This morning (Sat., 5/8) I can thank inertia for keeping me at Hains Pt.
longer than the migrants warranted. Rather than go elsewhere due to the
lack of birds, I decided to take out the scope and do a "seawatch" at
the tip. Before I even got to the tip, at c.8:25am, I saw a gorgeous
adult LONG-TAILED JAEGER fly over my head and leisurely soar up the
Potomac River. I was walking towards the tip of the the point along the
channel side, opposite the playground, when I looked up and saw this
largish, dark bird flying away from me and heading towards the Potomac.
My first impulse was Sooty Tern because I could see it was a dark bird
with long, pointed wings and a longish tail (appearing very tern-like).
I didn't pick up on the length of the tail (and the rest of the birds'
features) because it was foreshortened due to the viewing angle. Then I
got it in my scope and it turned to provide a perfect profile. I
believe my next words were, "Holy mackerel" (though I can't swear by it
;-) when I saw the clean dark cap, light yellow throat and upper breast,
chocolate brown wings and upper body, and *really* long, pointed tail (a
little less than the length of the rest of the bird. Unfortunately the
viewing time was brief as I lost sight of the bird through the trees as
it let the winds take it up the Potomac. I got over to the river side
as quickly as possible, but could not relocate the bird. Other birders
upriver were alerted, but I don't believe anyone was able to relocate
the bird.
Other birds of note (though not close to comparing to the jaeger) were 1
adult Common Tern and a mostly white Little Blue Heron. No sign of the
Least or Semipalmated Sandpipers at Constitution Gardens, however there
were several Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers.
And in case you missed it on ebird, a LARK SPARROW was reported from
Hains Pt. earlier this week (Wed. morning). I did not see the bird, in
spite of searching for it that afternoon and evening (though I did see
an adult White-crowned Sparrow).
Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA |