Gleanings…from the Web

This edition's summary covers reports to the Virginia Birds listserv for the period from October 20 th to January 23 rd. Individuals interested in subscribing to this listserv or reading its archives can find directions on the VSO web page (www.vabirds.org). Inclusion in this column does not imply that the 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.

The late fall and early winter season has brought with it its diverse assortment of wandering waterbirds, late migrants and half-hardy holdovers, western vagrants, less common raptors, and limited numbers of northern passerine visitors. Starting with waterbirds, there was a Clark's Grebe in Virginia Beach (12/31 and 1/1). Two Ross's Geese were at Chincoteague NWR on both 10/26 and 11/1, then one on 11/4 and 11/9, as well as two at Craney Island , Portsmouth on both 11/12 and 11/18. Farther inland, single Ross's Geese were found in Augusta Co. (12/3-1/16), Rockingham Co. (12/3-4), and Fauquier Co. (11/8 and 12/15), with the earlier Fauquier Co. bird being considered an apparent Ross's x Snow Goose hybrid.

A White Pelican was a fly by in Cape Charles, Northampton Co. on 10/31, while at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) one Harlequin Duck was reported off and on through the period, with the number increasing to three in mid January. King Eiders were sighted at the CBBT on 11/30 and 12/26, and Common Eiders were reported from that location on six occasions, with a maximum of four individuals on 12/6, 1/18, and 1/21. An additional Common Eider was also reported from Virginia Beach on 1/2, and many reports of Long-tailed Ducks came from the Chesapeake Bay area, with a maximum count of 70 individuals at the CBBT on 1/21. A Pomarine Jaeger was sighted at the CBBT on 11/22, as well as on a pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach on 12/7 that also sighted one or two Thick-billed Murres and nine Manx Shearwaters.

Considering notable waterbird sightings inland, an immature Trumpeter Swan was present in Prince William Co. between 1/11-17, and one Brant at Mason Neck S. P. in Fairfax Co. between 11/7-17 was also unusual. Sightings of a single Greater White-fronted Goose in Fauquier Co. occurred through the period, as well as on the Fort Belvoir CBC (12/29) and in Prince William and King William Counties (1/12 and 1/20 respectively). In Augusta Co. there were two female Surf Scoters at two different locations 10/30-31, with one lingering through 11/17, although an injury could have been the cause. Another was at South Holston Lake in Washington Co. on 11/7, and there was a Black Scoter at Sandy River Reservoir in Prince Edward Co. on 11/3. Again at South Holston Lake in Washington Co. a Sandhill Crane was passing through on 11/10-11.

An Eared Grebe was at South Holston Lake in Washington Co. 11/10-11, as well as a Red-necked Grebe 11/16-17. An earlier Red-necked Grebe was on Burke Lake in Fairfax Co. 11/11-24, and another was at Virginia Beach 1/1 and 1/5. The Bristol CBC recorded the only Eared Grebe during the period on 12/29. A male European Wigeon, present since fall, continues to winter in Fauquier Co. for the ninth year in a row, as does one in Virginia Beach , which first showed up this year on 12/22. And among shorebirds, there was a Red-necked Phalarope in Augusta Co. 10/30, and a sizable group of Western Sandpipers in Rockingham Co (20+ on 10/31 and 11 on 11/1).

Concluding the waterbirds with gulls, notable species were a Little Gull at Kiptopeke S.P. (11/30), a Mew Gull at the CBBT (12/19), Thayer's Gull also at the CBBT (12/26, 28), Glaucous Gull at the Prince William County landfill (12/17, 20), Iceland Gull both at this landfill (12/18) and the CBBT (12/21), and California Gull at three locations in Prince William County (12/17, 24, 27, 1/4), as well as at the CBBT (12/25, 26), Fairfax Co. (12/23), and Fauquier Co. (12/20).

Late migrants included the following: Nashville Warbler (10/27 at Mason Neck S.P., Fairfax Co. and 11/2, North Fork Wetlands, Prince William Co.), Wilson's Warbler (11/1, Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co.), American Redstart 11/2, Kiptopeke S.P.), Black-and-White Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler (both 11/8, Northampton Co.), Prairie Warbler (11/9, Northampton Co.), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (11/8-10, Kiptopeke S.P.), Henslow's Sparrow (11/2, Buchanan Co.; late and unusual), Sedge Wren (10/26, Dulles Wetlands, Loudoun Co.; late and unusual), and Broad-winged Hawk (two juveniles 11/3, ESVNWR).

Among the half-hardy holdovers have been a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Fairfax Co. (both 12/14 and 12/31), single Black-and-white Warblers on 12/28 (Little Creek CBC), 12/31 (Back Bay CBC), 1/5 (Nansemond River CBC (Suffolk)), and 1/23 (in Suffolk), and single Baltimore Orioles in Fairfax Co., Cape Charles, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Norfolk, all in early January.

There were a few sightings of Orange-crowned Warblers (one on 11/3 at Mockhorn Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Northampton Co, three at different locations of Northampton Co. on 11/9, and one in Fairfax Co. on 1/13 and 1/20, and a White-winged Dove was found in Chesterfield Co. on 11/17.

A number of expected western strays have made appearances, as well as a few southern stragglers. Cave Swallows have been seen several times on the Eastern Shore: one on 11/3 at Mockhorn Island WMA, two on 11/18 at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (ESVNWR), and one there again on 11/19, seven at four locations in Northampton Co. on 11/24 and three the next day, and one at First Landing S. P. in Virginia Beach on 11/29. There were eight Western Kingbird sightings on the Eastern Shore since Labor Day, the latest being 11/9 (both near Machipongo and at Kiptopeke S.P.), and 11/11 (just north of the ESVNWR). Clay-colored Sparrows were seen on the weekend of 11/2 at Kiptopeke S.P., on 11/9 and again on 11/22 at the ESVNWR, and on 1/5 on the Nansemond River CBC, while a Lark Sparrow was found at the CBBT on 11/16 and 11/18.

Rufous or Selaphorus Hummingbird sightings during the period were made on the Bristol CBC, in Washington and Russell Counties, Rockingham Co., Arlington and Springfield , and James City and Northampton Counties . A flock of 14 Brewer's Blackbirds was found in Culpeper Co. on 11/9. The species was regular in Fauquier and Prince William Counties . (maximum of 19 between 11/24 and 1/20), and there were also 33 in Virginia Beach on 12/28 and two in Northampton Co. on 12/28-29. A single Yellow-headed Blackbird was located in Fauquier Co. on 11/13, and another was seen 1/18 at ESVNWR.

Considering unusual raptors first for the late fall, a Swainson's Hawk passed the Kiptopeke S.P. hawk watch on 11/3, and another was in that vicinity between 11/23-26. The following are the totals for Golden Eagles at the major hawk watches: twelve at Harvey 's Knob as of 11/11, eleven at Snickers Gap as of 11/20, seven at Kiptopeke S.P. as of 11/20, and three at Rockfish Gap as of 11/9. And for Northern Goshawks, the totals are ten for Harvey 's Knob, five for Rockfish Gap, and four for Snickers Gap. A Long-eared Owl was banded at Kiptopeke on 11/2, and another five owls that were probably this species were flushed at Mockhorn Island WMA on 11/3. Lastly, the totals for Northern Saw-whet Owls banded in the state are 130 in Northampton Co. as of 12/10 (this reflects totals at three separate sites, banding all night each evening), about 55 in Rockingham Co. as of 11/27, and 39 in the Lynchburg when operations concluded on 12/14 (the last two totals reflect banding at single sites that generally concluded by 11-12 PM).

Considering now raptor sightings later in the season, Northern Goshawks were encountered on three occasions around the state, on 11/29 at Kiptopeke and Virginia Beach , on 1/5 during the Nansemond River CBC around Suffolk , and on 1/9 in Charlottesville . A high of four Golden Eagles were reported in Highland Co. on 1/11, and single birds were also noted in Bath Co. (11/23) and King William Co. (1/5). Eight reports of Rough-legged Hawks were spread throughout the period, and came from Highland (two birds), Greene, Fauquier, Loudoun, Fairfax (two birds), and Northampton Counties. Ten reports of Peregrine Falcons were posted, and came from Snickers Gap, Alexandria, Augusta, Prince William, and Accomack Counties, and the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Charles, and Nansemond River CBCs, with four birds each seen on the later two CBCs. And there were sixteen reports of Merlins, which came from the Bristol CBC, Augusta and Rockingham Counties, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Fairfax Counties, Westmoreland County, Accomack County (2 birds), and the Nansemond River, Chesapeake Bay, and Cape Charles CBCs, with four birds seen on the later.

A single Short-eared Owl was seen several times at dusk along Bull Run Post Office Road in Fairfax Co. (12/1, 12/22, 1/8), while there was a small group at Saxis Marsh, Accomack Co (11/23), four in Fauquier Co. (1/11), and 3-4 in Loudoun Co (1/14).Sightings of Northern Saw-whet Owls apart from banding efforts included a road kill in Albemarle Co. on 11/23, at least two birds in Fauquier Co. on 12/15, and another in Fairfax Co. on 12/22. Rounding out the owls, a Barn Owl was noted on the Bristol CBC on 12/29.

Concluding with wintering passerines, conifer-dependent species have been sparse this winter, indicative of a good pine cone crop in the north. The highest number of Purple Finches reported was six on 1/21 in Orange Co., and the only recent report of a Pine Siskin was one on 12/22 in Fairfax Co. Only four sightings of single Red-breasted Nuthatches were made, on 11/13 at Snickers Gap, on 12/29 in Fairfax Co., and on 1/5 in both Arlington and Loudoun Co. More exciting was a flock of eight Evening Grosbeaks passing Snickers Gap on 11/18, as well as a single bird reported from near Falls Church on about 12/10. Snow Buntings were very spotty, with the following single birds: 11/13 at Occoquan NWR in Prince William Co., 11/20 in Fauquier Co.,

11/22 in Cape Charles , 11/23 at Chincoteague NWR, 12/5 again in Fauquier Co., 12/6 in Augusta Co., and 12/14 in Accomack Co., as well as two birds on 12/8 in Pulaski Co. Lapland Longspurs were more plentiful; a maximum of 39 were seen on 12/6-7 in Fauquier Co. as well as several other sightings there, 21 in Prince William Co on 12/6, 14 in Pulaski Co. on 12/8, nine in Westmoreland Co. on 11/29, and one to three individuals as follows: the southern end of the Eastern Shore as a fly over (11/3), Danville airport (12/1), Augusta Co. (12/4, 6, 1/16), Rockingham Co. (12/7), Prince William Co. (12/8), Rockingham Co. (1/5), and Loudoun Co. (1/20).

-Gene Sattler