Saw this on the digest of VA-Bird. The location is less than a mile from the MD state line NE of Leesburg and White's Ferry.
Tyler Bell
<jtylerbell...>
California, Maryland
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "<va-bird-request...>" <va-bird-request...>
To: <va-bird...>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 8:50 AM
Subject: va-bird Digest, Vol 62, Issue 14
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2012 12:42:33 -0400
From: Elisa Enders <elisaenders...>
Subject: [Va-bird] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Loudoun County
I was out this morning in Loudoun County for the VSO foray (in support of the Loudoun County Breeding Bird Atlas) when I saw an adult Scissor-tailed Flycatcher being harassed by a Northern Mockingbird at approximately 8am. The flycatcher was an adult and the salmon "armpits" were well seen, despite poor lighting conditions (I was looking toward the sun for the most part). The bird's tail was approximately twice the length of the mockingbird's tail. I observed the scissor-tail for approximately 5 to 10 minutes. The location (north of Leesburg and east of Highway 15) where the bird was sighted is along Hibler Road (Route 656), east of the intersection with Limestone School Road (Route 661), over the fields just west of 43225 Hibler Road (farmhouse on south side of the road). Unfortunately, after repeated harassment by the mockingbird and several Eastern Kingbirds, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher took off and headed north, disappearing in a line of trees to
the north of the road a
ddress listed above. I hoped that it would return, but after half an hour, I decided to walk back to my car (parked about 2 miles away). After returning several hours later, I scanned the fields in the area, but failed to find the flycatcher.
Other interesting birds included a singing White-throated Sparrow (heard only) along Limestone School Road and singing Horned Larks and a singing Dickcissel at Temple Hall Regional Park. I never saw the Dickcissel -- which was very frustrating because it could be heard very clearly and seemed to be singing from the tops of trees along the north boundary of the park.� Grasshopper Sparrows were out in good numbers and one could not avoid Gray Catbirds -- are they always common in this part of the state?� A nice, but frustrating morning.
Elisa Enders
Portsmouth, VA
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