September 13, 2008 [LINK / comment]

More fall migrants arrive

September is well underway, and right on schedule, many of the birds that spent the summer in Canada and the northern U.S.A. are passing through Virginia. I haven't spent as much time outside as usual for this time of year, but I did put in several bird-watching hours during the latter part of last week. What follows are brief summaries (highlights only) from recent reports I have submitted to the eBird system (http://ebird.org/VA).

Bell's Lane, Sept. 1

• Osprey -- 1
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- 5
• Empid (Acadian ?) Flycatcher -- 1
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -- 1
• Cedar Waxwing -- 2
• Common Yellowthroat -- 1
• Indigo Bunting -- 1
• Baltimore Oriole -- 1

In addition, good numbers of Catbirds, Mockingbirds, Brown Thrashers, Bluebirds, and Goldfinches are regularly seen around Bell's Lane. There are no Red-wing blackbirds left, however, and any remaining Meadowlarks have gone silent.

Barren Ridge, Sept. 1

• Common Nighthawk -- 4
• Eastern Wood-Pewee -- 1

Bell's Lane, Sept. 2

• Double-crested Cormorant -- 1
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- 4
• American Kestrel -- 1
• Empid (Acadian ?) Flycatcher -- 1
• Magnolia Warbler -- 1
• Wilson's Warbler -- 1
• Indigo Bunting -- 2
• House Finch -- 2

Bell's Lane, Sept. 3

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- 4
• Belted Kingfisher -- 1
• Empid (Acadian ?) Flycatcher -- 1

Bell's Lane, Sept. 5

• Great Blue Heron -- 1
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- 3
• Empid (Acadian ?) Flycatcher -- 1
• Eastern Phoebe -- 2
• Baltimore Oriole -- 1

Sherando Lake, Sept. 5

• Red-bellied Woodpecker -- 1
• Red-eyed Vireo -- 1
• White-breasted Nuthatch -- 2
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -- 1
• Magnolia Warbler -- 1
• Black-throated Green Warbler -- 1
• Pine Warbler -- 2
• Black-and-white Warbler -- 2

Coyner Springs Park, Sept. 5

• Great Blue Heron -- 2
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- 3
• Downy Woodpecker -- 1
• White-breasted Nuthatch -- 1
• Orange-crowned (or Tennessee?) Warbler -- 1
• Magnolia Warbler -- 1
• American Goldfinch -- 4

If the weather cooperates, I may get a chance to find another significant cluster of warblers and other neotropical migrants in coming days. Only two or three more weeks before they're gone for the year...