14 June
After taking my ninth breeding bird count I walked downstream on
the C&O towpath to the east end of Sharp-shinned Island, roughly the eastern
boundary of McKee-Beshers WMA. Although it was relatively quiet, I saw a
couple interesting birds. There was an OSPREY perched in the top of dead
tree on the island. I heard it call but didn't see another one. This was
about the same time last year I had one fly over Hughes Hollow. I'm not
sure if there is a nest nearby- I couldn't see any from the shoreline.
I also had a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER singing very briefly and a
family of at least 10 downy young WOOD DUCKS on the towpath.
I found an incubating female CARDINAL which isn't unusual but the
location struck me as a little bit different from where cardinal normally
nest. The nest was about 8' high in a small pawpaw tree and although there
was a small vine near the nest the whole area was relatively open, not the
usual thicket.
Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA 22032
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