Larks, Buntings, Longspurs, Ducks and Pipits
KurtCapt87@aol.com
Tue, 12 Jan 1999 22:52:31 EST
Folks,
Stopped near the intersection of Lilypons and Buckeystown Pike to look at the
Longspurs today, about 0930. Uh! very hard as the birds were distance,
hanging our near the fence by the barn and below the crest in the hill.
Whilst the group of us waited for these "easy" Longspurs, a flock of Snow
Buntings came and went. Eventually, two Lapland Longspurs appeared when a
small group of Horned Larks flew up to about 50 yds from us (we were perched
on the road) and were subsequently found by two very able birders (whose names
I have forgotten god am I sorry!). For the bird I saw, the auricular patch
was quite visible and the lower black boundary of the patch obviously
noticeable and complete, slight rufous markings on the secondaries and
primaries were also visible making identification complete.
The numbers of the obvious birds are estimated as follows: Horned Lark -
150, Snow Bunting - 70, Lapland Longspur - 2, E. Meadowlark - 6 or so, Tundra
Swan - 7, Cooper's Hawk - 1, Blue Jay - 1, and mucho Starlings, Rock Doves, Am
Crows, and a few Fish Crows (repetitive ah-ahs are the key in winter folks).
Ok, I moved down to Black Hills Reservoir hoping for something odd. Instead,
lots of ducks and other waterfowl. Here's the litany (1100, did not venture
off the road more than a few feet) : Pied-billed Grebe - 7 (minimum), Horned
Grebe - 2, Tundra Swan - 1, C. Goose - 100+, Mallard - 20+, Black Duck - 10+,
Gadwall - 2, Am. Widgeon - 3, Canvasback - 28, Redhead - 4 (one on the south
side and 3 on the north side, scope probably needed for the north side birds),
Canvasback - 28, Ring-necked Ducks - 1000, Common Goldeneye - 20, Bufflehead -
200, Hooded Mergs - 8, Common Merg - 1, Red-breasted Merg - 1, Ruddy Duck -
20, Turkey Vulture - 4+, Bald Eagle (ad) - 1, Red-tailed Hawk - 1, Am. Coots -
100+, Ring-billed Gull - 3, C. Wren - 2, Bluebird - 1, No. Mockingbird - 2,
Savannah Sparrow - 1, Song Sparrow - 2.
Pipits, couple of Kestrels, a Song Sparrow, a few White-throats and the usual
Starlings, etc.
After visiting the Potomac Mills habitat (no birds but plenty of strange
critters), I ended at Neabsco Creek nr Dale City with the most notable birds
being Green-winged Teal - 28, making an easy 15 metro duck species for the
day.
Kurt Gaskill, kurtcapt87@aol.com