Manasas, Dulles Wetlands, Beaverdam Reservoir
KurtCapt87@aol.com
Sat, 17 Oct 1998 19:16:14 EDT
Today, 17 Oct 98, Todd and Mike Day and myselft birded Manasas Battlefield, VA
(nr the stone bridge, and then the extreme west side near I-66) from 0745 to
1230, then we split up and I went on the Dulles wetlands (DW, 1300-1400) and
Beaverdam reservoir (BR,1430-1530) and also stopped at the Loudoun turf farms
(nothing but Killdeer). Temp was 39-69 F, little wind, clear skies. Very good
sparrow numbers in the vicinity of the stables close to the stone bridge at
the Battlefield, 9 species for the day. Though in the middle of the afternoon
during siesta time, good sparrow diversity and numbers at the power line cut
near Beaverdam Reservoir, many bathing in a big puddle on a rough road. This
spot may be worthwhile checking out in the near future. Here's the stats on
the 56 species found:
Great Blue Heron - 1(DW)
Great Egret - 2 (DW)
Canada Goose - 14, 50(BR)
Green-winged Teal - 4(DW)
Black Duck - 6(DW), 1(BR)
Mallard - 6(DW)
Black Vulture - 2(DW)
Turkey Vulture - 12, 2(DW), 3(BR) (no counts on the drive between sites)
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 7
Cooper's Hawk - 3
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 1, 1(BR)
Killdeer - 3(DW), 1(BR), 43 at turf farms
Rock Dove - 3, 3(DW)
Mourning Dove - 6, 2(BR)
Chimney Swift - 1 (late for the piedmont?)
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 3
Hairy Woodpecker - 3, 1(DW)
No. Flicker - 12, 3(DW)
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Phoebe - 3
Blue Jay - 20+, 3+(DW), 2+(BR)
Am Crow - 20+, 10+(DW)
Fish Crow - 2
Carolina Chickadee - 12+, 3(DW), 2(BR)
Tufted Titmouse - 10+, 2(DW)
White-breasted Nuthatch - 2
Carolina Wren - 6, 1(DW)
Winter Wren - 1, 1(DW)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 16, 2(DW)
Eastern Bluebird - 24, 2+(DW)
Am Robin - 12
Gray Catbird - 1, 1(BR)
No. Mockingbird - 4, 2(DW)
Cedar Waxwing - 1+
European Starling - 30+, 20+(DW), 20+(BR) (everywhere!)
Blue-headed Vireo - 1 (singing, very nice!)
Myrtle Warbler - 53, 3(DW)
Palm Warbler - 6, 3(DW), 1(BR)
Common Yellowthroat - 1(DW), 1(BR)
No. Cardinal - 10+, 3(DW), 2(BR)
Eastern Towhee - 2, 1(DW)
Chipping Sparrow - 35+, 2(DW), 3(BR)
Field Sparrow - 35+, 8(DW), 6(BR)
Savannah Sparrow - 6+
Song Sparrow - 15, 4(DW), 6(BR)
Swamp Sparrow - 1, 6(BR)
White-throated Sparrow - 30, 3(DW), 6(BR)
White-crowned Sparrow - 1, 3(BR)
Junco - 6
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
Eastern Meadowlark - 5
House Finch - 4
Am. Goldfinch - 70, 4(DW), 6(BR)
Kurt Gaskill, kurtcapt87@aol.com