Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2001 10:15:13 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Kurt Gaskill Subject: Some Preliminary Results for the Fort Belvoir CBC Dec 30, 2001 Comments: To: VA-BIRD@list.audubon.org MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Some Preliminary Results for the Fort Belvoir CBC Dec 30, 2001 The count got off to a "roaring" start as strong NW winds frustrated early morning nocturnal birding activities. These winds continued on into the first half of the day making counting difficult for some teams. General comments seem to indicate total numbers per species were down in comparison to recent years yet diversity remained about the same. As of this writing, the number of documented species is 112, a bit below average. Reflected in the list of species observed were the near total lack of lingering land-based migrants that have been reported in CBCs earlier in the season, yet many of the half-hearty winter species were noted. Some highlights of the count were: Double-crested Cormorant - historically large number for late December in the Potomac and bays Great Egret - near Indian Head, MD Canvasback - record or near-record numbers (over 3000) with a viewable raft of nearly 2000 off Featherstone Lane in Woodbridge, Pr. Wm Co, VA Redhead - a few noted on the Potomac between Mason Neck and Piscataway Inlet, often mixed in with large scaup rafts. Black Scoter - single bird late in the morning off the Great Marsh of Mason Neck, moving south Surf Scoter - single bird in early morning off Hallowing Point, Mason Neck, moving south Common Goldeneye - single bird near Indian Head, MD Rough-legged Hawk - hunting in fields near Marumsco Cr, between Veterans Park, Woodbridge, VA and the Occoquan Wildlife Refuge Peregrine Falcon - one in the Colonial Farms, MD area and another hunting the edge of the Great Marsh of Mason Neck Greater Yellowlegs - a few locations but mainly in the Accotink/Pohick Bay area Common Snipe - many sightings in the Accotink/Pohick, Mason Neck and Occoquan Refuges, Huntley Meadows, and the Colonial Farms, MD areas. Laughing Gull - single bird on the flats of Neabsco Cr in the afternoon Boneparte's Gull - a few birds off Colonial Farms, MD and Gunston Cove, VA Lesser Black-backed Gull - single bird on the flats of Neabsco Cr in the afternoon Barn Owl - leaving a silo in daylight in the Lorton, VA area selasphorus hummingbird sp. - using the feeder in Mary Plimpton's front yard in Springfield, VA (directions previously given) Red-headed Woodpecker - found only at Huntley Meadows along Barnyard Run Red-breasted Nuthatch - mainly concentrated in the Accotink Refuge with scattered reports in the Fort Hunt and Mason Neck areas. Gray Catbird - single bird found near in the Accotink Refuge Brown Thrasher - found in the Colonial Farms, MD area and the Accotink Refuge American Tree Sparrow - found at Huntley Meadows, and Mason Neck and Occoquan Refuges Chipping Sparrow - two found at the Occoquan Refuge Savannah Sparrow - found only at the Accotink Refuge Fox Sparrow - many found in the Huntley Meadows, Mason Neck, Burke Lake, Occoquan Refuge, and Colonial Farms, MD areas. White-crowned Sparrow - large numbers at Lorton and a single at the Accotink Refuge Rusty Blackbirds - many noted in the Mount Vernon area, Mason Neck and Occoquan Refuges, and the Colonial Farms, MD area. Purple Finch - scattered reports in the Mason Neck, Burke Lake and Colonial Farms, MD areas Pine Siskin - Accotink Refuge and the Fort Hunt area Merlin and Baltimore Oriole are recorded as "Count Week" birds (Fairfax Co and Pr. Georges Co, MD areas, respectively) Species missed that are often recorded (but not regularly) on this count were Black-crowned Night-Heron, King Rail, American Woodcock, House Wren, American Pipit, Palm Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. After the final numbers are tallied, I will post a note with totals and comparative analysis to past counts. I give a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the volunteers who came out on count day and did an outstanding job! The dedication of these people to this noble cause results in a significant contribution to the understanding of avian abundance in our "backyard" of the Northern Virginia/Prince Georges Co. MD areas. I also give special acknowledgement to Larry Cartwright and Charlie Crieghton for helping to facilitate the activities in the Mason Neck, Gunston and Lorton areas. And I give a special THANK YOU to the Sector Leaders who helped organize, coordinate and compile the bird counts in their Sectors: Georg Morduch, PJ Dunn, Sherman Suter, Jack Thorsen, Len Alfredson, Linda Millington, Larry Brindza, Jim Waggener, Carol Ghebelian, and Rich Rieger. Wishing You All Great Birds for 2002! Kurt Gaskill ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================