Birds on the Mall (also, Grasshopper Sparrow)
Jim Felley (IRMSS668@SIVM.SI.EDU)
Thu, 22 Apr 99 15:30:54 EDT
Today is apparently Sparrow Day on the Mall. Over an early and extended
lunch hour, Rob Weiner and I checked out the vicinity of the Lincoln
Monument. On my way to meet Rob, I found a Grasshopper Sparrow in the
grassy square formed by Constitution, Madison, and 14th and 15th streets.
Hardly the habitat I would have expected, but birds are where you find them.
In the area of Constitution Gardens (north of the Reflecting Pool),
near a muddy spot with standing water southeast of the Vietnam Memorial,
there were Savannah Sparrows, some Swamp Sparrows that I saw but Rob
did not, and Field Sparrows. In the trees were Yellow Warbler,
Blue-headed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
On the other side of the Reflecting Pool, in the area of the DC
Veteran's Memorial, were lots of Brown Thrashers, several Northern
Flickers, and Hermit Thrushes. To continue the sparrow list, we saw
White-throated, Song, and large numbers of Chipping Sparrows. New
warblers included Black-and-white, Northern Parula and Palm (yellow
undertail coverts). Also there were Rufous-sided Towhees, and Rob
pointed out an Osprey flying over.
We then went to try to scare up the Grasshopper Sparrow, but
I may have done too good a job of that the first time. We found
some Savannah Sparrows on the lot, but no one else.
Finally, on my way back to work, I was able to add Black Vulture
to my Enid Haupt Garden list.
Jim
Jim Felley
Smithsonian Institution
irmss668@sivm.si.edu