LAKE MADDOX" just outside the park.  Noon.  A Ruddy Duck, a female Hooded
Merganser, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, and 3 American Coots on the pond along
with 60 Tree Swallows swoopin' over it.  OYSTER, 1-2 P.M.  45 Brant, 75
American Oystercatchers, 8 Willets, 7 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 black ducks, 75
cormorants, 3 harriers, 1,025 Herring & 70 Great Black-backed gulls
(include gulls seen in the harbor and over the landfill), and a female
Bufflehead but no godwits or Black-bellied Plovers.

"CONSORTIUM HOUSE" just N of Oyster (now not in use?):  34 Turkey Vultures
right ON the house.  OYSTER LANDFILL:  32 Black Vultures on the dump
towers, 135 Fish Crows near to them.  MACHIPONGO (E end of Box Tree Road): 
2 harriers and a Red-tailed Hawk, no shorebirds.  S of MARIONVILLE a male
American Kestrel roadkill.  Exquisite little falcon.  What a waste.  RED
BANK:  Well ... really NOTHING worth noting.  Flock of goldfinches.  WILLIS
WHARF, 3:15 P.M., 13 Willets, 9 Hooded Mergansers, 3 Killdeer, 3 Greater
Yellowlegs, a Red-tailed Hawk, 2 kingfishers, and 165 Canada Geese spread
out over the flats.  No godwits.

Pizza Hut at T's Corner.  Geez.  They don't even have spaghetti anymore. 
Pickup truck there with tags: ICLAM4U.  Nice dinner instead at Friendly's
in Pocomoke City.

Tuesday, November 13.  George Reiger calls.  He saw (and heard) a SANDHILL
CRANE flying with a small flock of Canada Geese on his place south of
Accomac today.  Earlier this year he'd seen one there, the same bird, I
bet, I think it was in August.

BANDINGS & TAGGINGS.  Some of Jethro Runco's late bandings here include an
Oct. 22 Worm-eating Warbler, a Nov. 8 Gray-cheeked Thrush, and a Nov. 7
Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  He's also caught 5 Lincoln's Sparrows and 16
Red-breasted Nuthatches.  Joe Medley has banded 25 Peregrine Falcons and
141 Merlins, 638 raptors overall, as of Nov. 10.  Shannon Ehlers has banded
> 250 saw-whet owls.  This fall the C.V.W.O. Monarch researcher, Sharna
Tollfree, with an assist or two from a few others, tagged 806 Monarchs. 
She estimated 1,698 at a Wise Pt. roost on Oct. 13, when c. 8,790 were seen
in the entire Kiptopeke area.  The season total for peregrines seen is 805,
for sharpies, 8,444.

TREE SWALLOWS, UPTIGHT OR WHAT?  One time I see one chase a robin.  Later
one chases a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia,
PA . .  Please, any off-list replies to: 
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com  (never, please, to  ....)
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Late this morning I heard a COMMON RAVEN calling in Powhatan  County, from 
the direction of the Mill Quarter Golf Course.  I never did  see it but, the 
call is pretty distinctive.
 
I checked on eBird and saw that this species had been reported  by someone 
somewhere in the county in August of this year.
 
Wendy Ealding
Powhatan  County



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On the ground now in the yard, first of the season.

 

Phil Kenny

1731 Killarney Court

Vienna VA 

  philkenny AT verizon.net



 
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CRANEY ISLAND NOW OPEN ON FRIDAYS AGAIN! Hi: all
I received this note this morning.

 Ben Copeland
Hampton Va.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Frankie, Karrin W NAO 
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:36 PM
Subject: CRANEY ISLAND NOW OPEN ON FRIDAYS AGAIN!


Since we now have two equipment workers on Friday, Sam has agreed to open the 
Island back up to the public on FRIDAY from 7AM - 2PM. 



Please pass this info to anyone you know who might want to come and visit on 
Fridays. 



Karrin
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A large flight of finches, mostly American Goldfinches (900+) and Pine 
Siskins (60), occurred during southeasterly winds this morning between 0400 and 

0700. With them were a few Purple Finches but nothing more exotic (grosbeaks or 

crossbills or redpolls).   American Pipits were also on the move (a few 
singles), as well as blackbirds (mostly Red-winged, 12 Rusties). No evidence of 
a 

large movement of any warblers or bluebirds, as can sometimes happen at this 
time of year, but sundry waterfowl also moving.

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA



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Hola,  

I spent about an hour along Crenshaw Road near the village of Rectortown in  
northern Fauquier County on Monday evening 12 November.  I arrived about  
four-thirty PM. One Short-eared Owl flew over the field and perched in a tree 
at 

about five PM.  Just one.  
 
There were two harriers, an adult male and a distant brown one.  What  was 
interesting was the flock of about 300 pipits that were circling the field and 

landing in it, only to get up ten minutes later and circle again.  I'm  
calling them all pipits, but I only heard a few birds calling. Who knows what 
else 

was in the flock.  For the few years that I've been hanging out  at this 
field, this is the first time I've had a big number of pipits. Occasionally a 

few would fly overhead, but nothing like this.  That  grass out there seems a 
little long for their tastes, and also makes it  impossible to scrutinize the 
flock when it lands. 
 
There was one Woodcock flying by, and a single Kestrel, as well as a dozen  
or so White-crowned Sparrows and at least two American Tree Sparrows along the 

hedgerow. 
 
Cheers, 
 
Todd

 
---------------------------------
Todd Michael  Day
Jeffersonton, Virginia
Culpeper County,  USA
blkvulture AT aol.com
---------------------------------



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I received a really nice surprise today! During my mid-day break from classes I 
was hanging around the portion of the Old Dominion University campus which lies 
on the Elizabeth River shoreline (the dead end of 49th street). I saw a small 
falcon make a pass at one of the local kingfishers, and then perch in a tree. I 
climbed along the rip-rap of the Lampert's Point Golf Course shoreline until I 
was within about 30 feet of the bird. From this position I got a great view of 
a perched Merlin, and what a great looking individual! Unfortunately, before 
long a passing golf cart disturbed the bird and he took off at a quick clip 
over the golf course. Anyway, this encounter really made my day a special one, 
what a special bird! 

 
Nick Flanders, Newport News.
_________________________________________________________________
Climb to the top of the charts!� Play Star Shuffle:� the word scramble 
challenge with star power. 

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Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 13, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk              
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Mississippi Kite             

Total:                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 11:00:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 4.5 hours

Official Counter:        Baron Gibson

Observers:        David Holt, Mike Purdy, Norris Ford

Weather:
100 % cloud cover all watch with NW & W winds at a 1-2. Temps from 57-60f.

Raptor Observations:


Non-raptor Observations:

========================================================================
Report submitted by Baron Gibson (Hawkwatcher AT netscape.com)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home


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I saw a single American Tree Sparrow in a flock of about a dozen Field 
Sparrows at 11:30 this morning (11/13/07) in the Meadow at the Blandy 
Experimental Farm in Clarke County, VA.  The flock was near the 
Rattlesnake Spring area.  Also in the area were about 10 White-crowned, 
many White-throated, and many Song Sparrows.  Red-breasted Nuthatches 
are still very common in the conifers near the Quarters and around the 
feeders at the Learning Center.  Cedar Waxwings and American Robins are 
filling up on crab apples in the Rosaceae collection.

David Carr
www.virginia.edu/blandy

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Its late notice but the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy is sponsoring a birding 
trip in the Lucketts area of Loudoun County on Wed., Nov. 14. We're meeting at 
8:30 am at the Lucketts Community Center & will prob. wrap up about 11 am. 


Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co_______________________________________________
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CRANEY ISLAND NOW OPEN ON FRIDAYS AGAIN!VA-Birders,

Karrin Frankie works at Craney Island and just sent me this message, so I 
wanted to pass it along in case anyone is eager to bird there. 


Meredith Bell
Hayes, VA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Frankie, Karrin W NAO 
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:36 PM
Subject: CRANEY ISLAND NOW OPEN ON FRIDAYS AGAIN!


Since we now have two equipment workers on Friday, Sam has agreed to open the 
Island back up to the public on FRIDAY from 7AM - 2PM. 



Please pass this info to anyone you know who might want to come and visit on 
Fridays. 



Karrin_______________________________________________
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Dear Teen Birders
This Saturday the Northern Virginia Teen Bird
Club plans to explore the ponds near King George
where we should see lots of waterfowl as well as
harriers, eagles, sparrows, and who-knows-what-
else.  We will meet at Flint Hill School at 7 AM
and return by about 12 noon. We will still go if
it is raining, but not if it is snowing.
Participation on this field trip is free and it
is open to any student in grades 8-12 who has an
interest in birds.  It is led by two experienced
birders who are also high school biology teachers
(Fred Atwood of Flint Hill and Nolan Brit of
O'Connell). Space is limited to 13 students in
the minibus, so please let Mr Atwood know
(e-mail)if you plan to attend. We have binoculars
and spotting scopes to share. The Northern
Virginia Teen Bird Club is sponsored by Flint
Hill School and The Audubon Society of Northern
Virginia.
Good Birding
Mr Atwood

Frederick D. Atwood     fredatwood AT yahoo.com
Flint Hill School, 10409 Academic Dr, Oakton, VA 22124
     
http://www.agpix.com/fredatwood
http://www.flinthill.org
http://tea.armadaproject.org/tea_atwoodfrontpage.html
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Snickers Gap
20 Miles West of Leesburg, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 13, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk              
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Short-eared Owl              

Total:                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 12:00:00 
Observation end   time: 15:45:00 
Total observation time: 2.75 hours

Official Counter:        Yusuf Gantt

Observers:        Matt Orsie

Visitors:
None - not even any 'wacha doin' passersby.


Weather:
Rain in the morning. The count period began with mild temps and light
westerly winds for the first hour, then frequent calm for the remainder of
the period. Cloud cover decreased from 90% to 50% by the last hour. High
ceiling with visibility limited to about 3 mi.

Raptor Observations:
Weather conditions not especially conducive for traveling birds at this
time of the season.

Non-raptor Observations:
About 200 European Starlings, 2 Common Loons, 20 Turkey Vultures, and 6
Black Vultures.

Predictions:
Tomorrow could bring more birds since the forecast is calling for southerly
winds 9-11 mph. Unfortunately, the temps expected to remain unseasonably
warm. Current forecast for Friday is excellent! Temps should be much colder
with NW winds 13-15 mph.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Yusuf Gantt (jgantt3 AT cox.net)


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Hello everyone,

In addition to the normal back yard birds...that were at the feeders, I had an 
immature Cooper's Hawk visit. It stayed on the ground for a few seconds before 
perching and trying to hide in a pine tree. This is the second time, in a week, 
that I had one visit. I also had an unidentified smaller Raptor make a pass at 
a Male House Finch as it was approaching a feeder, but it missed. 


I have noticed a decrease in the number of Tufted Titmouse that normally visit 
my feeders and what seems to be an increase in the number of Carolina 
Chickadees. Has anyone else noticed a change in the numbers of these visitors? 


I thought I saw a Purple Finch, at a feeder earlier this morning but I'm 
waiting it's return for a better/positive ID/photo. (Got fingers crossed!) 


A photo of the Cooper's Hawk can be viewed at:
www.natures-finest-photography.com 
Gallery:Raptors
Title: Back Yard Hunter

Les Brooks
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Three PINE SISKINS showed up at my feeder this morning.   They've been 
reported in a number of the surrounding counties  already.
 
Wendy Ealding
Powhatan  County



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A small noisy flock of 15-20 Rusty Blackbirds bounced across the tree tops 
down the road from our house this morning.


Dave Hewitt
Gloucester, VA

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Hi All,
This last week or so has proved to be a good week for unusual or at least not 
so common, sightings in my yard here on Compton Mt. 

The Red-shouldered Hawk that sparked the discussion about Red-shouldereds and 
Gray Squirrels has been back. Since this bird caused so much discussion I have 
posted a photo of it. 

Yesterday an immature Red-headed Woodpecker came to the whole peanuts and the 
suet feeder. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has also been enjoying the suet. 

Two Fox Sparrows have been hanging around now for more than a week along with a 
Field Sparrow. 

Rusty Blackbirds have been hanging around for about a week. The number started 
out at 2, then went up to 7, dropped to 5, then 3. I didn't see any today. 

I had a bearded Blue Jay recently feeding here,which I photographed. The bird 
has a large tuft of blue feathers under its throat - very unusual. 

Pine Siskins and Purple Finches have been regulars at the feeders lately, and 
an unusual looking Red-wing that had a large bright yellowish-orange wing 
patch, much brighter and larger than the norm. 

I have posted photos of most of these at 
http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/yard_birds 


Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County_______________________________________________
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I saw an immature Red-headed Woodpecker (possibly 2) at Algonkian Regional 
Park, the first of that species I have ever seen in this location. The bird was 
along the south side of the golf course, not far from the Hole 1 green. The 
bird appeared to be pulling acorns from a Willow Oak and caching them in one or 
two dead trees nearby. 


The full list of my sightings at Algonkian today include: 
Great Blue Heron     2
Turkey Vulture     1
Bald Eagle     1
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-headed Woodpecker     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     1
Downy Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker     1
Pileated Woodpecker     2
Blue Jay     22
American Crow     2
Fish Crow     3
Carolina Chickadee     5
Tufted Titmouse     30
Brown Creeper     2
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     6
Northern Mockingbird     3
European Starling     4
Chipping Sparrow     10
Field Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     10
White-throated Sparrow     10
Dark-eyed Junco     75
Northern Cardinal     5
Red-winged Blackbird     10

Bill Brown
Herndon


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Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 12, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk              
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Mississippi Kite             

Total:                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 10:30:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 5.5 hours

Official Counter:        Mike Purdy

Observers:        Jeremy McEntire

Visitors:
Jeremy McEntire of Richmond came up and got his life Pine Siskin.

Florian Thalhofer, from Germany, spent some time at the watch. He's
traveling the US making a documentary "on America and Americans".

A gentleman from South Dakota stopped for awhile, but I didn't catch his
name.


Weather:
Steady NW wind, partly cloudy until noon when dark clouds moved in
threatening rain. It appeared to be raining several miles to the West. Hazy
in the valleys all day. Temperature ranged from 58 - 61F.

Raptor Observations:
Only 5 Red-tailed Hawks passed the overlook. All of them pulling up to hunt
as they made their way South. Several Black Vultures and a few Turkey
Vultures observed.

Non-raptor Observations:
Many birds at the feeders, mostly Juncos, but also a Pine Siskin, a
Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadees, a White-breasted Nuthatch, and a large (30)
flock of Cedar Waxwings late in the day, apparenty seeking a place to
roost. More than the usual numbers of Ravens seen.

Predictions:
Another slow day.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Mike Purdy (MikeLPurdy AT aol.com)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home


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A trip to Huntley Meadows on Sunday morning found a Red-tailed Hawk soaring
over the boardwalk and some nice color. On the way home, I stopped at
Kingstowne Lake where I found a large number of Ring-necked Ducks on the
water, along with a few Mallards, Ring-billed Gulls, and Canada Geese, plus
lots of color. If anyone is interested, a photographic record can be found
at the following links:

Foliage at Huntley, including panorama (first three images)
http://www.pbase.com/bb_etc/huntley_meadows

Soaring Red-tailed Hawk, Mallards, including jealous male (first four
images)
http://www.pbase.com/bb_etc/gallery/huntley

Some of the color at Kingstowne Lake (first seven images are new)
http://www.pbase.com/bb_etc/kingstowne

Cliff Otto
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Snickers Gap
20 Miles West of Leesburg, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 12, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk             
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Short-eared Owl              

Total:                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 10:00:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 5.5 hours

Official Counter:        Larry Brindza

Observers:        

Visitors:
9 "Whacha doin" visitors.


Weather:
There was rain during the night and early morning in Northern Virginia. The
day started at 10:00 with 100 % clouds. From 11:00 until the end of the
count day EACH HOUR there was both 90 to 100% cloud cover to as little as
10% cloud cover. Winds started at 1-5 km/ hour for the first three hours
and then 6-11 km/hour for the next 2.5 hours. Winds were from  the East for
most of the day.

Raptor Observations:
Not much of a day with only 3 Northern Harriers, 1 Red-shouldered, and 10
Red-taileds.

Non-raptor Observations:
Not a day for raptor food type birds either!
========================================================================
Report submitted by Larry Brindza (ljbrindza AT earthlink.net)


Site Description:
     Snickers Gap Hawkwatch was established in 1990.  It is located in
northern Virginia, on the Clarke and Loudoun County line.  It is reached by
taking VA Route 7 to the county line, which runs atop the ridge at Snickers
Gap.  On the south side of Route 7 is a commuter parking lot.  The count is
conducted from there.  It is a volunteer site, and is counted in fall only,
from late August until late November or early December.  There are no
facilities at the site, so bring a snack, drinks, and a chair.  Many of the
birds can be distant, and a scope is helpful.  

     As a volunteer site, we are always looking to increase our pool of
counters.  We are eager to train those who have never counted, but are
skilled with hawk identification.  We are also willing to pair
inexperienced observers with experienced counters.  Please contact the
compiler, Todd Day, at blkvulture AT aol.com with any questions or if you are
interested in participating in the count.  


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We took a family trip to Chincoteague NWR this weekend. Some 
interesting lingerers and arrivals, including:

brown pelican (1 imm.) in Atlantic alongside two pods of bottlenose dolphin
tricolored heron (1) Causeway
snowy egret (8) Swan Cove Pool
long-tailed duck (1 female) Swan Cove
merlin (1) yesterday along the wildlife drive
osprey (1) early yesterday o. Tom's Cove and Swan Cove
black skimmers (4) this a.m. at Swan Cove Pool
royal tern (12 or more) beach
tree swallow (several thousand in sev. spots) No caves seen.
gray catbird (1 heard) beginning of beach road, where it leaves the woods
red-breasted nuthatch (20-30?) everywhere, seemingly, in the loblollies
palm warbler (1) Tom's Cove trail

Howard Youth
Bethesda, MD
howard.youth AT starpower.net
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Julie and I visited Chincoteague/Assateague late last week and got 66 species. 
Highlights included: 


NORTHERN GANNET 
RED-THROATED LOON 
BLACK SKIMMERS 
PINTAIL
NO. SHOVELER
GADWALLS
AMERICAN WIDGEON
SURF (?) SCOTERS (by the million, but way off shore)
BUFFLEHEADS
RUDDYS
NO. HARRIER
PEREGRINE (seen twice)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
OYSTER CATCHERS
TREE SWALLOWS (lots)
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES (everywhere!)
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH

Thanks to those of you who posted your spots at Virginia's eastern shore 
earlier last week and the week before. They were very helpful! 


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The Monday Morning Birdwalk at Huntley Meadows drew 7 hearty souls to brave the 
cloudy, cool, rain threatening morning. We spotted 28 species. With the 
recharged central wetland came the ducks. Highlights included at least 100 
Green-winged Teal, 50 Mallards, and three Northern Pintails. We found the 
Winter Wren reported in earlier postings here, along with vast flocks of 
sparrows. 


Canada Goose     92
Mallard     50
Northern Pintail     3
Green-winged Teal     100
Ring-billed Gull     30
Mourning Dove     12
Red-bellied Woodpecker     8
Downy Woodpecker     3
Northern Flicker     7
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Blue Jay     2
American Crow     13
Carolina Chickadee     7
Tufted Titmouse     6
White-breasted Nuthatch     8
Carolina Wren     8
Winter Wren     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     3
Eastern Bluebird     5
Field Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     50
Swamp Sparrow     10
White-throated Sparrow     50
Dark-eyed Junco     6
Northern Cardinal     9
Red-winged Blackbird     40
Common Grackle     6
American Goldfinch     12

The Monday Morning birdwalk has been a weekly event at Huntley Meadows since 
1985. It takes place every week, rain or shine, at 7 AM, is free of charge, 
requires no reservation, and is open to all. Birders meet in the parking lot at 
the Park's entrance at 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA. Readers are 
encouraged to visit the Friends of Huntley Meadows Website for detailed Huntley 
Meadows birding statistics information: 

http://friendsofhuntleymeadows.org/index.html. For questions call the Park 
during normal business hours at . 


Harry Glasgow
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On November 14, Pete Marra of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center will 
present a program entitled "Neighborhood Nestwatch: Science in the City". 


Neighborhood Nestwatch is a citizen-science program that provides an 
opportunity to be a biologist in your own backyard. It enables participants to 
help scientists solve critical questions regarding the survival of backyard 
bird populations while they learn more about these amazing creatures.To 
understand how backyard bird populations are faring, Neighborhood Nestwatch 
focuses on two main questions: 



How successful are backyard bird nests? 
How long do backyard birds live?


Early bird refreshments at 7:30.? The meeting starts at 8:00 p.m., but come for 
refreshments and conversation with old and new friends starting at 7:30.? There 
will be a drawing for a door prize.? You have to be there to win!? 

?

The meeting is at the Ford Nature Center which is at 5750 Sanger Ave, 
Alexandria 22311; Telephone .? All are welcome.? For more info and 
directions see our website at ?http://www.nvabc.org/meetings.htm??Our November 
newsletter, "The Siskin" is also there available for downloading. 


Larry Meade
Vienna, VA


Early bird refreshments at 7:30.? The meeting starts at 8:00 p.m., but come for 
refreshments and conversation with old and new friends starting at 7:30.? There 
will be a drawing for a door prize.? You have to be there to win!? 

?

The meeting is at the Ford Nature Center which is at 5750 Sanger Ave, 
Alexandria 22311; Telephone .? All are welcome.? For more info and 
directions see our website at ?http://www.nvabc.org/meetings.htm??Our November 
newsletter, "The Siskin" is also there available for downloading. 


Larry Meade
Vienna, VA


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Early this afternoon one male PURPLE FINCH joined our many Gold Finches on the 
sunflower feeders. This date for Purple Finch is very early as they usually 
don't arrive until January. Waiting for more Purple Finches and siskins. 


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Virginia Birders,

The Hampton Roads Bird Club explored different parts of Mathews County for its 
monthly field trip on Sat, 11/10. Despite the rainy conditions the first hour 
of the trip, we had 17 enthusiastic birders and recorded 59 species for the 
day. 


Mathews County is a small rural county on the Middle Peninsula, bordered on the 
west by Mobjack Bay and on the east by the Chesapeake Bay. Lots of water areas 
to check out, usually with lots of ducks during cold weather, but we had very 
few species on Sat. 


All of the locations we visited - and several more - are described at the the 
Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries website for the Virginia Birding and Wildlife 
Trail: http://www.dgif.state.va.us/vbwt/loop.asp?trail=1&loop=CMT 


We started at Bethel Beach (on the Chesapeake Bay side) at high tide, hoping to 
see CLAPPER RAILS. We did hear several but never saw them. We got quite a show 
from several FORSTER TERNS hovering over the marsh grasses, with BOAT-TAILED 
GRACKLES and a NORTHERN HARRIER in the same area. On the beach were DUNLIN, 
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and SANDERLINGS, with SURF SCOTERS and at least one BLACK 
SCOTER in the water and a COMMON TERN flying out over the water. RED-THROATED 
LOONS and a BALD EAGLE flew overhead. 


Next we drove to Route 603, leading to the Mobjack Bay. Birds of note along the 
road included several SONG, SWAMP and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, BROWN-HEADED 
NUTHATCHES, KILDEER, PINE WARBLER and RED-TAILED HAWK. One of the highlights in 
checking out the water was a group of 28 COMMON LOONS! 

We also found BUFFLEHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, NORTHERN GANNET, ROYAL TERN and BROWN 
PELICANS. 


We stopped at New Point Comfort (the southern most tip of the county). As Nick 
Flanders reported yesterday, we had a COMMON TERN there. We also had an amazing 
number of TREE SWALLOWS, as least 2,000 in this location and several hundred in 
the other areas. 


Our last stop was at New Point Wharf on Route 602. We didn't have any new 
species but we did see more NORTHERN GANNETS and BROWN PELICANS. 


Complete list of species heard or seen appears below.

Meredith Bell
Hayes, VA

Location:     Mathews County, VA, US
Observation date:     11/10/07
Number of species:     59

Canada Goose     2
Wood Duck     1
Surf Scoter     15
Black Scoter     1
Bufflehead     31
Ruddy Duck     1
Red-throated Loon     4
Common Loon     34
Northern Gannet     15
Brown Pelican     8
Double-crested Cormorant     12
Great Blue Heron     4
Black Vulture     3
Turkey Vulture     8
Bald Eagle     5
Northern Harrier     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Clapper Rail     5
Black-bellied Plover     2
Killdeer     6
Sanderling     3
Dunlin     2
Laughing Gull     15
Ring-billed Gull     24
Herring Gull     5
Great Black-backed Gull     76
Common Tern     2
Forster's Tern     8
Royal Tern     3
Mourning Dove     28
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     3
Blue Jay     3
American Crow     20
Tree Swallow     2500
Carolina Chickadee     3
Brown-headed Nuthatch     4
Carolina Wren     6
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     7
Northern Mockingbird     1
European Starling     6
Yellow-rumped Warbler     35
Pine Warbler     2
Eastern Towhee     1
Chipping Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     13
Swamp Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow     5
Dark-eyed Junco     2
Northern Cardinal     2
Red-winged Blackbird     3
Eastern Meadowlark     6
Boat-tailed Grackle     15
House Finch     2
American Goldfinch     6

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Oh, and a couple of flyover Purple Finches at Sky
Meadows.

Scott

--- Scott Baron  wrote:

> Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:20: (PST)
> From: Scott Baron 
> Subject: Clarke and Fauquier counties, Nov. 11
> To: Virginia Birding 
> 
> Hello, birders.
> 
> I thought I'd combine a trip to Bear's Den Trail
> Center to look for winter finches and then head to
> Sky
> Meadows SP for my bird survey.  Because I got home
> so
> late last night, I decided to get by on no sleep and
> go owling beforehand.
> 
> With lots of winter finches to our north and reports
> of Pine Siskins and Purple Finches from all over
> Va.,
> I had hoped for winter finches today but I kept my
> expectations low.
> 
> Highlights: owls, all 7 woodpeckers, Loggerhead
> Shrike, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Purple Finch.
> 
> It was 29 degrees and the wind was almost calm when
> I
> arrived at Sky Meadows at 4:30am and hung around the
> entrance gate at the contact station.  I immediately
> heard a pair of spooky GREAT HORNED OWLS hooting
> from
> way off to the NW.  Soon after, a BARRED OWL called
> from the direction of Rte. 17 - my first definite
> Barred in the park area after years of birding
> there. 
> A Canada Goose and mammals rounded out the species
> there before dawn.  A check of the fishing pond area
> produced a calling sparrow.
> 
> Next a visit to Bear's Den, located in Clarke Co.
> near
> the Loudoun Co. line just S of Snickers Gap,
> produced
> a calling Eastern Screech-owl at dawn.  No tapes
> were
> used for any of the owls that I heard.  I was hoping
> for Saw-whets, though.  Later, PURPLE FINCHES and
> lots
> of AM. ROBINS flew overhead.  One of two mixed
> songbird flocks held a male RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH,
> who
> was feeding in pines at the overlook.
> 
> Back to Sky Meadows at 8:30.  I quickly found a
> LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE perched near the fishing pond.  It
> alternated perches in between the W shore of the
> pond
> and the N side of the house.  Another Shrike was
> perched in various trees in the Meadow Trail area. 
> Sparrows seen along this trail were mostly Song. 
> The
> duck ponds are mostly dry.
> 
> All 7 woodpecker sp. were seen/heard at Sky Meadows.
> 
> I thought I heard a Pine Siskin calling overhead at
> the fishing pond but I'm not certain.
> 
> Scott Baron
> Fairfax, Va. 
> 
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 Stopped by Ragged Island WMA on my way to Surry Co. this morning. Not much to 
add to Stephen Living's earlier report, lots of sparrows but the only ones who 
would let me look were Songs and Swamps. A nice view of a Northern Harrier, and 
I was able to spot two Surf Scoters on the James River. 

 Headed to Hog Island WMA from there. Stopped by the Carlisle Tract first, 
plenty of sparrows in the power line right-of-ways. Lots of Song Sparrows and 
White-throats, and I also found a few Swamp Sparrows, Field Sparrows, and a 
Palm Warbler. Fifteen Wood Ducks flew overhead. 

 The large sign on Hog Island Road said that the Hog Island Tract was closed, 
but it was actually open, as it will be on Sundays only through the rest of the 
winter. There were several large rafts of waterfowl on the first lake, but 
unfortunately most of them were beyond the range of my binoculars and were left 
unidentified. There was a group of Northern Shovelers who were very 
cooperative, and other species included Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck (50+), and 
Green-Winged Teal. Alot of sparrows around this area as well, but nothing 
different. In the pine woods I found some great looking Pine Warblers, a Brown 
Creeper, a Common Yellowthroat, and several Golden-Crowned Kinglets. The 
biggest miss was Bald Eagle, I did not see a single one all day, definately a 
first for me on a trip to Hog Island. Take care. 

 
Nick Flanders, Newport News.   
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At 3:30 this afternoon, Scott Barnes, Linda Mack and Pete Bacinski,
friends of mine from NJ and leaders of a New Jersey Audubon Society
field trip to Chincoteague/Eastern Shore this weekend, found a
SWAINSON'S HAWK perched on the ground in a field along Seaside Rd. less
than 5 miles north of Magotha Rd. in lower Northampton County.
Fortunately, I had cell phone reception when the call came in while Tina
Trice and I were on Magotha Rd.  We quickly made our way up to the spot
in time to see the Swainson's come off the ground with a full crop and
spend 5 minutes or more soaring above the field.  It was last seen
heading south.  Pretty cool stuff!  Good birding.

Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie Co.


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The first pine siskin was seen with a large flock of goldfinches on my  
feeder yesterday, November 9. The red breasted nuthatch also put in an 
appearance 

after an absence.
A brief birding foray this morning did not produce any exciting  birds.  
Kinglets, white throats seen and singing, kestrel, sharpie harrier, blue birds 

and at a local small lake, the wood ducks have returned.
My daughter who lives at Smith Mtn. Lake saw her FOS loon today.
Peggy Lyons
Concord, Campbell County
 



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Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 11, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV                           
TV                           
OS                           
BE                           
NH                           
SS                           
CH                           
NG                           
RS                           
BW                           
RT                          
RL                           
GE                           
AK                           
ML                           
PG                           
UA                           
UB                           
UF                           
UE                           
UR                           

Total:                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 09:15:00 
Observation end   time: 15:00:00 
Total observation time: 5.75 hours

Official Counter:        Brenda Tekin

Observers:        Vic Laubach

Visitors:
This was my last day at the watch for fall 2007.  I was SOoooo hoping for a
Golden and at least my first Goshawk for the season but will settle for
that close up Cooper's and the season's 87th Bald Eagle.  Many thanks go to
all of the volunteer counters, especially to a few folks who continued
thoughout the season (which extends through next weekend!):  Jennifer
Gaden, Rose Thomas, and Dave Hunter.  I also want to express A HUGH thanks
to Vic Laubach, who not only took on many days this season, but who also
helped immensely in submitting the data.  

Visitors today:
Carolyn Zimmerman and Robert (Bob) Hing;
Volunteer counter Rose Thomas and her husband, Herb, making brief stop
before heading down the mountain to pack and close up the "cabin" for the
winter.   




Weather:
Overall, a pleasant day, although a bit chilly in the shade with NW winds
shifting to NE by mid-day.  Not much wind at that, less than 1km/h
increasing to 1-5km/h, with many Red-tails forced to flap to gain altitude
and cross the gap.  
Temp:  7.5c increasing to 8.5c by 11am and then dropping rest of day, back
to 7.5c by 1 p.m.;
Humidity:  56%<48%>59%;
Bar.Pressure:  1022<1021;
Partly cloudy diminishing to mostly sunny with few  whisps and puffy white
clouds.
Thick mist or haze persisted out over western valley throughout the day
reducing visibility to less than 25km/h.

Raptor Observations:
A few Red-tails moving through.  Vic Laubach spotted a distant bird coming
out of the clouds to the east beyond Beagle Gap, the season's 87th Bald
Eagle, an adult, at 12:10 p.m.

Highlight of the day was a Cooper's Hawk that zipped by close heading west
through the gap at eye level, then dipping down a short distance out over
the old abandoned buildings along the hillside.  While searching for the
Cooper's, two American Kestrel, both adult males, were located perched on
the utility wires, one munching down on lunch.



Non-raptor Observations:
Several large flocks of Cedar Waxwing;
One impressive flock of 100+ Dark-eyed Junco;
one White-crowned Sparrow;
Common Raven - 2;
Red-winged Blackbird - one adult male flashing bright red wing patches
heading SE.

Predictions:
Anyone's guess.  By late afternoon clouds began to roll in.  There may be a
slight chance of rain in the Piedmont overnight.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x AT virginia.edu)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch
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Hello, birders.

I thought I'd combine a trip to Bear's Den Trail
Center to look for winter finches and then head to Sky
Meadows SP for my bird survey.  Because I got home so
late last night, I decided to get by on no sleep and
go owling beforehand.

With lots of winter finches to our north and reports
of Pine Siskins and Purple Finches from all over Va.,
I had hoped for winter finches today but I kept my
expectations low.

Highlights: owls, all 7 woodpeckers, Loggerhead
Shrike, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Purple Finch.

It was 29 degrees and the wind was almost calm when I
arrived at Sky Meadows at 4:30am and hung around the
entrance gate at the contact station.  I immediately
heard a pair of spooky GREAT HORNED OWLS hooting from
way off to the NW.  Soon after, a BARRED OWL called
from the direction of Rte. 17 - my first definite
Barred in the park area after years of birding there. 
A Canada Goose and mammals rounded out the species
there before dawn.  A check of the fishing pond area
produced a calling sparrow.

Next a visit to Bear's Den, located in Clarke Co. near
the Loudoun Co. line just S of Snickers Gap, produced
a calling Eastern Screech-owl at dawn.  No tapes were
used for any of the owls that I heard.  I was hoping
for Saw-whets, though.  Later, PURPLE FINCHES and lots
of AM. ROBINS flew overhead.  One of two mixed
songbird flocks held a male RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, who
was feeding in pines at the overlook.

Back to Sky Meadows at 8:30.  I quickly found a
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE perched near the fishing pond.  It
alternated perches in between the W shore of the pond
and the N side of the house.  Another Shrike was
perched in various trees in the Meadow Trail area. 
Sparrows seen along this trail were mostly Song.  The
duck ponds are mostly dry.

All 7 woodpecker sp. were seen/heard at Sky Meadows. 
I thought I heard a Pine Siskin calling overhead at
the fishing pond but I'm not certain.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va. 

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Dear Virginia Birders
The Walkerton CBC takes place in a beautiful
rural area divided by tidal portions of the
Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers in the Middle
Peninsula of Virginia.  It is less than 2 hours
from Washington DC and less than an hour from
Richmond. Most of the count circle is in King
William and King and Queen counties, though
little bits of New Kent and Hanover counties
south of the Pamunkey are included.

Please let me know if you would like to
participate this year.  (The sooner you can let
me know the better since the number of
participants determines how many groups we can
have and how I divide up the sectors.) The count
is scheduled for Sunday Dec 30. Sadly, this
conflicts with some other counts, but because of
hunting on the properties we visit on the other
days of the week, our options are limited.  


Thanks
All the best
Fred Atwood

Frederick D. Atwood     fredatwood AT yahoo.com
Flint Hill School, 10409 Academic Dr, Oakton, VA 22124
     
http://www.agpix.com/fredatwood
http://www.flinthill.org
http://tea.armadaproject.org/tea_atwoodfrontpage.html
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While showing a friend the beauty of Shenandoah National Park today in the
snow, we had a Snow Bunting at the Hogback Overlook in the northern section
of the park.

Glenn Koppel and Mary Alice Koeneke
gjkoppel AT cox.net
Centreville, VA 

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Snickers Gap
20 Miles West of Leesburg, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 11, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk             
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Short-eared Owl              

Total:                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 09:30:00 
Observation end   time: 16:00:00 
Total observation time: 6.5 hours

Official Counter:        Joan Boudreau and Bob Abrams

Observers:        Duane Schilling, Matt Orsie, Yusuf Gantt

Visitors:
Mr. Demar


Weather:
A wintery day. Cold and lots of high clouds. Unfortunately, not much wind.

Raptor Observations:
The Northern Goshawk was neither an adult nor a juvenile. It did not have
the bold markings of an adult and lacked the heavily marked breast of a
juvenile. The breast showed an even grayish coloration and there was a
mottled look to the upperwing. It showed a massive profile, long broad
tapering wings and a long wide strongly wedged tail. It was probably a five
minute viewing. Again, the lack of wind was appreciated because the bird
dawdled. If the wind was ripping I am sure the look would have been brief.
This bird stopped several times to circle and soar and show off.

The Golden Eagle was an adult that was almost as cooperative. Matt Orsie
rooted this bird out of a small kettle of vultures. A pair of hikers and
their two kids all got to view this bird through our optics. While we
chatted with them after the bird flew south, a first year Bald came in
close and they got good looks at their second life eagle. They were all
appropriately impressed.

At 3 PM we had a mixed kettle of vultures containing 84 birds.

Non-raptor Observations:
40 Tundra Swans
========================================================================
Report submitted by Joan and Bob (icepeep AT aol.com)


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Things have been slow but steady for us the last week. Since last Friday, Nov. 
2 we have had 1, 5, 3, 1, 1, 3, 0, and 2 saw-whets, with the zero birds this 
past Friday night on a night when we were only open one hour due to threatening 
rain, which did not materialize until around 10 PM. These figures put us at 40 
owls for the season thus far. By this date in 2004, our record year of 52 birds 
for five years of operation, we were at 43 birds. But the number of birds 
dwindled quickly at that point, and we had a lot of nights that year rained 
out. This year we are still hoping for a strong push of birds for the rest of 
the month, as in 2003, when about 2/3 of our birds that fall came after this 
date. 


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Lynchburg, VA_______________________________________________
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Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 11, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk              
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Mississippi Kite             

Total:                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 11:00:00 
Observation end   time: 17:00:00 
Total observation time: 6 hours

Official Counter:        Bill James

Observers:        Bill Adams, Goffs

Visitors:
Natural Bridge hikers hoofed through and were very interested in the
hawkwatch (or they were stalling).  Good amount of traffic, but no
motorcycles (or am I dreaming).


Weather:
Initially, winds were light and variable, but the mid-level clouds moved
from the Northwest.  Later, the wind was from the ESE on the knob and from
the SW above.  5 to 8 C.  

Raptor Observations:
As we get closer to a yearly record, the hawks become more scarce.  Bill
Adams continued the count when I left at 2 and he was joined later by the
Goffs.

Non-raptor Observations:
Is it ironic, paradoxical or tragic that, as you get older and have more
time to watch hawks, you can't see them?

Predictions:
More.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Bill James (bijam AT aol.com)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home


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Roaches Run in Arlington, Virginia, held a CASPIAN
TERN yesterday morning.  

Both mornings there was present a cormorant with white
patches on the flanks.  Yesterday I saw it in flight,
and swimming on the water at a great distance.  This
morning, in good light, I obtained good views of it:
the bird is an immature Double-crested Cormorant with
one small white patch on each flank.  The patch was
more or less where the white flank patches on a Great
Cormorant would be present, and the patches were
visible when the bird flew reasonably close to me.  
This morning it landed in between two other immature
DCCs and was identical in length, shape, and
coloration to them.  

Rob Hilton
aimophila10
Silver Spring
yahoo.com
Maryland

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Five spotted  36 species.  Cedar waxwings, robins and vultures  were 
everywhere. We nice looks at a sapsucker, brown creeper and winter wren. The 
walk 

meets at 8:00 am on Sundays in the visitor's center  courtyard.  All are 
welcome.  -- Marshall Rawson, McLean  VA

Canada Goose     32
Mallard      4
Ring-necked Duck     16
Common Merganser   2
Pied-billed Grebe     3
Great Blue  Heron     1
Black Vulture     100
Turkey  Vulture     5
Red-shouldered Hawk      1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Mourning Dove      2
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker   10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     3
Downy  Woodpecker     6
Northern Flicker      3
Pileated Woodpecker     4
Blue Jay      20
American Crow     15
Carolina Chickadee   17
Tufted Titmouse     17
White-breasted  Nuthatch     25
Brown Creeper     1
Carolina  Wren     8
Winter Wren     2
Eastern  Bluebird     12
American Robin      100
European Starling     6
Cedar Waxwing   200
Yellow-rumped Warbler     6
White-throated  Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco     3
Northern  Cardinal     8
Common Grackle     200
House  Finch     4
American Goldfinch      8





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Kaycee Likelier and I observed quite a few Raptors this morning at the State 
Arboretum at Blandy Farm 



Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel

There were also quite a few Red-breasted Nuthatches, White-breasted Nuthatches 
and Chickadees at the feeder by the old school house. 
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Spent a relaxing, albeit a bit chilly, morning at Occoquan Bay NWR. Greeted by 
a pair of N. Harrier at the parking lot when I arrived, the female perched in 
the snags at the pond. A little after 8 AM, 32 Wood Ducks fly overhead from the 
marsh by the banding station toward the marsh in the middle of the refuge. Ran 
across a lone Kildeer poking about the spit where the drainage pipe comes out 
of the marsh north of Easy Rd. I saw far more E. Bluebirds this morning than 
I've seen here before. One group of 15-20 in the field west of the parking lot, 
and 20-30 in the large field along Charlie Rd. Complete list follows. 


Scott Priebe
Springfield, VA

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
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Hello everyone,
 While visiting my parents who live 2 blocks away they had 3 RB Nuthatches and 
4 Pine Siskins 

at their feeders. The Siskins were the first I've seen this year.


Mark Johnson
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Harvey's Knob
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 10, 2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                
Turkey Vulture               
Osprey                       
Bald Eagle                   
Northern Harrier             
Sharp-shinned Hawk           
Cooper's Hawk                
Northern Goshawk             
Red-shouldered Hawk          
Broad-winged Hawk            
Red-tailed Hawk              
Rough-legged Hawk            
Golden Eagle                 
American Kestrel             
Merlin                       
Peregrine Falcon             
Unknown Accipiter            
Unknown Buteo                
Unknown Falcon               
Unknown Eagle                
Unknown Raptor               
Mississippi Kite             

Total:                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observation start time: 10:30:00 
Observation end   time: 15:30:00 
Total observation time: 5 hours

Official Counter:        Baron Gibson

Observers:        Bill James, Clark Hill, Mike Purdy, Stephanie Hill

Visitors:
The Gilberts did a drive through without stopping.
Parkway goers of course. 
No hikers seen.
Ranger Kathy did not show either.


Weather:
Mostly coudy with NW winds at 2-3 all day. Temp never got above 44f.

Raptor Observations:
Not much flyiing.

Non-raptor Observations:
With the wind being NW I anticipated lots of hawks but the day did not
produce a good flight. As it was the last Hawk was seen at around 13:30
hrs. and we decided at 15:30 to give it up and go home
========================================================================
Report submitted by Baron Gibson (Hawkwatcher AT netscape.com)
Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch information may be found at:
http://bijame.googlepages.com/home


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Hello all,

There were 11 of us for the monthly walk sponsored by Reston  
Association, The Bird Feeder, and Audubon Society of Northern  
Virginia and led by Carolyn Williams. We were very surprised to find  
a WILSON'S WARBLER. It was part of a mixed flock that included Ruby- 
crowned and Golden-crowned  Kinglets and a Titmouse or two. We also  
found an EASTERN PHOEBE.

Highlights of our walk at the Walker Nature Center, Reston VA,  
Fairfax County included:

PIED BILLED GREBE on Lake Audubon
YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKER
EASTERN PHOEBE--where Snakeden Branch enters Lake Audubon
WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH--very numerous, at least 15 for the walk
GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLET

RUBY CROWNED KINGLET
HERMIT THRUSH
CEDAR WAXWING--seen by some flying overhead
WILSON'S WARBLER--in the vicinity of where Snakeden Branch enters  
Lake Audubon.

Jay and Carol Hadlock
Herndon, VA
Fairfax County


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Adam D'Onofrio refound the White-faced Ibis at Ramp Road pond this morning 
around 8:00 a.m., according to Sue Heath. David Clark found this bird here the 

previous morning.   A female Northern Pintail is also here, among American 
Black Ducks and Green-winged Teal; pintails can be very scarce in southern 
Northampton County.   Also present between Kiptopeke and the Eastern Shore of 
Virginia NWR over the past four days have been Cave Swallows; a count of 6 
yesterday was the highest for the season so far. A Northern Rough-winged 
Swallow was 

at Cape Charles yesterday, and Magotha Road had 5 Vesper Sparrows.   The 
juvenile American Golden-Plover along Seaview Road, about 1/2 mile west of its 
intersection with Seaside Road, was last seen being harassed by a large female 
Peregrine Falcon yesterday afternoon; many other shorebirds are along this road 

(including Dunlin, dowitchers, turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers, and 
Killdeer), and most of the same species are along Arlington Road at Wheat Lane. 
Two 

Wilson's Snipe were in Cape Charles's Central Park this morning. Red-breasted 
Nuthatches have been abundant, and Pine Siskins relatively common, although 
feeders have had mostly goldfinches.   I don't know of any hummingbirds in the 
county yet. The winter finches and other goodies to our north portend a very, 

very interesting winter for Virginia.   Northern Saw-whet Owl captures in 
southern Northampton County have been extremely high (up to 45/night, I have 
heard).

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA 



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Our thanks to David Clark for spotting the White-faced Ibis! At least 10
other birders also observed it before a Bald Eagle flew over and spooked
it. It was last seen flying in the direction of Fisherman's Island.

Other good birds seen yesterday (Sat.) included: 
Western Kingbird along Rt.600 on telephone line 1.7 mi. north of Rt. 606
American Golden Plover in large field on south side of Rt. 642 (Seaview
Road). It was moving about with Killdeer as various raptors soared over.
Both Nelson's and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows along Ramp Road across
from the pond... at a very high tide.
Sedge Wrens, Clapper Rails, and Virginia Rails along Mogotha Road.
... plus a good assortment of raptors.

Other birders are still on the shore this morning and may have additional
birds to report this evening.

Larry Lynch
Richmond, VA
birder6 AT juno.com
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VA-Birders,

Today I visited mostly Fauquier and Clark Counties, as well as a couple of 
areas in WV in search of any winter finches I might be able to find. I only 
found a single Pine Siskin with many Goldfinches near Rippon, WV and not even a 
Purple Finch anywhere, and really not expecting to find much better. But, you 
have to look to find them! 


I drove the entire length of Crenshaw Rd starting at about 10 AM and somewhat 
quickly found a perched male SHORT-EARED OWL at the intersection of Glenmore 
Lane (marked private) in the second or third tree back from Crenshaw. I had 
extended scope views of the bird from Crenshaw as it somewhat alertly looked 
around its surroundings, though I could not get a digiscope to work due to the 
very dark/dreary conditions. 


I was driving past Snicker's Gap by 1:00 PM so I stopped. Where was everybody? 
It wasn't very birdy, but I did luckily have a very nice adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK 
fly over to the west at about 1:45. Supercilium evident, had the adult 
slate-blue upperside and grey-barred underside, and had some rather obvious 
streaking on the breast area. I was hoping for a Golden Eagle but it never 
happened. 


I later went to Blandy Farm where there were at least a dozen Red-breasted 
Nuthatches, and for the first time ever at that location for me, I noted a 
definitive BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE among the numbers of Carolinas. I am very 
familiar with them from growing up in central PA, noting the clean white nape 
(not greyish), broken bib line, bright white secondaries, and lower calls. I 
heard another likely BCCH later in a nearby tree. I drove the wildlife drive to 
see of the Shrike was around and did not find it. I also checked the fishing 
pond area at Sky Meadows on the way home for that (same?) Shrike and likewise 
came up empty. 


I didn't really find what I was looking for, but ended up with some nice birds. 
Fun day. 


Jay Keller,
Arlington



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Jim Smith, Jean Massey and I met on the path this morning and were lucky to see 
a Merlin near Whites Lake. 


Some other birds were:

Red-tailed Hawk    2
White-throated Sparrow  5
Merlin
Song Sparrow    3
Belted Kingfisher
American Coot  
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet   4
and many more common birds._______________________________________________
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