Date: 1/23/13 11:30 am
From: Alan Handley <alan.lomion...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Re: White-winged Crossbills at Nat Arboretum


I relocated the White-Winged Crossbills around 12:15 today, Wednesday, January 23rd. The birds were still around the Grove of State Trees, on the ground under a grove labeled Scrub Pine, just to the southwest of the intersection I've marked here:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=206110005701191241719.0004d3f96a3bae40727f8&msa=0
As Alex said, they seemed totally indifferent to my presence, feeding on the ground and visiting the little culvert with the frozen puddle at the edge of the road. Eventually they flew up into one of the pine trees and continued feeding there. I counted 5 females/juvies and 2 males while they were on the ground, but there were at least 10 birds total. There were also at least two Red-Breasted Nuthatches in the same tree.

Also, in the Sugar Maples just south of those pines I saw a male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, feeding at the sappy holes he'd drilled. Good to see something in the field that I'd only read about before.

On my way out I ran into a huge flock of sparrows, just north of the parking lot on Valley Road. Amongst the innumerable Juncos and White-Throats, I found a chipping sparrow, a field sparrow, a hermit thrush, and at least two bluebirds.

Thanks to Alex for reporting the White-Wings, a lifer for me.

Alan Handley
Arlington County

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