Gleanings…from the Web

This edition's summary covers reports to the Virginia Birds listserv for the period from July 17 th to October 16th 2003 , with reports divided into three periods of about one month each. Individuals interested in subscribing to this listserv or reading its archives can find directions on the VSO web page (www.ecoventures-travel.com/vso). Inclusion in this column does not imply that a sighting has been accepted by VARCOM (the VSO's Records Committee), or verified in any other way. Nor does omission of a sighting from this column imply that a particular sighting was not credible or noteworthy. All inaccuracies in reporting dates, etc are the responsibility of the author.

Beginning with reports from 17 July – 26 August, two Dickcissels were seen in Fauquier Co. as late as 7/19, while Selaphorus hummeringbirds were noted both in Prince William Co. the first week of August and in southern Northampton Co. on 8/6. Unusual transient flycatchers included an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Belle Haven, Fairfax Co. 8/17 and single Yellow-bellied Flycatchers on 8/24 both at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co. and Manassas National Battlefield Park, Prince William Co. Mississippi Kite reports continued through late summer, beginning with two adults at Stumpy Lake , Virginia Beach 7/18 and another sighting in Virginia Beach 8/8. In Fairfax Co. there was one at over Highway 50 near the Fairfax County Parkway 7/22, one and sometimes two in McLean between 8/10 and 8/26, and one in Springfield 8/17. In their stronghold in Southampton and Greenville Counties , one was noted 8/5 along the Meherrin River at the border between the two counties. Finally, one was seen in Augusta Co. 8/23. More reports of Swallow-tailed Kites also came in, with two adults on 7/23 along the York River in Gloucester Co. and one adult within about a mile of there 8/5 along Sarah’s Creek.

The rest of the notable sightings in this period were of waterbirds. On a pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach on 8/16 a juvenile White-faced Storm-Petrel and one Audubon’s Shearwater were seen, as well as four Red-necked Phalaropes. Another phalarope of this species was at Craney Island, Portsmouth 8/23, and Wilson’s Phalarope reports also came from Craney Island 7/17 (1), 8/17 (3), and 8/23 (1). Again at Craney Island , there were 21+ Avocets 8/23. Other interesting shorebird noted during the period were two Ruffs and one Baird’s Sandpiper at Chincoteague 7/19, a Eurasian Whimbrel there 8/2, and Upland Sandpipers at Hog Island , Surry Island 8/13 (2) and southern Northampton Co. 8/23 (1). Again at Chicoteague NWR, a photograph taken there 8/13 revealed an adult Heerman’s Gull.

One male Anhinga was at its regular haunts at Stumpy Lake, Virginia Beach 7/19, and a single adult White Pelican was seen four times at Hog Island, Surry Co. between 8/1 and 8/20. One White-faced Ibis was at Chincoteague NWR 8/6, while White Ibises were seen in Virginia Beach (one adult and one immature 8/17) and at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (four immatures 8/23). A juvenile Little Blue Heron was in Manassas 8/11. Considering waterfowl, there was a Tundra Swan in Halifax Co. 7/25-7/28, two Surf Scoters at Fort Story, Virginia Beach 7/31, and a male Bufflehead still lingering at Huntley Meadows, Fairfax Co. 8/4.

Concluding with a few significant inland reports of waterbirds, a Black Tern was seen at Amelia Reservoir in Amelia Co. 8/3. Two immature Glossy Ibises were in Manassas 8/21. Eight American Avocets stopped in Augusta Co. also on 8/21. And an adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron was at the Banister River Wildlife Management Area 8/24.

Considering next reports to the Virginia Birds listserv from August 27 th to September 25 th, the big news of the period was Hurricane Isabel's passage through the state and the resulting birds. The coast of course benefited, but effects were felt all the way to at least the Shenandoah Valley . The totals reported for each species are high counts for each county, reported in order of appearance on the listserv, and most were for Friday the 19 th, although a smaller number of reports were the afternoon before or up to a few days after.

Herald Petrel (1 Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co.), Black-capped Petrel (4 Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel = CBBT), Cory's Shearwater (2 CBBT), White-faced Storm-Petrel (1 Frederick Co.), Wilson's Storm Petrel (1 Fairfax Co, 20+ CBBT, 2 Chesterfield Co.), Band-rumped Storm Petrel (1 Northampton Co., 1 Fairfax Co., 7+ CBBT), Leach's Storm-Petrel (1 Fauquier Co., 20+ CBBT, 1 Warren Co.). White-tailed Tropicbird (1 CBBT), Tropicbird species (1 Richmond, 1 Frederick Co.), Fulvous Whistling Duck (3 Warren Co.), Black-bellied Plover (3 Augusta Co.), American Golden Plover (6 Augusta Co.), White-rumped Sandpiper (3 Warren Co.), Baird's Sandpiper (1 Warren Co.), Western Sandpiper (3 Warren Co.), Parasitic Jaeger (2 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co.), Laughing Gull (50+ Amherst Co., 42 Rockingham Co., 14 Augusta Co., 130 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 11 Fauquier Co., 40+ Frederick Co., 107 Warren Co.), Greater Black-backed Gull (4 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 1 Warren Co.), Sabine's Gull (1 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co.), Caspian Tern (1 Amherst Co., 5 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 2 Prince William Co., 2 Frederick Co.), Royal Tern (1 Amherst Co., 52 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 3 Frederick Co.), Sandwich Tern (1 Fauquier Co., 2 Prince William Co., 1 Frederick Co.), Common Tern (2 Amherst Co., 4 Augusta Co., 275 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 10 Fauquier Co., 45 Prince William Co., 20+ Frederick Co.), Arctic Tern (1 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 1 Frederick Co.), Forester's Tern (1 Pulaski Co., 11 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 3 Orange Co., 2 Augusta Co., 100+ Frederick Co.), Roseate Tern (1 Northampton Co., 1 Amherst Co., 1 Augusta Co.), Least Tern (1 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co.), Black Tern (1 Woodbridge, 5 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 1 Prince William Co.), Bridled Tern (4 Northampton Co., 9 CBBT), Sooty Tern (7 Northampton Co.), and Black Skimmer (1 Amherst Co., 1 Rockingham Co., 1 Augusta Co., 2 Louisa/Spotsylvania Co., 2 Prince William Co., 1 Fauquier Co., 1 Warren Co.),

Staying with waterbirds, other significant sightings included White Ibis (18 at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (ESVNWR) on 8/30 and 1 there on 9/6), Common Moorhen (on 9/10 at ESVNWR), and Wood Stork (on both 9/12 & 9/13 in Mathews Co.).

Finally, the following were notable inland waterbird sightings: Eared Grebe (9/7 at South Holston Lake, Washington Co.), Anhinga (an individual on both 9/7 and 9/10 from the Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, and two 9/6 & 9/7 at Stumpy's Lake, Virginia Beach), Sabine's Gull (9/7 at South Holston Lake, Washington Co.), Black Tern (two on 9/4, Augusta Co.), American Golden Plover (two 8/27-8/31 Prince William Co. and one 8/28-9/8 Rockingham Co.), and Baird's Sandpiper (8/30-9/2 Rockingham Co.).

A couple of reports of Mississippi Kites were made: an adult passing the Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch on 8/29 and a possible family group of four individuals in McLean, Fairfax Co. on 8/30.

Some songbird migrant reports are also worth noting. An apparent Western Tanager was seen in southern Northampton Co. 9/17, single Lark Sparrows were at both Craney Island in Virginia Beach 9/5 and in King William Co. 9/6., and a Lincoln's Sparrow was seen in Fauquier Co. 9/20. Philadelphia Vireo reports came from Phelps WMA, Fauquier Co. 9/7, southern Northampton Co. 9/7, and Leesylvania S.P., Prince William Co. 9/17. Mourning Warblers were seen as several locations: both Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co. and Snicker's Gap Hawk Watch 8/31, Phelps WMA, Fauquier Co. 9/7, and the CBBT 9/12, as were Connecticut Warblers : Alexandria Co. 9/18 & 9/20, and Fairfax Co. 9/20.

Olive-sided Flycatchers were observed at Sky Meadows S.P., Fauquier Co. 9/1, Thompson WMA, at the Clarke/Fauquier Co. line 9/8, and in Clarke Co. 9/10-9/12, while Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were seen at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co. 8/31, Leesylvania S.P., Prince William Co. 9/6, and in Madison Co. 9/8.

Finally, a few northern species put in early appearances. A Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen at the Candler Mountain Hawk Count near Lynchburg 9/20, and an Evening Grosbeak was seen in southern Northampton Co. 9/25.

We conclude with reports to the Virginia Birds listserv from September 26 th to October 16 th, 2003 . "Winter finches" continued to make a promising showing, with reports of Purple Finches coming from Buchanan Co. (1 on 9/29 and 10/13), Charlottesville (several on 10/2), Fairfax Co. (1 on 10/12) and Fauquier Co. (4 on 10/12). In addition, five Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen in Clarke Co. on 10/10. A possible immature male Black-headed Grosbeak was seen at Beaverdam Park, Gloucester Co. 10/11, and a Selaphorus hummingbird, likely a Rufous Hummingbird, is visiting a feeder in James City Co. as of 10/6. A Lark Sparrow was found in Loudoun Co. on 9/27, and Lincoln's Sparrows were seen at a number of locations: Sky Meadows State Park, Fauquier Co. (1 on 9/27 and 10/12, and 12+ on 10/5), Bath Co. (4 the weekend of 9/27), southern Northampton Co. (1 on 9/29), Metz Wetlands, Woodbridge (4 on 10/5), and Stuart's Draft, Augusta Co. (1 on 10/10). A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was in Fairfax Co. on 9/30, and single Sedge Wrens were seen away from the Coastal Plain in both Bath Co. (the weekend of 9/27) and Augusta Co. (10/10). Philadelphia Vireos were noted in southern Northampton Co. (2 on 9/29), Manassas National Battlefield Park, Prince William Co. (1 on 9/30), Alexandria (1 on 10/3), and Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co. (1 on 10/5), and a Connecticut Warbler was seen at Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co. on both 9/30 and 10/5. Finally, Orange-crowned Warbler reports came from southern Northampton Co. (1 on 9/29), near Blacksburg (2 on 10/4), Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co. (1 on 10/9), and Prince William Co. (1 on 10/12).

Considering waterbirds next, a Red-throated Loon at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co. on 9/27 was both rare and early on the Piedmont . And two Franklin Gulls at the Prince William Co. landfill on 10/4 were a second Piedmont record for the state, with single individuals also being seen there 10/6, 10/7, and 10/9. Staying inland, a Red Phalarope was an unusual find on Pandapas Pond in Jefferson National Forest near Blacksburg on 10/4. At South Holston Lake in Washington Co. on 9/27 there were nine Laughing Gulls and three Eared Grebes. And in Augusta Co. an American Bittern was seen on 10/15. On the Eastern Shore , finally, White Ibis was seen at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, Northampton Co. during the Kiptopeke Challenge on 9/27, and at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, there was a female Common Eider 10/16.

Concluding with a summary of some of the unusual raptors seen at hawk count locations, Harvey's Knob had four Northern Goshawks and one Golden Eagle as of 10/13, Rockfish Gap had four Northern Goshawks and three Golden Eagles as of 10/13, Snicker's Gap had four Northern Goshawks and three Golden Eagles as of 10/16, and Kiptopeke State Park had one Golden Eagle as of 10/15, as well as a light-phase juvenile Swainson's Hawk on9/30 and a dark-phase Rough-legged Hawk on 10/16.

-Gene Sattler