Birdingonthe.Net

Recent Postings from
Virginia Birding

> Home > Mail
> Alerts

Updated on Tuesday, March 16 at 10:31 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Black Stork

16 Mar Deadline approaching for hotel discount for VSO Annual Meeting [Shirley Devan ]
16 Mar (5) E. Phoebes snd Woodcock at Monticello Park ["Albright, Tom (USMS)" ]
15 Mar No park closings after all! ["Marcella Fruchter" ]
15 Mar Piney Grove trip on May 29 is full ["Meredith Bell" ]
15 Mar California Gull First Landing State Park [Andrew Baldelli ]
15 Mar Second GB Heron Rookery in Augusta County ["Allen & Pat" ]
15 Mar Huntley Meadows Monday Morning Birdwalk [Harry Glasgow ]
15 Mar Ducks in Halifax Co. ["Jeffrey Blalock" ]
15 Mar Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival ["Living, Stephen (DGIF)" ]
15 Mar carolina wrens [crhuff55 ]
15 Mar Re: Dearth of Carolina wrens at Huntley ["Paul Woodward" ]
14 Mar Dearth of Carolina wrens at Huntley ["Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup" ]
14 Mar Riverbend Park []
14 Mar Common Raven - Prince George Co. 3-14 []
14 Mar Tidewater today []
14 Mar Horned Grebe at Riverbend Park [Rob Young ]
14 Mar Spring fun []
14 Mar Re: Need help with bird ID [Maddog ]
14 Mar Pine warblers, siskins, purple finch []
14 Mar California Gull First Landing State Park [Andrew Baldelli ]
14 Mar Fwd: eBird Report - Chesapeake, Chesapeake County, VA, US , 3/14/10 ["David R. Gibson" ]
14 Mar Dyke Marsh Field Trip, Frfx Co, 14 Mar 2010 ["Kurt Gaskill" ]
14 Mar fos grackle - forest, va [candi harris ]
14 Mar Black-chinned or Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Va Beach [Karen Kearney ]
14 Mar Re: Need help with bird ID [Tony Futcher ]
14 Mar FOY Louisiana Waterthrush - Great Dismal Swamp ["Robert Ake" ]
14 Mar Need help with bird ID [Nathan Cummings ]
14 Mar Signs of migration at Huntley, incl. PINE WARBLER (3/14) ["Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup" ]
14 Mar Kirtland's Warbler search, Wise County, 2010 [Ned Brinkley ]
14 Mar Birding Binoculars [Karen Brandt ]
14 Mar Occoquan Bay NWR, 3/14 ["MARC RIBAUDO" ]
13 Mar pectoral sandpiper, tree swallows, purple finches, rusty blackbirds, northern neck [Frederick Atwood ]
13 Mar Hog Island Field Trip []
13 Mar Hog Island Field Trip []
13 Mar Re: Kerr Reservoir 3/13 ["Janice Frye" ]
13 Mar Birds Seen Banshee Reeks & Dulles Wetlands (Loudoun Co) ["Joe Coleman" ]
13 Mar Kerr Reservoir 3/13 [Adam D'Onofrio ]
13 Mar 3 Merganser day [Mark Johnson ]
13 Mar Eastern Towhee in backyard [Deapesh Misra ]
12 Mar thrush songs [nicholas flanders ]
12 Mar hawks over Charlottesville [david shoch ]
12 Mar Eurasian Collared-Doves - Halifax Co. [Paul Glass ]
12 Mar Great Blue Heron Rookery in Augusta County ["Allen & Pat" ]
12 Mar Re: Eagle question [William Leigh ]
12 Mar Eagle question ["David R. Gibson" ]
12 Mar (no subject) ["David R. Gibson" ]
12 Mar Birding Highest Valley in VA - Burkes Garden ["Roger Mayhorn" ]
11 Mar Killdeer in Troutville ["Nancy Young" ]
11 Mar Fwd: Birth of Hummingbirds []
11 Mar Occoquan Bay NWR ["Gizzarelli, Jason" ]
11 Mar Red Tailed Hawk courting behavior [Stephen Johnson ]
11 Mar Fwd: eBird Report - Great Dismal Swamp NWR--Lake Drummond , 3/11/10 ["David R. Gibson" ]
11 Mar Fwd: eBird Report - Suffolk, Suffolk County, VA, US , 3/11/10 ["David R. Gibson" ]
11 Mar Caspian Tern Norfolk / Virginia Beach [Andrew Baldelli ]
11 Mar Hopewell, James River [Barbara Houston ]
11 Mar Fwd: [va-richmond-general] MARCH 13 TRIP TO BELMEAD RESCHEDULED TO APRIL 10 [Wendy Ealding ]
11 Mar Bird Walk, Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, (Loudoun Co), March 13 ["Joe Coleman" ]
11 Mar E. PHOEBE at Monticello Park ["Albright, Tom (USMS)" ]
10 Mar Mar 18, Thursday, 7PM, Dinner 5:30PM, Richmond Audubon Society MonthlyMeeting [Diane Jadlowski ]
10 Mar Mar 13, Sat, 11 AM Richmond City Heron Rookery Tour [Diane Jadlowski ]
10 Mar Ridgeway Park; Dismal Swamp report [nicholas flanders ]
10 Mar Fwd: eBird Report - Great Dismal Swamp NWR--Canal Trail , 3/10/10 ["David R. Gibson" ]
10 Mar Recent sightings in Halifax County - Bald Eagles, Snipes, American Woodcocks & American Bittern ["Jeffrey Blalock" ]
10 Mar Huntley Meadows - Rusty Blackbirds []
10 Mar Barred Owl @ the Wetlands [Ron Benson ]
10 Mar Riverbend Park: Swans, Ducks [Donald Sweig ]
10 Mar CVWO First Landing State Park Songbird Banding Station []
10 Mar Cooper's Hawks at College Creek Hawkwatch []
10 Mar Snow Geese [jacob barkett ]
10 Mar migrating canada geese [crhuff55 ]
10 Mar Fwd: eBird Report - Chesapeake, Chesapeake County, VA, US , 3/10/10 ["David R. Gibson" ]
10 Mar Re: Leucistic or Kriders Red Tail Hawk [William Leigh ]
10 Mar Selasphorus hummer continues in Bon Air/Richmond ["Janice Frye" ]
10 Mar Canada Geese migrating (2) [David Bridge ]
10 Mar Voice: Greater Washington Area, March 9 (corrected) ["Joe Coleman" ]
10 Mar rockingham co. sunday birds ["Bill Benish & Robyn Puffenbarger" ]

Subject: Deadline approaching for hotel discount for VSO Annual Meeting
From: Shirley Devan <sedevan52 AT cox.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:31:38 -0400
Greetings, VA Birders

Only a week remains to get the special rate at the Hampton Inn in Farmville for 
the VSO Annual Meeting April 23-25. 


Here is the info for the hotel: The Hampton Inn, 300 Sunchase Blvd., Farmville, 
will serve as headquarters for the meeting. Thirty rooms (20 doubles, 10 kings) 
have been reserved at a special rate of $109.00, plus tax. Reservations must be 
made by March 23 to obtain the special rate. When reserving, use the code 
“VSO.” The Hampton Inn can be contacted by phone at (434) 392-8826. 


Also, register for the conference itself by April 1. Only $40 for the 
conference and field trips. Only $30 for the Saturday night banquet featuring 
guest speaker, Ted Floyd, editor of Birding, and author of the 2008 Smithsonian 
Field Guide to the Birds of North America. 


Field trips will venture to some of Piedmont's birdiest spots that most of us 
only read about on the Listserve when folks in the Piedmont submit their 
observations: 

Bear Creek Lake SP and Cumberland State Forest
Briery Creek and Sandy Creek Reservoirs
Darlington Heights CBC Area
Dick Cross WMA and Kerr Reservoir 
High Bridge Trail State Park and Smith Farm
Holliday Lake State Park and Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest
Red Hill Plantation and Patrick Henry National Memorial
Staunton River Battlefield State Park
Twin Lakes State Park
Wilck’s Lake
Evening trip for Piedmont Owls and Nightjars

You don't need to be a VSO member to attend the conference. 

You can print out a registration form at the VSO web site: 
http://www.virginiabirds.net/VSO_PDFs/VSO_Nwsltr_WI0910.pdf 


I look forward to seeing you at the Conference!

Shirley Devan
Williamsburg Bird Club
http://williamsburgbirdclub.org/

Board member, Virginia Society of Ornithology
http://www.virginiabirds.net/index.html

Ph: 757.813.1322
I'm now on facebook ...







_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: (5) E. Phoebes snd Woodcock at Monticello Park
From: "Albright, Tom (USMS)" <Tom.Albright2 AT usdoj.gov>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:56:56 -0400
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: No park closings after all!
From: "Marcella Fruchter" <mfruchter AT his.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:20:06 -0400
I just received this good news  from my NOVAC group ---- update on the VA
park closings.  - Marcy

 

It was announced on the Virginia State Parks Blog today that there would be
no park closings after all. Yay! Here's the link to the blog for the

details: http://networkedblogs.com/p29584531

 

-Rebecca

 

From: Larry Angrimson 

Subject: [NOVAC] Mason Neck State Park

To: "edwski AT comcast.net" , "novac AT novac.com" <
novac AT novac.com>

Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 7:01 PM

 

>

>

> Afternoon all, I saw the notices on the digest last week concerning 

> the closing of Mason Neck.  I went there today and talked to the 

> rangers.  It was true that Gov McDonnell decided to close Mason Neck. 

> As of this weekend, that is no longer true.  The State legislature 

> stated that they would not approve this.  So for now, Mason Neck will 

> remain open.  A primary reason for closure was Mason Neck is a low 

> profit park (I was not aware that state parks were for profit 

> organizations).  There was a call-in campaign; I guess the point is 

> moot for now.  I still plan on calling to give the Gov a piece of my 

> mind, yes, I know, it will be a small piece.  If anyone wants to call, 

> the number is: 804-786-2211 to contact Gov McDonnell's office. There 

> is going to be a friends of Mason Neck organization set up and I guess 

> I could encourage as many folks as possible to join. Hiking and 

> viewing there right now are not a good idea; the place is a quagmire 

> (not GlennJ).  But it would help to use the place as much as possible 

> in the future.  The spring festival is set for the 24th of April.  I 

> hope to see many of you there.

>

> Clear skies

>

>

> --

> Larry Angrimson

> hikergimp AT gmail.com

 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Piney Grove trip on May 29 is full
From: "Meredith Bell" <merandlee AT cox.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:40:55 -0400
Hi VA-Birders,

We now have the maximum 15 people registered for the May 29 VSO field trip to 
Piney Grove. If you'd like to be added to the waiting list, please send me your 
name, telephone number and email address. 


The VSO Annual Meeting will be held April 23-25 in Farmville. Program and 
registration information are on the Home page of the VSO website: 
http://virginiabirds.net/ 


The VSO summer field trip will be June 4-6 in Highland County. Details here:
http://virginiabirds.net/f_trips.html

Lots of opportunities to get together with fellow birding enthusiasts!

Meredith Bell
merandlee AT cox.net
804-642-2197_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: California Gull First Landing State Park
From: Andrew Baldelli <andrewbaldelli AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:54:04 -0700 (PDT)
The California Gull was present today at First Landing SP. Today David Hughes 
and I viewed the gull a little further east on beach. The bird was in the pools 
of water along the beach and also feeding In the surf. The rainy weather kept 
beach traffic way down and the bird remained at spot for bout 3hrs . We left 
the bird resting on beach right by a small brown building ,which is on the Fort 
Story area of beach. If anybody plans to look for gull I suggest going very 
early before beach traffic gets heavy. 

 
Cheers
Andrew


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Second GB Heron Rookery in Augusta County
From: "Allen & Pat" <larnersky AT mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:38:45 -0400
Hello all

After leaving work about an hour ago I decided to swing by where there were 6 
empty stick nests in a single tree . I found these nests back in Dec. while 
doing the CBC . The last time I checked was on last Thursday but no birds . But 
today is another story . There were 5 G B Herons taking up 4 of the 6 nests . 
One nest had a pair copulating & 3 nests had single birds in them . . 


Getting there -- take Rt. 250 off of I 81 ( exit 222 ) & go easton Rt. 250 to 
the light at Shoney's & McDonald's --- turn left go to the top of hill & turn 
right onto Sanger's Lane follow to the new bridge & after going accross bridge 
go about 2 tenths of mile to the turn . On the left is an open corn field & you 
will see a tree ( Sycamore ) along the stream . This dirt road is traveled but 
not as heavy as the Franks Mill Rd. is . Pull off as far as you can . 


Allen Larner
Staunton _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Huntley Meadows Monday Morning Birdwalk
From: Harry Glasgow <harry.glasgow AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:46:40 -0700 (PDT)
Despite the cold, steady rain, darkness and a general gloom, 8 birders took 
part in this morning's Huntley Meadows Monday Morning Birdwalk.  It was a 
somewhat abbreviated walk due to the weather, and only 27 species were 
sighted.  Highlights were the ducks, and the coffee at Denny's.  I checked 
today with the Huntley volunteer who oversees the Duck Nesting box program, and 
was told that 3 boxes held Hooded Merganser nests (with 13 eggs in one) and 1 
Wood Duck nest in another.  Additionally, this group has constructed and 
installed several boxes along the outflow area of the central wetland designed 
to attract Prothonotary Warblers.  Hopeful signs of the impending spring. 


Canada Goose    109
Wood Duck    11
Gadwall    20
Mallard    30
Northern Shoveler    11
Green-winged Teal    2
Hooded Merganser    10
Great Blue Heron    3
Red-shouldered Hawk    1
Ring-billed Gull    24
Mourning Dove    2
Red-bellied Woodpecker    3
Downy Woodpecker    3
Northern Flicker    1
Pileated Woodpecker    2
Eastern Phoebe    3
Fish Crow    1
crow sp.    2
Carolina Chickadee    12
Tufted Titmouse    6
Carolina Wren    1
American Robin    25
Song Sparrow    8
Swamp Sparrow    2
White-throated Sparrow    24
Northern Cardinal    10
Red-winged Blackbird    24

The Monday Morning birdwalk has been a weekly event at Huntley Meadows since 
1985.  It takes place every week, rain or shine, at 7AM, 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.  Be advised that 
during winter months the walk may be called off at the last minute if trail 
conditions are thought to be too hazardous to use.  Questions should be 
directed to Park staff during normal business hours at (703) 768-2525. 


Harry Glasgow
Friends of Huntley Meadows Park


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Ducks in Halifax Co.
From: "Jeffrey Blalock" <jcbabirder AT gcronline.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:15:46 -0400
Greetings to all:

At Edmund's Park in South Boston a single Ruddy Duck was seen on Sunday
March 14 and again on Monday March 15, 2010.

With the lowlands flooding, 	I drove  down Wolftrap Rd (St Rd 716) in
Halifax Co looking for ducks and saw several pairs of Wood Ducks and 2 pairs
of Mallards on Sunday March 14, 2010.  I checked again this morning for
ducks and only saw 2 female Hooded Mergansers.

A single Winter Wren was seen on Sunday on March 14 also, along with three
or four Great Blue Herons flying back and forth as they worked the shallow
flooded fields and woods.

I also had three Purple Finches at my backyard feeders on Sunday.  And a
visit from a Sharp-shinned Hawk on Sunday and again this morning.

Good Birding Always


Jeff Blalock
South Boston, VA  24592
jcbabirder AT gcronline.com










_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival
From: "Living, Stephen (DGIF)" <Stephen.Living AT dgif.virginia.gov>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:21:47 -0400
Virginia Birders,

Save the Date for the 18th Annual Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife
Festival!  The festival will be held from Oct 8th through 10th, with a
kick-off events at Onancock on Oct. 7th.  The festival Headquarters is
again in Cape Charles, VA with birding trips by land and sea to a
variety of spots across the Shore, including private properties not
generally open to the public.

After 17th years of dedication and hard work to keep the festival going
the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce has had to step back to focus on
other aspects of their mission.  Many thanks to the Eastern Shore
Chamber for their tireless work to support the festival.  

The planning and operations of the festival will be taken over by a
dedicated nonprofit organization - "Eastern Shore of Virginia Festivals"
with the support of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, The Cape
Charles Business Association and the Town of Cape Charles.  The other
traditional partners all remain committed to carrying on this excellent
event.  As more specifics about this year's festival become available
I'll post to the listserve.

Cheers,
Steve

Stephen Living
Watchable Wildlife Biologist
Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries
 


_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: carolina wrens
From: crhuff55 <crhuff55 AT aol.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:03:39 -0400
my resident carolina wrens are now busy with nest building in the 
garage, and the ones that were in our horse barn do not seem to be 
around now - i have been feeding mealworms near the house - but i have 
not seen a winter wren in ages - i had one near the house and knew 
where there were two others at various places near the paths i walk on 
near the potomac - i fear they have not made it - i do believe that 
the bird feeders made a huge difference in various birds' ability to 
survive the snow - christie huffman - great falls, va_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Dearth of Carolina wrens at Huntley
From: "Paul Woodward" <grackling AT att.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:41:40 -0400
 During winters with heavy snow Carolina Wrens suffer heavy mortality because 
their food supplies are covered and they don't have the option of moving since 
they maintain their territories throughout the year. 


Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA
grackling AT att.net
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup 
  To: Va-Bird 
  Cc: Mathews, Jim ; Jason Waanders ; nitpickers AT aol.com 
  Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 10:33 PM
  Subject: [Va-bird] Dearth of Carolina wrens at Huntley


 As an addendum to my previous post, one of the more interesting pieces of data 
(to me) is negative data: I have not seen or heard a wren at Huntley in over 6 
weeks. There doesn't seem to be a lack of them in suburban areas (such as my 
neighborhood), where feeders probably got most of the wrens through the snow. 
I'm guessing that in large natural areas, the resident populations have been 
knocked way back (mortality, or did they move out of the park?). Do others' 
observations support this hypothesis? It will be interesting to see how long it 
takes for the numbers to recover. 


   

  Ben Jesup

  Alexandria



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  va-bird mailing list
  http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

 Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

  http://www.virginiabirds.net/_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Dearth of Carolina wrens at Huntley
From: "Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup" <breep AT aol.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:33:40 -0400
As an addendum to my previous post, one of the more interesting pieces of
data (to me) is negative data: I have not seen or heard a wren at Huntley in
over 6 weeks.  There doesn't seem to be a lack of them in suburban areas
(such as my neighborhood), where feeders probably got most of the wrens
through the snow.  I'm guessing that in large natural areas, the resident
populations have been knocked way back (mortality, or did they move out of
the park?).  Do others' observations support this hypothesis?  It will be
interesting to see how long it takes for the numbers to recover.

 

Ben Jesup

Alexandria
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Riverbend Park
From: mnr2 AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:12:12 -0400
The Great Falls National Park walk was cancelled due to the closure of the 
park. Our group of four adjourned to Riverbend Park where we identified 38 
species. The number of great blues continue to rise. The new brush piles in the 
meadow were quite productive for sparrows. The Great Falls walk will meet next 
week in the visitors center courtyard at 8:00am. All are welcome. -- Marshall 
Rawson, McLean VA 


Canada Goose    
Mallard     
Ring-necked Duck     
Bufflehead     
Common Merganser     
Double-crested Cormorant     
Great Blue Heron     
Turkey Vulture     
American Coot     
Ring-billed Gull    
Herring Gull     
Mourning Dove     
Red-bellied Woodpecker     
Downy Woodpecker     
Hairy Woodpecker     
Northern Flicker     
Pileated Woodpecker     
Blue Jay     
American Crow     
Carolina Chickadee     
Tufted Titmouse     
White-breasted Nuthatch     
Golden-crowned Kinglet     
Eastern Bluebird     
American Robin    
European Starling     
Yellow-rumped Warbler     
Eastern Towhee     
Fox Sparrow     
Song Sparrow     
Swamp Sparrow     
White-throated Sparrow     
Dark-eyed Junco     
Northern Cardinal     
Red-winged Blackbird    
Common Grackle     
Brown-headed Cowbird     
House Finch     



_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Common Raven - Prince George Co. 3-14
From: <arun1bose AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:05:54 -0500
Hello Birders,
I spent the middle part of the day birding east of Richmond. Not too much of
note except for 2 COMMON RAVEN calling and flying over a borrow pit at the
corner of Puddledock Rd. and the Vulcan Materials entrance.

A few geese still lingering in the area including a few hundred Snow Geese
seen from Turkey Island Rd flying around Curles Neck.

Arun Bose
Richmond

_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Tidewater today
From: Gwbirds37 AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:34:44 EDT
 mostly sunny, in between rain going and coming. Bev Leeuwenburg and Jen 
Folts and I visited a variety of places - of special note:
1. EURASIAN WIGEON at 9am at Ridgway Park.
2.PAINTED BUNTING - female only - at feeders on Rouse Drive - long 
leisurely looks - at around 10:30
3. GANNETS from Island #1 - only a few - otherwise really, really dead. Two 
OYSTERCATCHERS and 1 male RED_BREASTED MERGANSER.
4. BRANT ( 4 ) at Bay28 St. mid-afternoon, but NO Black-headed Gull. 

Of note also from the park/beach at 4thSt. and Ocean View, there were MANY 
Gannets very close to shore.

Gerry Weinberger
Doswell
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Horned Grebe at Riverbend Park
From: Rob Young <robnoblestar AT aim.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:40:37 -0400
The Potomac was in impressive flood at Riverbend, overflowing the banks 
considerably and flowing very fast. In the small area of relatively 
sheltered water on the MD side of the river a small collection of 
Bufflehead and Ring-necked Duck were joined by a Common Merganser, 6 
Wood Duck, 5 American Wigeon and a single Horned Grebe.

NOTE Great Falls was closed today. I understand the River will peak 
sometime tomorrow morning.

Rob Young
Alexandria,VA
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Spring fun
From: JPMyers AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:30:46 EDT
Was at Old Trail Golf Course (just west of Crozet) both Saturday and 
Sunday. On Saturday the pond harbored 2 tree swallows battling a bluebird pair 

for a nest box, along with 6 or so lesser scaup and 10 ring-necked ducks.   
Plus others (pied-billed grebe, ruddy duck).   Then Sunday the swallows 
became 12 and the scaup were replaced by red-heads.   

Then when I checked out Jones Mill Road (just NE of Crozet) for the 
white-crowned sparrows (still there) I saw a flock of 60 killdeer.   Biggest 
killdeer flock I've ever seen (and I did my dissertation on shorebirds... 
counted 

lots of them, over many years).   

This evening a flock of 200+ grackles descended upon local trees north of 
White Hall near my house, and another flock of 60+ robins practiced singing 
as the sun set. Not that the sun was visible given this weather.

What a difference from 2 weeks ago.

My sense is that field sparrows really got hammered by the February snow.   
They're gone. Completely.   This time last year they were active and 
singing.   This year I watched them feed from grass stalks above the snow, and 
then saw the local flock dwindle as the snow hung on.   Any other observations?

Not Virginia:   I spent most of the week in Seattle contributing to a 
meeting on 'green chemistry,' which is my line of work. Managed to steal out of 

formal sessions to fill an egregious gap in my life list: cackling goose.   
The iphone app BirdsEye told me it was there, about 15 minutes from my 
hotel.   I went, saw, and photographed.   Here's the foto: http://cli.gs/00d7eZ

Pete Myers
White Hall VA_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Need help with bird ID
From: Maddog <maddogobrien AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:30:53 -0400
Hi:

Sure looks like one to me. At first blush I thought it was too small. I
always considered Yellow-headed to be noticeably larger than Red-wingeds.
But maybe I'm thinking breeding/flying males. (Tony thought it looked
larger.) Thought they sort of had longer (or longer appearing) legs too, esp
the lower half. This looks apparent in the 2nd photo; but the bird is also
standing up with little knee bend here. Also thought bill was larger on
Yellow-headed, but this varies I believe among the many field guides. Most
authors state the sizes are relative to others on a given plate. I know
Peterson consistently shows the Yellow-headed larger in his plates even
though most authors list only 3/4 inch diff in the two. Female Boat tail has
this pattern on throat area but is near twice the size. Color is a bit of a
concern here as Red-wingeds can get pink or red tones where this bird's
color is although the ones I have seen always have the striping all the way
up from the  belly to chin. This bird is clear here and looks yellow to me
in blow-ups. Also, it is hanging out with other iterids which they do, esp
away from other numbers of their kind. This bird also has the color up on
the cheeks ala a yellow-headed.

If you have the latest Smithsonian guide check out the pic of the female.
Pretty much a dead match. If you have not done so enlarge the shot or open
in a separate window or whatever it takes. Note that I do not think any of
the guides with pix vice drawings do much of a consistent job in maintaining
relatives sizes

Mike OBrien
Fairfield, Adams Count, PA

On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 3:12 PM, Tony Futcher wrote:

> Nathan,
>
> Sure looks like a female Yellow-headed Blackbird.
>
> I'd want to do more research before saying for sure, but in my recollection
> from Grad school days (in the 60's) in S Calif., this looks like a real
> possibility. Looks bigger than the RW blackbirds. Looks like the Nat Geo
> picture, but I'm too rusty (NO, not Blackbird!) to be confident.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Tony Futcher
>
>
> On 3/14/2010 3:00 PM, Nathan Cummings wrote:
>
>> We had a bird at our feeders in Loudoun County (near Banshee Reeks)
>> several weeks ago that we have been unable to identify.  Mixed in the flock
>> of red-wing blackbirds and grackles was this bird with an orangish face and
>> breast.  See the photos in these links:
>>
>>
>> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563267897357362 

>>
>>
>> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563284412248994 

>>
>>
>> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563293761037330 

>>
>> Sorry for the quality of the photos.  We took what we could through the
>> windows.  Any help identifying this bird would be greatly appreciated!
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Nathan
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> va-bird mailing list
>> http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
>>
>> Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of
>> Ornithology.  Please consider joining the VSO.
>> http://www.virginiabirds.net/
>>
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> va-bird mailing list
> http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
>
> Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of
> Ornithology.  Please consider joining the VSO.
> http://www.virginiabirds.net/
>_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Pine warblers, siskins, purple finch
From: bchevone AT vt.edu
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:21:45 -0400

This morning at my feeders at SML, I had two pine siskins, and three purple
finches (2 females and 1 male). At Franklin County Park, 5-6 pine warblers were
singing along with a very irratated B-H Nuthatch.

B. Chevone
Smith Mt Lake
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: California Gull First Landing State Park
From: Andrew Baldelli <andrewbaldelli AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:34:11 -0700 (PDT)
Today I found an Adult California Gull on the beach at First Landing SP. The 
bird was on the bay side east of the platform. I have photos of bird if anyone 
would like to see them. 

The bird flew west after the beach traffic became heavy , several people and 
I looked for the bird with no luck . If I can I will try and look for bird in 
am . 

 
Cheers
Andrew


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Chesapeake, Chesapeake County, VA, US , 3/14/10
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:57:55 -0500 (CDT)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Dyke Marsh Field Trip, Frfx Co, 14 Mar 2010
From: "Kurt Gaskill" <KurtCapt87 AT verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:33:21 -0400
VA BIRDers,

 

Larry Cartwright's Trip Report follows.

 

Nobody joined me for today's Dyke Marsh walk, perhaps due to local flooding,
so I did a little walkthrough by myself.  Half of the Marina, much of the
wooded area, and Haul Road south of the overlook that we refer to as Dead
Beaver Beach were under water at high tide (8:27AM in Alexandria).  It was a
decent day anyway. I was surprised to find 4 American Pipits foraging beside
a flooded depression along the river in the picnic area. Pine Warblers are
on the move. One was observed in the company of Yellow-rumped Warblers along
Haul Road.  Nest construction by the Marina Osprey pair seems to have been
temporarily suspended, perhaps due to the inclement weather. A Greater Scaup
was with a small group of Lessers as seen from Dead Beaver Beach and a 2
Rusty Blackbirds were with Red-wings at the same location.  Despite the
periodic drizzle, many birds were in song, including 2 Winter Wrens.  Big
miss today was Great Blue Heron.  Water was just too deep.

 

Today's list:

 

Canada Goose                                             90

Wood Duck                                                  2

Mallard                                                       19

Greater Scaup                                              1  (drake)

Lesser Scaup                                               15

 

Common Merganser                                      6  (3 drakes, 3 hens)


Red-breasted Merganser                                2  (1 drake, 1 hen)

Ruddy Duck                                                 18

Double-crested Cormorant                             8    

Osprey                                                         4

 

Bald Eagle                                                   1

American Coot                                             1

Ring-billed Gull                                          120

Herring Gull                                                3

Great Black-backed Gull                              5

 

Mourning Dove                                           4

Red-bellied Woodpecker                             6

Downy Woodpecker                                    5

Hairy Woodpecker                                       1

Northern Flicker                                          2

 

Blue Jay                                                   11

American Crow                                          4

Fish Crow                                                  7

   crow sp                                                  4

Carolina Chickadee                                    2

Tufted Titmouse                                         4

 

Brown Creeper                                           1

Carolina Wren                                           13

Winter Wren                                              2

Ruby-crowned Kinglet                                1

American Robin                                       11

 

European Starling                                   15

American Pipit                                         4

Yellow-rumped Warbler                             2

Pine Warbler                                           1

Song Sparrow                                            9

 

Swamp Sparrow                                         1

White-throated Sparrow                              13

Northern Cardinal                                       13

Red-winged Blackbird                                 12

Rusty Blackbird                                         2

 

Common Grackle                                      3

House Finch                                             2

American Goldfinch                                   4

House Sparrow                                         5

 

Larry Cartwright

prowarbler AT verizon.net

 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: fos grackle - forest, va
From: candi harris <eidothea1 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:03:08 -0700 (PDT)
thought i heard something familiar, looked out and saw my fos grackle. also saw 
3 red-bellied woodpeckers at one time. usually i only see them one at a time. 
looks like they've finally figured out how to use my squirrel-proof suet 
feeder. have the usual assortment too - chickadee, titmouse, carolina wren, 
junco, white-throated sparrow, crow, white breasted nuthatch, house finch. they 
seem to be pretty active today. 


candi



 MSN: eidothea1 

---  AT  WiseStamp Signature. Get it now



      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Black-chinned or Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Va Beach
From: Karen Kearney <birdingva AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:26:21 -0700 (PDT)
Hello all-
I just learned of a hummingbird feeder in Virginia Beach that has been hosting 
two hummingbirds since last November (Both birds were seen in the same field of 
view one time, but they feed separately). Today I took some photos of either 
one or both of the birds, and I've posted some of "Bird #1" at 
www.flickr.com/birdingva. I'll post "Bird #2 later. The birds are either 
Black-chinned or Ruby-throated. 

 
The homeowners and I would be very interested in hearing your insights into 
which hummingbird these are. I'm leaning towards the Black-chinned but would 
appreciate the wisdom of those who might be more familiar with the differences. 

 
If you would like to visit the beautiful home and yard of the nice people who 
are hosting these birds, please drop them an e-mail at 
harris.curtis AT verizon.net. They live in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach. 

 
I'm looking forward to your responses!
 
Karen Kearney
Chesapeake


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Need help with bird ID
From: Tony Futcher <tonyfutcher1 AT verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:12:07 -0400
Nathan,

Sure looks like a female Yellow-headed Blackbird.

I'd want to do more research before saying for sure, but in my 
recollection from Grad school days (in the 60's) in S Calif., this looks 
like a real possibility. Looks bigger than the RW blackbirds. Looks like 
the Nat Geo picture, but I'm too rusty (NO, not Blackbird!) to be confident.

Good birding,

Tony Futcher

On 3/14/2010 3:00 PM, Nathan Cummings wrote:
> We had a bird at our feeders in Loudoun County (near Banshee Reeks) several 
weeks ago that we have been unable to identify. Mixed in the flock of red-wing 
blackbirds and grackles was this bird with an orangish face and breast. See the 
photos in these links: 

>
> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563267897357362 

>
> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563284412248994 

>
> 
http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563293761037330 

>
> Sorry for the quality of the photos. We took what we could through the 
windows. Any help identifying this bird would be greatly appreciated! 

>
> Thanks,
>
> Nathan
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> va-bird mailing list
> http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
>
> Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

> http://www.virginiabirds.net/
>
>    
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: FOY Louisiana Waterthrush - Great Dismal Swamp
From: "Robert Ake" <rake AT cox.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:08:50 -0400
Last night I had taken the weather forecast to heart and decided to stay home 
rather than fight the rain. However, when I got up, it looked so good that I 
went to the Great Dismal Swamp. I chose the Washington Ditch entry and had a 
great walk. I was looking primarily for Rusty Blackbirds, but was also hoping 
for an early Louisiana Waterthrush. The Rusties didn't take long to put in an 
appearance. I heard a low murmering, then a few ascending notes, and finally a 
few of them got off the ground and flew up into the trees. All told there were 
probably a hundred, but not all in view at any one time. The other players 
included chickadees, titmice, both kinglets, several creepers, a couple of 
Blue-headed Vireos. Several groups of White-throated Sparrows, a few juncos, 
and a single Song Sparrow were the only sparrows. A few Winter Wrens, one 
singing, some singing Pine Warblers, and a singing Common Yellowthroat provided 
the song. The intersection of Washington and Lynn Ditches where there is a 
water control structure, is a point where I usually find Louisiana 
Waterthrushes in season. I passed it the first time without any waterthrush 
action. On my way back to the parking lot a bird flushed from the water control 
structure loudly chipping as it went. My first LA Waterthrush of the year. 


Robert L. Ake
6603 Catherine Street
Norfolk VA 23505

I'm doing an ABA Big Year in 2010 - If you'd like to follow along, my blog is 
at http://bobsbirds.blogspot.com/ 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Need help with bird ID
From: Nathan Cummings <nynorsk1 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:37 -0700 (PDT)
We had a bird at our feeders in Loudoun County (near Banshee Reeks) several 
weeks ago that we have been unable to identify. Mixed in the flock of red-wing 
blackbirds and grackles was this bird with an orangish face and breast. See the 
photos in these links: 



http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563267897357362 



http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563284412248994 



http://picasaweb.google.com/111535026760612110712/MyPictures#5448563293761037330 


Sorry for the quality of the photos. We took what we could through the windows. 
Any help identifying this bird would be greatly appreciated! 


Thanks,

Nathan


      
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Signs of migration at Huntley, incl. PINE WARBLER (3/14)
From: "Pam Koger-Jesup and Ben Jesup" <breep AT aol.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:47:44 -0400
It was a little soggy, but nonetheless a nice morning along the Hike/Bike
Trail this morning.  The swelling of the maple buds around the wetland is
beginning to be visible as a reddish highlight around the tree line, and a
few small trees (willows?) have catkins that have burst, looking like scores
of green worms draped from the branches.

 

First of the season passerines for me included:

 

Tree swallow 1

Phoebe 4

Pine warbler 1 (singing by the maintenance yard)

Purple finch 1 female

 

Also notable were the presence of sparrows in decent numbers and diversity
since the snows. 

 

Towhee 3

Field 2

Fox 4

Swamp 4

Song 30

White-throated 17

Junco 10 

 

If anything, these numbers are low for this time of year, but vastly more
than have been around the last month or two.  Has anyone checked out e-bird
or Great Backyard Bird Count data to see if there is any evidence of
sparrows or other species in larger than normal numbers farther south than
usual?

 

There was also decent diversity of waterfowl:

 

Goose 4

Swan 42 flying east

Wood duck 5

Gadwall 13

Mallard 6

Shoveler 15

Pintail 4

GW teal 1

Hooded 4

 

Other notables

 

Yellow-rump 2

GC kinglet 3

Hermit thrush 1

Greater y-legs 1

 

Bring it on.

 

Ben Jesup

Alexandria, VA

 

 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Kirtland's Warbler search, Wise County, 2010
From: Ned Brinkley <23cahow AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:18:53 -0400
This a general post to gauge birders' interest in a coordinated search for
migrant Kirtland's Warblers in Wise County, Virginia, in early May 2010.

The idea of searching for Kirtland's Warbler in May in Wise County started
with Dick Peake, who had success on several occasions, notably with a
well-documented bird 7-9 May 1994 but also on other occasions in spring
during May.  The area around Wise Reservoir seemed to have habitats to
support the species as migrants in the 1990s and probably still does.

Though I'm sure birders still remain vigilant for the species each spring in
southwestern Virginia, I don't know of many reports there in recent years.
As most readers know, the population of Kirtland's has grown each year for
multiple decades, and there has never been a better time to watch and listen
for migrants.  Though not always conspicuous birds, male Kirtland's Warblers
sometimes sing loudly, and though some species of warbler can sound similar,
even brief study of the song can alert birders to the presence of a
migrant.

If one draws a line from the wintering grounds in the Bahamas to nesting
grounds in Michigan, the line will pass through southwestern Virginia.  That
does not mean that Kirtland's actually alight in the state, but probably
hundreds pass through Virginia airspace in migration each year, and
certainly some of these land in Virginia, especially during periods
unfavorable for onward migration.  Based on records of migrants from Florida
to North Carolina - as well as records from Ohio through Ontario (etc.) - in
spring, the first week of May seems like the best time to find a male
Kirtland's, which arrive on average in mid-May in Michigan.

This year, 7-9 May falls on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so this seems like
a good time to concentrate searches.

At this point, my intent is merely to keep a spreadsheet of people who might
be interested in a coordinated search for Kirtland's Warbler during this
window, by birding in southwestern Virginia, particularly Wise County, on
that weekend.  Apologies if there are many, many wonderful birding
fundraisers, meetings, and field trips that weekend!  That is probably the
most intoxicating weekend to go birding in the state, at least for
Neotropical migrants. But Kirtland's passage in Virginia probably peaks (no
pun intended) that week, so it doesn't make sense to try to schedule around
myriad other events.

The game plan, should this Search actually come together, would be to link
all participants together by cell phones - in particular, cell phones that
are capable of receiving and sending text messages.  Participants would
subscribe to a free group, and if a bird of interest is found, they could
send a single text that would then be distributed to everyone who has
subscribed.  There will be areas of the southwestern counties where cell
towers' signals do not reach, so there may need to be some supplemental
smoke signals as well.

Right now, all I would like is a set of names (ideally, with email and
relevant cell phone number) to maintain in a spreadsheet.  As the time draws
nearer, we could see where we are and decide how best (or whether) to
proceed.  To save my typing fingers, I will amass names etc. through 15
April, then check in with interested parties via a single email then.

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, Virginia_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Birding Binoculars
From: Karen Brandt <llupine AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:41:17 -0700 (PDT)
Hello,
I am planning to buy a new pair of binoculars and am wondering if any of you 
have recommendations. I am looking for very light weight since I do alot of 
backpacking. I'm considering the following pair: 

http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/nikon-monarch-atb-8x42-binoculars.html. 
 
Any thoughts or suggestions of what criteria to consider? Especially concerning 
weight vs quality. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. 

 
Good birding!
Karen


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Occoquan Bay NWR, 3/14
From: "MARC RIBAUDO" <moribaudo AT verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:49:20 -0400
The Northern Virginia Bird Club trip to Occoquan Bay NWR was a washout this 
morning, as no one ventured out in the rain, but since I was there, I did a 
little birding until a harder, more steady rain made me decide to call it 
quits. Both Easy Road and the Wildlife Drive (Charlie Rd) were flooded, 
limiting where I could go. I did not make it down to the river. Notable 
sightings included at least 8 ospreys (3 pairs working on nests), the great 
horned owl on the old osprey nest, a rusty blackbird along the wildlife drive 
at the marsh, and 2 tree swallows. Of non-avian interest was a coyote running 
across the field behind the pond next to the parking lot. 


Marc Ribaudo
Woodbridge_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: pectoral sandpiper, tree swallows, purple finches, rusty blackbirds, northern neck
From: Frederick Atwood <fredatwood AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:44:00 -0800 (PST)
Today I skipped King George County and went straight to Leedstown in 
Westmoreland Co to see if the Eurasian Wigeons were still there. They weren't 
(I checked 4 times). However, while searching for snipe (7) and counting 
killdeer (54) in Leedstown I found my first Pectoral Sandpiper of the year in a 
farm field near the corner of Layton Landing Rd and Horners Mill Rd.  From 
Leedstown I made a quick stop at the end of 624 looking out into the dense fog 
of the Potomac where visibility was only about 100 feet, so I was only able to 
see a few buffleheads and a horned grebe.  So I went back to the sunny 
Rappahannock side and went down 624 to Richmond County stopping at Singerly 
pond, Fones Cliffs (Carters Wharf), and Mulberry island(private). 

I was happy to see 6 tree swallows all day and was then surprised by a flock of 
about 115 flying south right over my head along the river at Mulberry I, just 
after sunset. They must have been heading for a roost somewhere. At Mulberry I 
found 10 more snipe.  It was a good eagle-day along the Rappahannock: 28 adults 
(several on nests), and 48 immatures, for a total of 76 (mostly found by 
scanning with the scope). A couple Great Black-backed Gulls in Leedstown were 
further upriver than normal. Since last week in Leedstown there was a dramatic 
decline in Canada Geese (only 9, where there had been over 1300), Mallards (16 
where there had been 230), Shovelers (0), Am wigeon (4, last week 40), and 
Pintail (5, last week 80) but there was a big increase of green-winged 
teal (145, last week only 2) and there were still plenty of tundra swans (170) 
bugling in Drakes marsh and another 16 in a farm field. Other highlights 
included 2 purple finches (including a 

 bright male singing exuberantly as the sun broke through the clouds), a lesser 
yellowlegs, and a coot in Leedstown, several singing field 
sparrows (wonderfully cheery during the dreary cloudy morning), a singing 
chipping sparrow, 4 singing brown thrashers, 5 harriers (no adult males), a few 
pipits, several pairs of horned larks,  4 rusty blackbirds (3 in Leedstown and 
1 at Mulberry) and 8 cedar waxwings which have been unusually scarce around 
here this winter. Strangely, I found no accipiters, goldfinches, brown 
creepers, kinglets, hermit thrushes, turkeys, bobwhites, nuthatches, 
sapsuckers, or juncos, and only a handful each of yellow-rumped warblers, 
white-throats, white-crowneds, swamp sparrows, and song sparrows. 

 
I also saw an otter, a red fox and several deer and rabbits.
A few red-bellied turtles and many painted turtles were out sunning themselves, 
and I heard a few groups of chorus frogs, many loud groups of spring peepers, 
lots of leopard frogs, and 2  american toads. 

 
All the best,
I hope you have a great week,
Fred

 Frederick D. Atwood fredatwood AT yahoo.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 _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Hog Island Field Trip
From: Youkerd AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:21:56 EST
 
Members of the Hampton  Roads Bird Club visited Hog Island WMA today and 
tallied 70 species.  The forecast was for wind and rain, but  it was a 
beautiful day with early clouds giving way to sunshine. The highlights of the 
day 

were a nice  flyby of an American Bittern, five sparrows, three wrens, both 
kinglets, and  good looks at some baby Bald Eagles.  Complete list of 
species  below. 
Dave Youker 
HRBC 
--------------------------------------- 
Pied-billed  Grebe 
Brown  Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant 
American  Bittern
Great Blue Heron 
Great  Egret 
Turkey  Vulture
Canada Goose 
Tundra  Swan 
Gadwall 
American  Wigeon 
American Black  Duck
Mallard 
Northern  Shoveler 
Green-winged  Teal 
Ring-necked  Duck 
Scaup  (sp) 
Bufflehead
Hooded  Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck 
Osprey 
Bald  Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Clapper Rail
American  Coot 
Killdeer
Greater  Yellowlegs 
Bonaparte's  Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning  Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker 
Northern  Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker 
Blue  Jay 
American Crow
Fish  Crow
Tree Swallow
Carolina  Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter  Wren
Marsh Wren 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
Eastern  Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown  Thrasher 
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler 
Pine Warbler
Palm  Warbler 
Common  Yellowthroat 
Eastern  Towhee 
Field  Sparrow 
Savannah  Sparrow 
Song Sparrow
Swamp  Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
Northern  Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common  Grackle_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Hog Island Field Trip
From: Youkerd AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:21:56 EST
 
Members of the Hampton  Roads Bird Club visited Hog Island WMA today and 
tallied 70 species.  The forecast was for wind and rain, but  it was a 
beautiful day with early clouds giving way to sunshine. The highlights of the 
day 

were a nice  flyby of an American Bittern, five sparrows, three wrens, both 
kinglets, and  good looks at some baby Bald Eagles.  Complete list of 
species  below. 
Dave Youker 
HRBC 
--------------------------------------- 
Pied-billed  Grebe 
Brown  Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant 
American  Bittern
Great Blue Heron 
Great  Egret 
Turkey  Vulture
Canada Goose 
Tundra  Swan 
Gadwall 
American  Wigeon 
American Black  Duck
Mallard 
Northern  Shoveler 
Green-winged  Teal 
Ring-necked  Duck 
Scaup  (sp) 
Bufflehead
Hooded  Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck 
Osprey 
Bald  Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Clapper Rail
American  Coot 
Killdeer
Greater  Yellowlegs 
Bonaparte's  Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning  Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker 
Northern  Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker 
Blue  Jay 
American Crow
Fish  Crow
Tree Swallow
Carolina  Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter  Wren
Marsh Wren 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
Eastern  Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown  Thrasher 
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler 
Pine Warbler
Palm  Warbler 
Common  Yellowthroat 
Eastern  Towhee 
Field  Sparrow 
Savannah  Sparrow 
Song Sparrow
Swamp  Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
Northern  Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common  Grackle_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Kerr Reservoir 3/13
From: "Janice Frye" <jjfdc AT clearwire.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:23:12 -0500
A quick visit to the marsh at Dutch Gap yielded lots of ring necks, a few
Am. Wigeon, one male wood duck far in the back, shovelers, and the great
horned on the RSHA nest above Henricus.  She looks annoyed and restless, so
I guess they have hatched?  I had about 3 minutes of drizzle near exit 53 on
I-85, but no other rain on the trip home.  Thanks for a great day you two!

 

Jan

Richmond 

 

  _____  

From: va-bird-bounces AT listserve.com [mailto:va-bird-bounces AT listserve.com]
On Behalf Of Adam D'Onofrio
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 5:48 PM
To: Virginia Birds
Subject: [Va-bird] Kerr Reservoir 3/13

 

Tina Trice, Jan Frye and myself birded around Kerr Reservoir in Mecklenburg
County today.  The water level around the lake has receded somewhat and the
clarity of the water is better than it was earlier this winter.  New birds
in the area included a pair of OSPREY and at least 1 TREE SWALLOW.  Other
than that, there were more COMMON LOONS and HORNED GREBES around compared to
my last visit.  The grebes were in various stages of molt.  A distant group
of SCAUP, most likely Lessers were on the main lake.  Gulls included the
continuing adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 2 first cycle GREAT BLACK-BACKED
GULLS and a nice showing of HERRING GULLS.  Definitely more BONAPARTE'S
GULLS around than have been there all winter.  Elsewhere, we struck out on
the Loggerhead Shrikes that have been frequenting a farm on Rt. 713.  There
was a huge group of RING-NECKED DUCKS in the marsh on route 1 near Lake
Gaston, numbering over 1000 birds.  Ducks at Dick Cross WMA included a small
group of Ring-necked Ducks at the wetlands behind the dog kennels and
several HOODED MERGANSERS at Clyde's Pond.  Turned out to be a beautiful day
with no sign of the rainy weather plaguing areas to the north.  Good
birding.

Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie Co.  
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Birds Seen Banshee Reeks & Dulles Wetlands (Loudoun Co)
From: "Joe Coleman" <joecoleman AT rstarmail.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:15:08 -0500
While it is the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's policy to hold its bird walks, 
rain or shine unless it is dangerous, we don't expect a lot of people to show 
up when the weather is bad - this morning I was the only person to show up for 
the regular monthly (2nd Sat.) bird walk at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. 
While it was pretty slow at first when the hard rain changed to a mist about 
8:40 am the birds became much more active and the birding much more enjoyable. 
The highlights of the 34 species at Banshee (see complete list below) were my 
FOS EASTERN PHOEBE, great looks at a couple of BROWN CREEPERS, single 
RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, and a couple of FOX SPARROWS, all of 
which came in very close and let me have long, extended looks at them. 


After Banshee Reeks I went over to the nearby Dulles Greenway Wetlands 
Mitigation Project where the highlights included 13 TUNDRA SWANS coming out of 
the fog & drizzle to land on the water, lots of ducks including several 
GADWALL, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, an AMERICAN COOT, and a calling BARRED OWL. While 
I was disappointed to not see the Bald Eagle on the nest, prob. because it was 
well hunkered down to keep the eggs warm, there was a NORTHERN HARRIER. 


In all there were 46 species, not bad for a very damp morning.

Good birding! 
Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co

Location:     Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve - MFF08
Observation date:     3/13/10
Notes: On this very wet morning only one person showed up for the regular 
monthly bird walk at Banshee. When the hard rain changed to a mist about 8:40 
am the birds became much more active. 

Number of species:     34

Canada Goose     X
Wood Duck     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)     1
Mourning Dove     2
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     5
Downy Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     1
Pileated Woodpecker     3
Eastern Phoebe     1
Blue Jay     8
American Crow     7
Fish Crow     9
Carolina Chickadee     5
Tufted Titmouse     2
White-breasted Nuthatch     2
Brown Creeper     2
Carolina Wren     2
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     4
American Robin     40
Northern Mockingbird     1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     2
Eastern Towhee     1
Field Sparrow     1
Fox Sparrow (Red)     2
Song Sparrow     8
White-throated Sparrow     12
Dark-eyed Junco     6
Northern Cardinal     5
American Goldfinch     X

Location:     Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project
Observation date:     3/13/10
Number of species:     26

Tundra Swan     13
Gadwall     8
American Wigeon     2
Mallard     16
Green-winged Teal     1
Ring-necked Duck     32
Pied-billed Grebe     1
Northern Harrier     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
American Coot     1
Killdeer     1
Barred Owl     1
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     1
Blue Jay     3
American Crow     6
Fish Crow     4
Carolina Chickadee     2
Eastern Bluebird     2
American Robin     4
Song Sparrow     2
Northern Cardinal     3
Red-winged Blackbird     20
Brown-headed Cowbird     1
American Goldfinch     X

These reports were generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/VA)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Kerr Reservoir 3/13
From: Adam D'Onofrio <bigadfromlb AT comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:48:25 +0000 (UTC)
Tina Trice, Jan Frye and myself birded around Kerr Reservoir in Mecklenburg 
County today. The water level around the lake has receded somewhat and the 
clarity of the water is better than it was earlier this winter. New birds in 
the area included a pair of OSPREY and at least 1 TREE SWALLOW. Other than 
that, there were more COMMON LOONS and HORNED GREBES around compared to my last 
visit. The grebes were in various stages of molt. A distant group of SCAUP, 
most likely Lessers were on the main lake. Gulls included the continuing adult 
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 2 first cycle GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS and a nice 
showing of HERRING GULLS. Definitely more BONAPARTE'S GULLS around than have 
been there all winter. Elsewhere, we struck out on the Loggerhead Shrikes that 
have been frequenting a farm on Rt. 713. There was a huge group of RING-NECKED 
DUCKS in the marsh on route 1 near Lake Gaston, numbering over 1000 birds. 
Ducks at Dick Cross WMA included a small group of Ring-necked Ducks at the 
wetlands behind the dog kennels and several HOODED MERGANSERS at Clyde's Pond. 
Turned out to be a beautiful day with no sign of the rainy weather plaguing 
areas to the north. Good birding. 


Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie Co. _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: 3 Merganser day
From: Mark Johnson <birdmanj AT deconnex.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:20:08 -0500
Hello everyone,
  I went to the Amherst lakes this morning 3-13-10 to see what was there. At
MCL I saw:
               Red-breasted Merganser- 12 M
               Common Merganser- 2M 2F
               Hooded Merganser- 3M &F
               Scaup- 2 Doz. couldn't ID species
               Ring-necked Duck- 3 Doz.
               Bufflehead- many
 This was the first time I have gotten all 3 species of Merg. at the lake at
1 time. Awesome
The other 2 lakes had nothing.


Mark Johnson
Mad. Hgts, Va._______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Eastern Towhee in backyard
From: Deapesh Misra <deapesh AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:19:55 -0800 (PST)

 Hi,

Woke up to the usual mix of various bird songs today. We were soon rewarded 
with the sighting and the song of the Eastern Towhee in our backyard. 


The song prompted me to really go have a cup of tea !


-Deapesh
Fairfax, VA.



      
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: thrush songs
From: nicholas flanders <flicknanders AT hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:51:33 -0500
Lee Bristow just told me about this website he had found, and I had to share 
here. In the spirit of spring, Take a listen: 
http://www.math.sunysb.edu/~tony/birds/music/intro.html 


 

 

Nick Flanders.

Newport News.
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your 
inbox. 


http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_2 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: hawks over Charlottesville
From: david shoch <dshoch AT hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:25:24 +0000
Va-birders,
Several posters have already sounded the call that the spring hawk migration is 
underway, no less so here in downtown Charlottesville. Sharp-shins have been 
steadily moving through in 1s and 2s over the past week. Our best day was last 
Sunday (likely because we had more time to spend watching), when we tallied 
over ~4 hours: 


Bald Eagle - 1 juv
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 7
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Accipiter sp - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
Merlin -1
Raptor sp - 1

Two days ago we had a fantastic dogfight over the house, with an apparent 
migrant Sharp-shin taking a few shots at the resident Merlin (that's put in 
several appearances over the course of the winter). I've posted a composite of 
the action at the link below, though of course still shots don't do it justice 


http://shoch.smugmug.com/Other/Virginia-birds/11309300_MVjRg#808640151_ib5aV

Good birding

David and Elizabeth Shoch
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox.

http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_3 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Eurasian Collared-Doves - Halifax Co.
From: Paul Glass <Pag AT GCRCompany.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:12:00 -0500
After being rarely seen over the winter, the pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves
have been seen 4 out of the 5 afternoons this week in their usual location
along Seymour Dr. in South Boston.


Paul Glass
South Boston, VA

_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Great Blue Heron Rookery in Augusta County
From: "Allen & Pat" <larnersky AT mindspring.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:55:06 -0500
Hello all

Yesterday I ventured out & about places in Augusta County to look for any 
waterfowl that may have dropped in . In my travels I decided to venture out in 
the Frank Mills area where in the past a Great Blue Heron Rookery was found 
along the river . In 2007 high winds destroyed the rookery . Last year as I 
traveled thru Franks Mill I noticed in a tree what looked like nests but no 
Herons . I never have given up on this spot so yesterday I went looking . I 
found up to 10 nests & 8 Great Blues tending 6 of the nests . While 2 of the 
nests had 2 birds & 4 of the nests had single birds . Finding this place --take 
Rt. 250 W towards Churchville when you come to Jake's Flat . Jakes Store is on 
your left You will turn right onto Franks Mill Rd. go to the first bend in the 
road about a mile or less & look left into the tree lines . This road is 
traveled with Dump trucks & cars ( they go thru this area at full speed & the 
pull off is limited ) . The other place is on Sangers Lane & so far it is not 
active . 



Allen Larner 
Staunton_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Eagle question
From: William Leigh <leightern AT msn.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:24:29 +0000
Dave, 

 

Sometimes at great distances if the lighting isn't best the White on the head 
might not be visible. Usually if the tail is all white the head should be as 
well.... I believe. Some 4 year old BE have either a dark terminal or 
subterminal band. I don't have any reference books with me but I believe that 
is the case. 


 

best

William Leigh leightern AT msn.com


 


Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:47:20 -0600
From: davidrhorer AT verizon.net
To: va-bird AT listserve.com
Subject: [Va-bird] Eagle question


I observed an Eagle at Lake Drummond yesterday. I saw it from a distance. At 
first it looked like a GBH, but the profile was different. Then I observed a 
white tail. However I couldn't make out a white head. Might it have been a juv. 
bird? Thanks, Dave Gibson, Chesapeake 

 		 	   		  _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Eagle question
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:47:20 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: (no subject)
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:30:22 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Birding Highest Valley in VA - Burkes Garden
From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn AT hughes.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:10:45 -0500
On Wednesday, March 5, I along with 3 other birders from the Buchanan County 
Bird Club birded Burkes Garden in Tazewell County, the highest valley in VA at 
3100 ft. The valley got some of the deepest snowfall for the area recently with 
drifts 8 and 9 feet high. There was still plenty of snow there (see photo 
link). 

In spite of a forecast for rain showers we were lucky and had only a few 
spinkles throughout the day and moderate temperatures. We were hoping for a 
Golden Eagle or Rough-legged Hawk, but evidently they have moved on northward 
because we never found either. We did see the Bald Eagle on its nest there. The 
pair of eagles were observed building the nest in December. It is only the 
second Bald Eagle's nest reported in extreme Southwest VA with the first being 
found on South Holston lake in 2009. 

The day turned out to be a great day of birding. We logged 47 species, which 
surprised us all since most of the spring migrants haven't gotten to our area 
yet. 

The highlight of the day was a Peregrine Falcon that late in the day flew 
across the roadway then perched in a distant tree, where we were able to see it 
with the use of the spotting scope. We had just run into another BCBC member 
and fortunately, he got to see it too. We also found our first Tree Swallow for 
this year. It was spotted as it swooped and turned in the distance. In a 
pasture that was mostly clear of snow we found 7 Rusty Blackbirds among some 
Starlings and Robins. Four Wilson's Snipes were feeding in a small marshy area 
along with a couple of Mallards. We had hoped to see the Barred Owl that we had 
discovered there the previous Sunday, but it was not to be found. We were lucky 
to see one after dark as we drove up and out of The Garden. 


Birds were not the only creatures on the move. We saw 3 or 4 raccoons, not as 
many as the 12 or 13 we had seen there the previous Sunday, but like the ones 
on Sunday they looked like they may have had a hard time of it with all of the 
deep snow. They lookd gaunt and unkempt. Other mammals we spotted were 3 
skunks, a red fox, a muskrat, a ground hog and many deer. At one point 14 deer 
were feeding together in a field. 


Here is a link to several photos I took throughout the day. 
http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/burkes_garden_mar2010 


Following is the day's complete list.

Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County


47 species

Canada Geese 43

Green-winged Teal 21

Black Duck 15

Mallard 30

Wood Duck 1

Hooded Merganser 2

Great Blue Heron 1

Belted Kingfisher 3

Wilson's Snipe 4

Bald Eagle 1 (on nest)

Red-tailed Hawk 3

Cooper's Hawk 1

Peregrine Falcon 1

American Kestrel 3

Barred Owl 1

Turkey Vulture 72

Black Vulture 2

American Crow 17

Common Raven 5

Blue Jay 6

Downy Woodpecker 3

Hairy Woodpecker 2

Pileated Woodpecker 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker 5

Northern Flicker 2

Brown-headed Cowbird 2

Carolina Chickadee 1

Dark-eyed Junco 2

Eastern Bluebird 15

Eastern Meadowlark 42

Eastern Phoebe 1

Red-winged Blackbird 1500

Rusty Blackbird 7

Common Grackle 19

European Starling 800

American Goldfinch 7

American Robin 77

Horned Lark 40

House Finch 1

House Sparrow 47

Killdeer 7

Mourning Dove 5

Northern Cardinal 1

Rock Pigeon 44

Song Sparrow 20

Tree Swallow 1 (1st of the season)

White-breasted Nuthatch 1_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Killdeer in Troutville
From: "Nancy Young" <nanjyoung AT juno.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:29:47 -0500
I observed a Killdeer flying and calling at Troutville Elementary School
today.  Killdeer used to be common near the school, perching on the
buildings or feeding around the puddles in the nearby pasture.  But in the
last several years I had not heard or seen them and often wondered what
happened.  Perhaps it has been too dry? 

 

Nancy Young 

Botetourt County 
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: Birth of Hummingbirds
From: KarenNyere AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:24:43 EST
I know they are Allen's, but the process is pretty universal , so I think  
VA birders would love to look at these pix that were sent to me by a  friend.
Enjoy!
 
Karen Nyere
Alexandria, VA
 

 


 



















        
    


The Birth of  Hummingbirds...
Keep in mind the egg is smaller than a tic tac and a quarter fits the opening 
of the nest! 


This is truly amazing.
Be sure to click on NEXT PAGE at the bottom of each page; there are 5 pages in 
all. A woman found a hummingbird nest and got pictures all the way from the egg 
to fledgin the nest. It took 24 days from birth to flight. Because you'll 
probably never in your lifetime see this again, enjoy; and please share. 


  http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/


 
 _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Occoquan Bay NWR
From: "Gizzarelli, Jason" <jgizzarelli AT CFTC.gov>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:00:16 -0500
Great day at Occoquan NWR - several pairs of Ospreys are back on their nests 
and raptors were in abundance as I saw - with the help of some fellow birders - 
mature and immature bald eagles, a kestrel. male northern harrier and 
right-tailed hawk. I also visited the Great Horned Owl's nest thanks to 
directions from Mike Webster and have posted just a couple of shots from today. 
I was surprised to see when I got home that there are 2 owlets in the nest. 


http://www.pbase.com/jasonjg/birds_2010
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Red Tailed Hawk courting behavior
From: Stephen Johnson <stevejohnson2 AT verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:38:26 -0500
If you're like me, the main thing you watch a flying hawk's claws for,  
is to see if it is carrying prey.  Today, I learned to watch for  
something else too.

I've been watching a pair of Red-Tailed Hawks for several months near  
my office in Chantilly (Fairfax County).  They have been perching on,  
and near, a nest, and are seen circling in the area every day.

Around 11 AM today I saw them circling again, but this time, one had  
its legs hanging down, not held up against its belly.  I looked  
closely, but it was not carrying anything.  The two hawks completed a  
circle then moved out of range of my window.  The whole time, this one  
kept its legs hanging down.  It looked really strange.

After running to the nearest window on the adjoining side of my  
building, I saw one hawk perch in a tree, the other still hovering  
nearby, still holding its legs down below its belly.

The one holding its legs down approached the one on the branch, and  
then "landed", so to speak.  But he didn't land on the branch.  I  
finally found out why he'd been flying around the other hawk with his  
legs down.

My "local patch" pair of hawks mated, then the male perched beside the  
female, and after a couple of minutes the male, then the female, flew  
off.

To add more assurance that spring is nigh, tonight in Oakton (Fairfax  
County) I saw a FOS bat.

- Steve Johnson
Fairfax, VA


_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Great Dismal Swamp NWR--Lake Drummond , 3/11/10
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:08:55 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Suffolk, Suffolk County, VA, US , 3/11/10
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:07:22 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Caspian Tern Norfolk / Virginia Beach
From: Andrew Baldelli <andrewbaldelli AT yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:36:23 -0800 (PST)
Today while doing a little sea watching from 85th st. in Virginia Beach a 
Caspian Tern flew by heading south . Large Flocks of Northern Gannets were 
feeding at 64th st In Virginia Beach , small numbers of Bonapartes and Laughing 
Gulls were mixed in with them. It was hard to get an exact count of Gannets , 
but i figured there were around 1500 birds . 

 
Also of note I saw Tree Swallows moving along the beach today I counted 35 
birds at 85th st. Virginia Beach. 

 
Cheers 
Andrew


      _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Hopewell, James River
From: Barbara Houston <rinksyd AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:51:02 -0500
My office is at the end of Industrial Street in Hopewell and we get to 
watch the visitors along the river.  We haven't seen much lately except 
for a bunch of cormorants that hang around the shallow water. The eagle 
activity has died off and we hadn't seen any ospreys.  We had our first 
osprey pairs show up today.  One of the pair already took up residence 
on the nest platform and has brought in a bunch of sticks and twigs.  
The other pair were flying along the embankment all afternoon searching 
for food and diving in the river.

Also, there is an island 100-150 yards off the bank and there have been 
a large number of great blue herons hanging out in the trees.  Monday, I 
counted 12 with the binoculars and all of them in the same tree.  Today 
there looked to be 8-10.

On the way home, there was a pair of immature bald eagles in the trees 
along the river on route 106 before you got the the Harrison Bridge. 
They were really close to the road and didn't appear to be phased by the 
traffic.

Barbara
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: [va-richmond-general] MARCH 13 TRIP TO BELMEAD RESCHEDULED TO APRIL 10
From: Wendy Ealding <wealding AT aol.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:07:00 -0500

See below


Wendy Ealding



-----Original Message-----
From: Wendy Ealding 
To: marlenecondon AT aol.com; myeley AT yahoo.com; dun42 AT co.henrico.va.us; 
albaker1 AT earthlink.net; ard1319 AT verizon.net; dianelep1 AT yahoo.com; 
betsyben AT juno.com; s.ridd AT att.net; gpnva4 AT verizon.net; va-bird AT listserve.com; 
va-richmond-general AT freelists.org 

Cc: sbsasante2 AT gmail.com; cyberspace AT richmondaudubon.org
Sent: Thu, Mar 11, 2010 4:59 pm
Subject: [va-richmond-general] MARCH 13 TRIP TO BELMEAD RESCHEDULED TO APRIL 10













Due to the inclement weather forecast (rain, thunder) for Saturday, the field 
trip to Belmead on March 13 had been rescheduled for April 10. If you have 
already signed up for the trip, please acknowledge this e-mail so that I know 
you received it, and let me know if you will be coming on April 10. 

 
All other details (meeting at Powhatan Plaza at 7:45 AM, opportunity to tour 
the mansion afterwards) are unchanged. 

 
Bob and Art - can you please update the announcement on the RAS website 
accordingly. 







Wendy Ealding








_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Bird Walk, Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, (Loudoun Co), March 13
From: "Joe Coleman" <joecoleman AT rstarmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:25:12 -0500
The regular (every 2nd Sat.) monthly bird walk at the Banshee Reeks Nature 
Preserve in central Loudoun County will occur this Sat., March 13, 

meeting at 8:00 am at the Visitor Center/Manor House. Everyone is welcome at 
these free bird walks which are sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife 

Conservancy (www.loudounwildlife.org) and the Friends of Banshee Reeks 
(www.bansheereeks.org). 


We will hold the walk, rain or shine, unless it is dangerous but don't expect a 
lot of participants if the weather is lousy. 


Information and directions for Banshee Reeks, which is now open every weekends 
from 8 am to 4 pm, can be found at www.bansheereeks.org. 


Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the many free walks and 
events it sponsors can be at www.loudounwildlife.org. 


Thanks, Joe Coleman
540-554-2542 or jcoleman AT loudounwildlife.org_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: E. PHOEBE at Monticello Park
From: "Albright, Tom (USMS)" <Tom.Albright2 AT usdoj.gov>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:37:28 -0500
Active morning with our first Phoebe in the lower park canopy vocalizing with 
it chip note 



 (3) DE Junco-- 2 singing on Kust property; one came in park near the "Slide" 
on the lower stream east ridge 

 (1) WT SP -- singing on Kust
 (1) RT hawk -- immature on Kust
 (1) Cooper's Hawk -- chased RT hawk to Kust property


_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Mar 18, Thursday, 7PM, Dinner 5:30PM, Richmond Audubon Society MonthlyMeeting
From: Diane Jadlowski <djadski AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:06:20 -0500
Richmond Audubon Society Meeting
March 18, 2010, Third Thursday at 7:00 PM
Monthly Members Meeting and Pre-Meeting Dinner at 5:30 PM

Rice Center for Environmental Education presented by Anne Wright. Anne 
Wright, VCU’s Life Science Outdoor Education Coordinator is known to 
many of us as an imaginative educator of children and adults. She will 
bring us up-to-date on the research and education taking place at VCU’s 
340 acre Rice Center for Environmental Education. The site’s history 
includes use during the Colonial and Civil War periods and dates back to 
Native American use some 8,000 years ago.

Location: St. Luke Lutheran Church 7757 Chippenham Parkway, at the 
Custis Rd. and Chippenham Parkway intersection. Refreshments are served 
afterwards. SEE: www.RichmondAudubon.org RAS MEMBERS MEETING 

MAPhttp://www.richmondaudubon.org/%20IG%20JOBS/RICHMOND%20AUDUBON/RIchmondAudubon/web-content/ChapterMeeting.html#anchormeetingmap 



Pre-meeting Dinner: Prior to each Members Meeting, doors open at 5:30 PM 
with plenty of food and fellowship. Please sign up in advance. Volunteer 
to bring your favorite dish. Members $5.00, NEW MEMBERS FREE!
SEE: PRE-MEETING DINNER INFO 





Subject: Mar 13, Sat, 11 AM Richmond City Heron Rookery Tour
From: Diane Jadlowski <djadski AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:27:13 -0500
      March 13, Saturday at 11:00 AM - Richmond City Heron Rookery Tour
      (EVERY SATURDAY IN MARCH)

Come join Richmond Audubon Society, Virginia IBA Program, and City of 
Richmond Park's Ralph White as we share this avian treasure right in the 
heart of downtown Richmond! Over 40 nests have been counted at this 
rookery located on the James River. Spread public awareness of this 
growing heron nesting colony and help educate others. Bring your family 
and friends, bring scopes and extra binoculars to share. *$5.00 Adults 
and teens, 12 & under FREE.* Fee goes to help support the James River 
Park System.

PARKING: Go to the east end of East Byrd Street, where the road takes a 
sharp left turn, stay straight towards floodwall. At the stop 
immediately ahead go to the right, there is a small parking lot just 
past the overlook. Parking is very limited so please carpool.  Please 
note - Anytime, parking area is at 12th and Byrd at the "Observation 
Platform" by the floodwall..  There is parking for 6 or 7 cars.  But, 
for the Saturday morning walks ONLY, there is special parking available 
at the Whitewater Takeout located at the N / E end of the Mayo Bridge.  
Park head-in on the grass facing the floodwall just as soon as you go 
through the  entrance gate ... and place a piece of paper in the window 
saying "Heron Tour".  (Please do not go all the way in to the boater's 
parking lot.  You must have a special sticker there and a boat rack on 
your car.)

March 6th thru March 27th, Every Saturday at 11:00 AM - Richmond City 
Heron Rookery Tour

Come join Richmond Audubon Society, Virginia IBA Program, and Richmond 
City Park's Ralph White as we share this avian treasure in downtown 
Richmond in the James River. Over 40 nests have been counted. Help 
spread public awareness of this growing heron nesting colony and educate 
others. Bring your family and friends, bring scopes and extra binoculars 
to share. *$5.00 Adults and teens, 12 & under FREE. Fee goes to help 
support the James River Park System.
Meet in the parking lot at the far east end of E. Byrd St. (see map link 
below) in downtown Richmond. Turn right at the stop sign at the sharp 
left bend in E. Byrd Street, towards the floodwall, where 12th Street 
begins. Parking is very limited so please carpool.

PARKING: Go to the east end of East Byrd Street, where the road takes a 
sharp left turn, stay straight towards floodwall. At the stop 
immediately ahead go to the right, there is a small parking lot just 
past the overlook. Parking is very limited so please carpool.  Please 
note - Anytime, parking area is at 12th and Byrd at the "Observation 
Platform" by the floodwall..  There is parking for 6 or 7 cars.  But, 
for the Saturday morning walks ONLY, there is special parking available 
at the Whitewater Takeout located at the N / E end of the Mayo Bridge.  
Park head-in on the grass facing the floodwall just as soon as you go 
through the  entrance gate ... and place a piece of paper in the window 
saying "Heron Tour".  (Please do not go all the way in to the boater's 
parking lot.  You must have a special sticker there and a boat rack on 
your car.)

CALL and email Ralph White (see below) for reservation and in case we 
have to car pool from some other area as parking is very limited.

Ralph White
James River Parks System / Manager
City of Richmond
email  - jriverpk AT aol.com
Office - (804) 646-8911 Please leave a voice mail
Cell - (804) 432-1832 Does not record voice mails
MAP: South 12th Street & East Byrd Street, Richmond, VA 23219 

 


_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Ridgeway Park; Dismal Swamp report
From: nicholas flanders <flicknanders AT hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:07:17 -0500
Hey all,

 Stuart Sweetman and I made a quick run up to Ridgeway Park in Hampton 
yesterday (3/9/10) evening: the male Eurasian Wigeon was present, an ad. 
Black-crowned Night Heron, 1 Am. Coot, and a male Wood Duck were also notable. 


 A pretty nice assortment of waterfowl in Lake Drummond of Great Dismal Swamp 
NWR this morning, with best views via Washington Ditch. Not big numbers, but 
variety: Tundra Swan (179), Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, Mallard, 
American Wigeon, Gadwall, Canada Goose, Northern Pintail (8), Ring-necked Duck, 
Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup. Also an Osprey and 2 Bald Eagles. 


 Rusty Blackbirds have been around and singing, with groups on both Interior 
and Washington Ditches this morning. Heard my first strong singing from 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Common Yellowthroats the past 2 days, and my first 
Mourning Cloak yesterday. Happy Spring, 


 

Nick Flanders.

Newport News.  

 
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Great Dismal Swamp NWR--Canal Trail , 3/10/10
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:51:38 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Recent sightings in Halifax County - Bald Eagles, Snipes, American Woodcocks & American Bittern
From: "Jeffrey Blalock" <jcbabirder AT gcronline.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:27:54 -0500
Greetings to all:

Some recent sightings in Halifax County are as follows:

Runt Powell's farm Wolf Trap Rd - Feb 25, 2010
Bald Eagle - 1 adult
Wilson's Snipe - 5
Eastern Meadowlark - 30

Edmund's Park - March 6, 2010
American Woodcock - 2 flying high seen in the late setting sunlight

Clover Power Plant cooling pond - March 6, 2010
Bald Eagle - 1 immature
DC Cormorant - 3
Ring-billed Gull - 30

Edmund's Park - March 7, 2010
American Woodcock - 1 fly by

Seamster Farm on South Terry Bridge Rd - March 8, 2010
American Woodcock -  2 heard in large field
Barred Owl  - 3 heard
White-tailed Deer - 3 in large field mad at me and snorting very loudly.

My front yard - March 8, 2010
Red-shouldered Hawk - 2 flying right above my house as I stepped out the
door.

My back yard - March 9, 2010
Cooper Hawk - 1 landed on tree stump in back yard allowing a great look

Banister River WMA - March 10, 2010
Bald Eagle - 1 sub adult (had almost all white head but not much white in
tail)
Wood Duck - 2
American Bittern - 1 heard
Wild Turkey - 1
River Otter - 1

Overall, I had woodcocks at 2 locations and Bald Eagles at 3 locations that
include 1 immature, 1 sub-adult and 1 adult birds.

Good Birding Always.

Jeff Blalock
South Boston, VA  24592
jcbabirder AT gcronline.com










_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Huntley Meadows - Rusty Blackbirds
From: <dcharlesl AT msn.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:18:18 -0500
On a trip to Huntley Meadows in Alexandria this afternoon, I saw approximately 
20 Rusty Blackbirds foraging on the ground in the swampy area just past marker 
number 4 on the right. The Rusty Blackbirds were busily flipping leaves as 
about half a dozen American Robins mingled with them. 

 
David Ledwith
Falls Church, VA

 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Barred Owl @ the Wetlands
From: Ron Benson <rben23112 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:16:09 -0800 (PST)
There was a barred owl sitting in the nest hole at the Wetlands today around 
2:45. It was in the sycamore near 

the bridge on the Pony Pasture side of the main trail. The owl is visible while 
sitting on the nest. I have posted photos on my flickr page at: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfnron - (copy and paste)
Scroll past the mockingbird and the RSH. The owl presented itself posterior 
first while doing something in the nest. It then turned around and sat down. 

Ron_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Riverbend Park: Swans, Ducks
From: Donald Sweig <skybirds.d AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:46:55 -0500
On the Potomac this afternoon, just down river from Riverbend park, and at
the upper end of Conn island, were 44 Tundra swans. They were all grouped
together, facing the same direction as if they were getting ready to fly. It
was a beautiful sight for sure. We waited until almost 6:00, but they were
still on the river.  Also a lot of Ring-necked ducks, a few Common
Mergansers, some Bufflehead, 6-8 wood Ducks over along the Md. shore, and
also 5 Green-Wing Teal, the males in fine breeding plumage.
-- 
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va._______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: CVWO First Landing State Park Songbird Banding Station
From: Taberzz AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:28:50 EST
Bander Peter Doherty has opened the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory's 
 banding station at First Landing...check out his excellent reports on the 
First  Landing Blog at
 
_www.cvwo.org_ (http://www.cvwo.org) 
 
Brian Taber
CVWO_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Cooper's Hawks at College Creek Hawkwatch
From: Taberzz AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:14:38 EST
Shirley Devan and I witnessed a great, but short flight today at the  
hawkwatch, including 8 Cooper's Hawks, which is a daily record for the site. I 

put the totals for today and some data about Cooper's Hawks on the General 
Blog  at     _www.cvwo.org_ (http://www.cvwo.org) 
 
We also saw an early Royal Tern.
 
Brian Taber
Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Snow Geese
From: jacob barkett <jb94birds AT gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:38:10 -0500
To all,

Apparantly the mass number of "geese" I saw yesterday is most likely Tundra
Swan. I would like to apologize for the misidentification. I got the two
birds mixed up with each other, and so got the wrong species. So what I saw
yesterday and were Tundra Swan and Canada Goose. I did hear Tundra Swan
later, and saw about 200-300, but thought they were snow. I only now know
that swans fly in a 'V' formation.

Jacob Barkett,
Woodbridge, VA_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: migrating canada geese
From: crhuff55 <crhuff55 AT aol.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:44:06 -0500
keith and i have both observed hundreds of high flying migrating geese 
all this morning - i saw a line of at least 200 at 8:15 am - then more 
a few minutes later - then he has seen two huge flocks while working 
outside later this morning - it is an amazing sight and never fails to 
delight us - christie huffman - great falls, va_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Chesapeake, Chesapeake County, VA, US , 3/10/10
From: "David R. Gibson" <davidrhorer AT verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:09:03 -0600 (CST)
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Re: Leucistic or Kriders Red Tail Hawk
From: William Leigh <leightern AT msn.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:35:30 +0000
This morning on my commute had a very brief look at an unusual RTHA at mile 
marker 311 on I-81 just before the 313 Winchester exit. The bird was mainly 
white in color but had many darker feathers on back and wings giving the bird 
the look of old dirty snow. The tail appeared to be a dull rusty rufus color. 
As I was traveling at 60 mph I wasn't able to really focus on the bird all that 
well but it was very close to the road perched on a fence post. It would be an 
interesting bird to photograph. 


 



William Leigh leightern AT msn.com


 		 	   		  _______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Selasphorus hummer continues in Bon Air/Richmond
From: "Janice Frye" <jjfdc AT clearwire.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:15 -0500
She is seen every day by homeowner Bill Overstreet, and by me when I take
time to look.  The location is 2609 Mohawk Dr., Richmond, VA.  Parking is at
2609 or 2621 next door (don't block the green Forester between 1-3 on
weekdays) or down the road away from Forest Hill Ave.  People leave Forest
Hill going way too fast at times.  The grass is dry now and you can move
around on both properties.  She favors the magnolia closest to the feeders
on the side porch and usually comes in that way from across the street.

 

Jan

Richmond
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Canada Geese migrating (2)
From: David Bridge <bridgedavid AT earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:37:07 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
Another large flock, today, March 10 at 8:30am, again about 125 birds high over
southern Alexandria, headed north.

David Bridge

-----Original Message-----
>From: David Bridge 
>Sent: Mar 9, 2010 1:42 PM
>To: VA-Bird List 
>Subject: [Va-bird] Canada Geese migrating
>
>It is often hard to tell what Canada Geese are doing since there are so many
>here all year long now, and flocks move short distances everyday.
>
>About 11:30am today there was a large flock (125+) flying very high over 
Alexandria, VA. 

>They were headed just about due north.
>I would call these migrating geese; not local/resident birds.
>

_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: Voice: Greater Washington Area, March 9 (corrected)
From: "Joe Coleman" <joecoleman AT rstarmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:12:37 -0500
FYI - this report is for sightings from March 2 through March 8 and was 
compiled by Helen Patton & transcribed by Steve Cordle 

Joe Coleman

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               3/09/10
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):    voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org 
Compiler:           Helen Patton
Sponsor:            Audubon Naturalist Society of the
                    Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber:        Steve Cordle

Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of
the Voice (Individual $40; Family $50; Nature Steward $75; Audubon
Advocate $150). The membership number is 301-652-9188, option 12; the
address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; and the web
site is http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org. 

This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist 
Society at 11:30 

AM.

Top birds this week are CALIFORNIA GULL* in MD and PAINTED BUNTING in
MD and VA and VARIED THRUSH* in VA.

Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, ducks,
MERLIN, OSPREY, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL,
GLAUCOUS GULL, a hummingbird, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, SNOW BUNTING,
RUSTY BLACKBIRD and PURPLE FINCH.

An adult CALIFORNIA GULL* paid a short visit at Violette's Lock,
Montgomery Co, MD on March 3.

A VARIED THRUSH* continues to be seen at a backyard feeder in Herndon,
Fairfax Co, VA with reports throughout the week. The owner has
indicated that birders are welcome to view the bird but should call
703-264-8860 after 3:00 pm on weekdays.

A male PAINTED BUNTING is still being seen at a feeder in Bowie,
Prince Georges Co, MD with the latest report on March 8. The hosts
request that birders contact them by e-mail for directions and a
viewing time (to ease parking problems). Please see the MDOSPREY list
server for more information. A female PAINTED BUNTING visits a feeder
on Rouse Dr in Virginia Beach, VA; latest report is March 7. 

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen in a number of locations this
week including Dublin Rd, Somerset Co, MD on March 2; Schoolhouse
Pond, Prince Georges Co, MD on March 2, 3 and 5 and Turner Rd, Calvert
Co, MD on March 6 and 8. 

A male EURASIAN WIGEON was spotted March 3 on a pond on Pit Circle Rd,
Pocomoke City, MD. A EURASIAN WIGEON was at Ridgeway Park in Hampton,
VA on March 7. Two drake EURASIAN WIGEONS were found in farm fields
around Leedstown, Westmoreland Co, VA on March 8.
 
An adult male KING EIDER was seen in Virginia Beach, VA from the beach
under the CBBT on March 7. An immature male COMMON EIDER was located
at 21st Street, Little Creek Inlet, Norfolk, VA on March 6; at 22nd
Bay and at 28th Street on March 7. A COMMON EIDER was at Kiptopeke SP,
Northampton Co, VA on March 7. A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was on Island
#1 of the CBBT, Northampton Co, VA on March 6. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
was present in the sheltered water of the Somers Cove Marina,
Crisfield, Somerset Co, MD, seen on March 3.

As many as 750 COMMON MERGANSERS were observed at Burke Lake, Fairfax
Co, VA on March 3 with lesser numbers on March 4 and 5.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen along Hall School Road near the Lipscomb
intersection, Stuarts Draft, Augusta Co, VA on March 3 and 7. A
first-year GOLDEN EAGLE was feeding on carrion on the west side of
Campbelltown Road about .1 mile south of Shockley Rd., Worcester Co,
MD on March 6. Two GOLDEN EAGLES flew over Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co,
MD on March 6 and 7. Two GOLDEN EAGLES were spotted in the Front Royal
area, Warren Co, VA on March 6.

A MERLIN was spotted in a tree in a yard in Bentonville, Warren Co, VA
on March 2. 

There were several reports of returning OSPREY during the week.

A SANDHILL CRANE, found in a pasture at the NIH Animal Center, Elmer
School Rd, Montgomery Co, MD continues to be seen with reports during
the week. The crane has been spotted at other locations including Club
Hollow Road and River Road.

The peenting of AMERICAN WOODCOCK were heard in the region this past
week.

The BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen again at Little Creek Inlet, Norfolk,
VA with reports during the week. There were two BLACK-HEADED GULLS
around 22nd/23rd Street on the waterfront on March 6 and 7. The two
BLACK-HEADED GULLS were joined by a first year GLAUCOUS GULL on the
beach west of the inlet on March 6. Another GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at
the Prince William Sanitary Landfill, Prince William CO, VA, also on
March 6.

A Selasphorus Hummingbird of unidentified species has been visiting a
feeder in Richmond, VA with sightings on March 2 and 3.

On March 6, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was noted at Elk Neck SP, Cecil
Co, MD and another was at Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, MD. 

A SNOW BUNTING was seen throughout the week near the lighthouse at Pt.
Lookout SP, St. Mary's Co, MD. Another SNOW BUNTING was along Colbourn
Creek Rd, Somerset Co, MD with reports during the week.

A large flock of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, estimated at 300 birds, were seen
at Bull Run Regional Park, Fairfax Co, VA on March 6. Two RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS were at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, Prince Georges Co,
MD on March 7

Three PURPLE FINCHES were spotted at a feeder in Talbot Co, MD on
March 7.

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and DE-Birds list servers. 

The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606,
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=511) is an excellent
source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles. 

To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org or call 301-652-1088 and select menu
option 2. Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the
county as well as state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning
contact, either e-mail or phone. 

Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.

*Of interest to the records committee_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/
Subject: rockingham co. sunday birds
From: "Bill Benish & Robyn Puffenbarger" <wcbenish AT verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:14:44 -0500
Hello-

This weekend (Sunday 7th), we did the loop through Rockingham Co. that I am
using with an ornithology class at Bridgewater College.  We had an American
tree sparrow and red-winged blackbirds - the "best" birds of the loop.  We
also had a flock (8-12) of yellow-rumped warblers.  Most of the farm ponds,
including Leonard's pond, are thawed out and had ducks but no shorebirds
including green-winged teal at Leonard's.  When we arrived home in
Bridgewater, we were delighted to find a red-winged blackbird with grackles
at our feeders.  We do not see a red-winged in our yard every year, so it
was nice to see it for a 2010 yard list.  No ornithology list this week due
to spring break. 

Cheers - Robyn Puffenbarger
Bridgewater, VA

_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird

Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of 
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. 

http://www.virginiabirds.net/