VA BIRDers, and MDOSPREYers,

 

Brief Summary of the Fort Belvoir CBC, 4 Jan 09

 

The count was met with good weather both for nocturnal and daylight birding
- some brief showers in the morning were reported by a few; otherwise the
weather was mostly clear, calm winds and mostly above freezing temperatures.
This was the 65th count for the current circle.  With the in-hand reports,
the count has tallied 118 species, which is above the 20-year average of 113
species (adjusted for inflation).  The following eight very rare species
(having 5 or less reports in the previous 20 years) were found.  Cackling
Goose (1/20) off the Great Marsh of Mason Neck, Eurasian Wigeon (1/20) in
Piscataway Creek (noted for some time), Iceland Gull (new species for the
count - bringing the historical count total to 180 species) at the Lorton
landfill cap, Common Raven (3/20) noted near Lorton and Fort Belvoir
(Telegraph Rd and Frfx Co Parkway), Orange-crowned Warbler (2/20) at Fort
Belvoir, Yellow-throated Warbler (2/20) coming to a feeder in MD (previously
reported), Lincoln's Sparrow (2/20) at Occoquan Bay NWR, and Baltimore
Oriole (4/20) coming to a feeder in Maryland.

 

Species that are rare (reported between 6 and 10 times in the last 20
counts) were Great Egret (8, in MD), Merlin (10, Huntley Meadows), Lesser
Yellowlegs (7, Great Marsh of Mason Neck), and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(10, Neabsco Creek).

 

In addition, the following species of general interest were reported:  Snow
Goose in the Mount Vernon area (15/20), Wood Duck at Huntley Meadows, Wild
Turkey in several locations, Northern Bobwhite in the Lorton area (group of
5, 17/20), Greater Yellowlegs at The Great Marsh of Mason Neck (12/20),
American Woodcock in several locations, Horned Lark (11/20) on the Lorton
landfill cap, Red-breasted Nuthatch at Fort Belvoir, Palm Warbler (10/20) at
Fort Belvoir, American Tree Sparrow in a few locations, Fox Sparrow in many
locations, White-crowned Sparrow in Lorton, Rusty Blackbird at Huntley
Meadows and Mason Neck, Purple Finch at several locations, and Pine Siskin
at many locations.

 

Biggest miss was likely Red-headed Woodpecker (previously reported in 18 of
the last 20 years).  Other misses were Horned Grebe (15/20), Laughing Gull
(16/20), and American Pipit (16/20).

 

Count week birds were Long-tailed Duck, King Rail and Pine Warbler.

 

Also of note were the tally rally snacks which included Corn and Red Pepper
Soup, Chile Rellenos and Chicken Enchiladas.  While snacking we exchanged
the usual CBC stories on finding birds, people not showing up and police
trying to arrest volunteers. You know - the usual stuff!

 

I wish to thank the Sector Leaders whose efforts result in demonstrated
year-to-year count consistency for the Fort Belvoir CBC- Georg Morduch, PJ
Dunn, Sherman Suter, Greg Fleming and Kevin Walter, Peter Ross, Rich Rieger,
Kim Hosen and Marc Ribaudo, Carol Ghebelian, and Carmine Bishop.  And let me
please thank all the field counters and feeder watchers whose efforts are
the reality of the day.  Thank you one and all for bringing home another
OUTSTANDING COUNT!

 

See ya' all next year!

 

Kurt Gaskill

Compiler, Ft B CBC