Gleanings…from the Web

This edition's summary covers reports to the Virginia Birds listserv for the period from April 24 th to July 21 st 2004 . 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.

Leading off the highlights for this reporting period is a juvenile Magnificent Frigatebird that was seen at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) for about 10 minutes 5/23. Also from the CBBT were reports of an adult Little Gull 4/28, single Arctic Tern and Roseate Tern 5/8, and one Sooty Shearwater and six Wilson’s Shearwaters 6/2. Another highlight was a Ruff located at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co. 5/21-5/22 during a Northern Virginia Bird Club trip. Other shorebirds of note were a pair of Red-necked Phalaropes at Craney Island, Portsmouth 5/23-5/24 (female seen again 5/25), a male Wilson’s Phalarope at Chincoteague 5/26-5/27, Marbled Godwits along the Chincoteague causeway 5/25 (3) and the weekend of 7/4 (8), a Stilt Sandpiper at Chincoteague 5/15, a Wilson’s Plover at Chincoteague 6/3, a Western Sandpiper at Craney Island 5/17 and an unspecified number at Chincoteague the weekend of 6/6, and single Upland Sandpipers in Henrico Co. 4/24 and in Fauquier Co. 5/1-5/5. Other notable waterbirds include Black Rails at Saxis Waterfowl Management Area (one on 5/23, four on 6/2, and one on 6/6), a Purple Gallinule along the Colonial Parkway between Williamsburg and Jamestown from at least 5/9-5/17 (vocalizations also heard 5/24), three single Common Moorhens at Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area, Mecklenburg Co. 5/1, Huntley Meadows, Fairfax Co. 5/12-5/17, and Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach 6/6, single American White Pelicans seen in both Halifax Co. 5/8-5/9 and at Back Bay NWR 6/2 and 6/6, and a White-faced Ibis at Chincoteague reported several times between 5/22 and 6/26. In addition, Common Mergansers nested on the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland just north of Riverbend Park in Fairfax Co., as a chick was observed 5/30 and a female was seen with six young 6/8. Finally, significant inland waterbird observations include the following. Two Common Loons were on Lake Moomaw, Bath Co. 7/14. Least Bitterns were noted at Neabsco Creek, Prince William Co. 5/29 (3) and 5/30 (1), and single Cattle Egrets were present in Culpeper Co. 5/2 and Fauquier Co. 5/7. A pair of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons nested again in the Salem area near Roanoke (4/27), and a flyby was also seen in Annandale , Fairfax Co. 7/1, while a Black-crowned Night-Heron was in Page Co. 7/2. Single Surf Scoters were seen both on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Pipers Gap near Galax on 4/20 (omitted from the last report) and in Henrico Co. 4/24. Single Virginia Rails were reported at both Blandy Experimental Farm, Frederick Co. 6/18 and at Sky Meadows S.P., Fauquier Co. 6/26, and a Sora was also seen at Blandy Experimental Farm 6/8, with four juveniles subsequently seen there 7/18. Three Black-bellied Plovers were seen in Rockingham Co. 4/26, five Sanderlings were in Culpeper Co. 5/9, and one Dunlin was spotted in Augusta Co. 5/13. A first county record of Least Tern in Henry Co. occurred 6/26, and three Caspian Terns were reported in Lynchburg 4/26.

Turning to the landbirds, a Gray Kingbird was seen briefly along Route 600 in Northampton Co. 5/8, while a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Reguge (ESVNWR) 5/15, and a nesting female was found at the Countryside Golf Course in Roanoke 6/17-7/17, with five eggs present 7/2. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were found at the CBBT 5/20, in Amherst Co. 6/5, and in Fairfax Co. 6/8 (3), and Black-billed Cuckoos were noted at many locations: Alexandria 5/9, Augusta Co. Big Spring Day 5/15 (5), Prince William Co. 5/23 (2), Highland Co. 6/12 (2), the Big Meadows area of Shenandoah National Park (SNP) 6/19 and farther north of there in the park 6/20 (2), Frederick Co. 6/26, and Shenandoah Co. in George Washington N.F. 7/3. Mourning Warblers were seen at several locations too: Julie Metz Wetlands in Prince William Co. 5/15, Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co. 5/20, Paddy’s Knob, Highland Co. 6/12 and 6/15-6/16, and a male that was at Wakefield Park, Fairfax Co. 5/9-6/20. An Orange-crowned Warbler was seen during the VSO spring meeting in Lynchburg the weekend of 5/1-5/2, a migrant Golden-winged Warbler was seen in Amherst Co. 4/24, and a Brewster’s Warbler as in Frederick Co. 5/15 where a male Golden-winged Warbler was present in the nesting season last year. A Sedge Wren was seen in Orange Co. 5/12, and single Northern Waterthrushes were at Sky Meadows S.P. 5/16 and in Augusta Co. 7/19. One Henslow’s Sparrow was reported in Culpeper Co. 5/5, and one report of a Lincoln’s Sparrow came from Sky Meadows S.P., Fauquier Co. 5/16, while Dickcissels were reported from the following locations: Woodward Turf Farm in Fauquier Co. 5/19 (several) to 5/27 (2), Henrico Co. 5/31 (4-5+), Rappahannock River Valley NWR in Richmond Co. 5/30 (6) to 6/7 (4), Campbell Co. 6/8-6/13 (3), and Orange Co. 7/4 (2).

A few lingering northerly nesters were a Pine Siskin 4/26 in Annandale, Fairfax Co., a Purple Finch 5/1 in Clarke Co., a Red-breasted Nuthatch 5/9 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Franklin Co., and a Dark-eyed Junco 5/21 in Halifax Co. Good efforts were also made to find such species in the state at likely nesting locales. Two Purple Finches were on Whitetop Mountain 6/28, as were 15 Red Crossbills , and another Purple Finch was also seen at Mount Rogers 7/6. Reports of Red-breasted Nuthatches came from near Whitetop Station 5/17, Highland County 5/23 (1) and 6/19 (a few), Whitetop Mountain 6/28 (2), Shenandoah Mountain in Rockingham Co. 7/3 (5), and Mount Rogers 7/6. A pair of nesting Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers with nestlings was noted at Bear Mountain, Highland Co. 6/7, and birds on seven territories were also located in the Mount Rogers area 6/16-6/19, as well as a bird at Whitetop Mountain 6/28. Alder Flycatchers were observed near Whitetop Station 5/17 (4-5), and 6/28 (2), and Least Flycatcher reports came from there 5/17 (3-4) and Highland Co. 5/23 (3) and both 6/12 and 6/18-6/20 (several at Paddy’s Knob). Brown Creeper sightings were made at Ramsey’s Draft, Augusta Co. 5/30 (1), Locust Springs, Highland Co. 6/12, the Big Meadows area of SNP 6/19 (1), Whitetop Mountain 6/28 (1), and Mount Rogers 7/6. Winter Wrens were reported in Highland Co. 5/23 (2), Whitetop Mountain 6/28 (3), Shenandoah Mountain, Rockingham Co. 7/3 (3), and Mount Rogers 7/6 (2), and Golden-crowned Kinglets were found in Highland County near Lantz Mountain 5/23 (3), at Locust Springs 6/12, and Sapling Ridge 6/19 (several), on Elliott Knob in Augusta Co. 6/26 (2-3), at Whitetop Mountain 6/28 (2), and at Mount Rogers 7/6. Finally, Yellow-rumped Warblers sightings were made in Highland County near Lantz Mountain 5/23 (2), Elliott Knob, Augusta County where five males and a female with two recently fledged young 6/26 verified nesting, Whitetop Mountain 6/28 (2), Shenandoah Mountain in Rockingham Co. 7/2 (7+), and Mount Rogers 7/6 (2). Some of these high altitude nesters were also found at low elevations early in the summer. Such sightings included single Dark-eyed Juncos in Loudoun Co. 6/4, Clarke Co. 6/30, and Alexandria 7/2, as well as a Brown Creeper in Culpeper Co. 7/1 and a Red-breasted Nuthatch in Lynchburg 7/15.

Concluding with the raptors, a Swallow-tailed Kite was found with diligent searching at Gloucester Point, Gloucester Co. 7/19 where they have been noted in previous summers. Mississippi Kite sightings have been widespread this year. At their stronghold in Greensville/Southampton Counties, they were seen from 5/28 (6+) to 7/2-7/3 (10-14). These additional records have also been posted: The George Washington Parkway in Fairfax Co. 5/11 (1), Staunton River Battlefield S.P. in Halifax Co. 5/15 (1), Riverview subdivision in Prince William Co. 5/16 to 6/16, where up to six birds were noted and nest building was initiated but apparently abandoned, possibly in favor of another site somewhere in the vicinity, ESVNWR in Northampton Co. 5/16 (1), the College Creek Hawkwatch near Williamsburg 5/17 (4), Runt Powell’s Farm in Halifax Co. 5/18 (1-2) and 5/25 (1), Huntley Meadows, Fairfax Co. 5/22 (4), 5/23-5/24 (1) and 6/27 (2), Great Dismal Swamp NWR 5/22 (1), Portsmouth 5/23 (1), Alexandria 6/14 (1), and Campbell Co. 7/4 (1). Peregrine Falcons sightings were also numerous: Huntley Meadows 5/5 (1), Wreck Island, Northampton Co. 5/8 (1), Craney Island 5/17 (1), Richmond, where four young were hatched and two relocated to SNP, Chincoteague NWR the weekend of 6/5 (1), both the Front Royal area of SNP 6/20 (1) and Hawkbill Mountain in SNP 7/11 (3) and 7/18 (2), and Hunting Creek, Fairfax Co. 7/18 (1). Merlins were reported from Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach 4/24 (2), in Appomattox the weekend of 5/1 (1), and at the CBBT 5/21 (1), and Northern Harriers were seen on a Chincoteague NWR/Saxis Marsh field trip the weekend of 5/22 (1), at Back Bay NWR 6/2 (one immature), near Middlebrook in Augusta Co. 6/14 (1), at South Point Marsh in Accomack Co. 6/15 (1), at Parker’s Marsh in Accomack Co. 6/19 (a pair, possibly food carrying, as well as another female), in the Swoope area of Augusta Co. 6/26 (1), and at Mason Neck S.P., Fairfax Co. 6/27 (1). Finally, Loggerhead Shrikes were noted in Bedford Co. 5/1-5/2 (food carrying) and 5/8-5/9, in Augusta Co. south of Staunton 7/4 (2), and in Augusta Co. on Route 876 7/5 (1).

Gene Sattler