MD and VA BIRDers,

 

Having gotten over 90% of the reports on species presence for the recent
Fort Belvoir CBC,  I can make the following summary.

 

A cool, overcast morning met the field counters; this turned to drizzle by
mid-afternoon and outright rain near 330pm.  Although I will never know the
final participant total until the final lists are given to me by the 10
Sector Leaders, initial reports indicate a less than average turn-out of
volunteers.  Yet, the count tallied 117 species and one Count Week species.
This is above the historical 20 year average, after discounting the
"inflation years" period.  Many observers reported above average diversity
of species, although absolute numbers of many species were down from last
year.  For example, I am sure the total scaup count will be half or less of
last year's 28,000!

 

The highlights were dominated by eight unusual species tallied in the count;
unusual means these species have been tallied in the circle 1 to 5 years in
the last 20 years.  These were Forster's Terns (2 diving in Pohick Bay, 1
record in 20 yrs), Long-eared Owl (Sandy Run Park, 1 in 20), Northern
Saw-whet Owl (Fountainhead Park, 2 in 20), Common Raven (2 in the Lorton
area, 2 in 20), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Accotink Bay area, 3 in 20),
Yellow-throated Warbler (coming to a feeder in Maryland, 2 in 20), Lincoln's
Sparrows (Huntley Meadows and Accotink Refuge, 1 in 20), and Baltimore
Oriole (3 to a Maryland feeder, 3 in 20).

 

The rare, but regular species found (found in 6-10 counts out of 20) were:
Great Egret (8 in 20, Little Hunting Creek), Merlin (9, Huntley Meadows and
near Belmont Bay), and Marsh Wren (6, Great Marsh of Mason Neck).  

 

Species that are rare to uncommon and often local in late December in
Northern Virginia (found 11-15 counts out of 20) were: Horned Grebe (15,
finally after a long drought), DC Cormorant (increasing in the last 15 yrs),
Blue-winged Teal (12, Jackson Abbott Refuge), Black Vulture (increasing in
the last 15 yrs), King Rail (Occoquan Bay NWR), Greater Yellowlegs (Mason
Neck), Laughing Gull (100+, high count, Neabsco Cr), Common Yellowthroat
(Jackson Abbott and Huntley Meadows), Chipping Sparrow (nr Burke Lake) and
Pine Siskin (several locations, its an irruption year!).

 

Other species of interest that were found: Common Loon (off Leesylvania SP),
Northern Bobwhite (in a power line cut near Henderson Rd, this is a 17 out
of 20 year species), American Woodcock (present in a few locations such as
Mason Neck SP), Red-headed WP (Hallowing Pt @ Mason Neck and in Mason Neck
NWR), Red-breasted Nuthatch (nearly all Sectors, significant irruption
year!), Gray Catbird (Leesylvania SP), Brown Thrasher (Lorton area), Fox Sp
(various locations), White-crowned Sp (Lorton, Burke and Ft Belvoir areas),
and Rusty Blackbird (only at Jackson Abbott Refuge).

 

Initial reports suggest that Red-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch and Pine
Siskin were in several places in the count circle in historical significant
numbers.

 

Many, many thank yous to the observers who came out and counted the birds!
I don't have all your names abut you are the heart and soul of the count!
And heartfelt gratitude to the Sector Leaders who organized their respective
territories:  Mary-Carroll Potter, Georg Morcduch, Larry Meade, Sherman
Suter, Greg Fleming, Bart Hutchinson, Rich Rieger, Larry Brindza, Bob
Klarquist, Marc Ribaudo, Carol Ghebelian, and Carmine Bishop.  Also, special
Thank Yous to Larry Cartwright, Ben Jesup, and Jay Keller for various
strategic and logistical help in the count.  And Additional Thank Yous to
Larry Meade, Rich Rieger, and Carmen Bishop for volunteering to lead their
areas just a few weeks before the count!

 

And lastly, let me acknowledge the sponsorship of the FT B CBC by Charles
Studholme of One Good Tern.

 

After receiving all the reports, I will post a more complete summary.

 

Wishing Everyone A Very Birdy New Year!

 

Kurt Gaskill, compiler and chief dishwasher, Fort Belvoir CBC