October 31, 2024 [LINK / comment]
Birding in Virginia, December 2023
NOTE: This is another "catch-up" blog post largely based on Facebook posts from last December.
December 2: Along with many other members of the Augusta Bird Club, I attended a memorial service in Waynesboro for a member who had recently passed away, Dan Perkuchin. Dan was a U.S. Air Force veteran who worked for the U.S. Forest Service for many years. After joining our club, he became one of the most important record-keepers, serving as editor or assistant editor of the book Birds of Augusta County. (I helped him on one edition of that book.) It was a pleasure to meet several members of his family, and I learned a lot about him at the reception after the service.
On the way back from Waynesboro that day, I spotted what turned out to be a Red-shouldered Hawk along Rt. 254. Then, along the north end of Bell's Lane, I saw lots of American Robins and a few Cedar Waxwings. It seemed very appropriate for the bittersweet occasion. Earlier in the day toward the southern end of Bell's Lane I had seen a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Robin, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. (Bell's Lane and Rt. 254 north of Fishersville, December 2)
December 13: A brief visit to Bell's Lane late in the afternoon paid off big time, as I saw at least one and probably two Short-eared Owls! Antonio Martinez was there too, and he also had the initial impression that it/they were Northern Harriers, which are seen more frequently before dusk. It's not often that the owls come out while the sun is still up! Also present were a Red-shouldered Hawk and some White-crowned Sparrows.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bald Eagle (imm.), Cooper's Hawk, Red-headed Woodpeckers (imm.), E. Phoebe, Palm Warbler, American Kestrel (M), Downy Woodpecker (F), and E. Bluebird. (Boy Scout camp and Swoope area, December 5)
December 16: Since it was expected to rain the next day (badly timed for the Christmas Bird Count!), I figured I should get some outdoor exercise . I chose Augusta Springs as a destination, since I hadn't been there for a while, but there were hardly any birds for the first hour or so. That may be a side-effect of the severe cutting of bushes that has taken place there recently. (We need to keep tabs on such activity!) Eventually I heard a faint "churr" call and managed to entice a Hermit Thrush into my vicinity, so that was nice. As I was about to leave, I spotted a Golden-crowned Kinglet foraging down low, but I had a hard time getting a photo of it. I also had a good view of a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a distant glimpse of a Pileated Woodpecker, but not much otherwise.
December 17: Once again, I covered the city of Staunton (excluding Bell's Lane) for the Christmas Bird Count today. Undoubtedly the most productive area was Montgomery Hall Park, which for the most part has been unpredictable for me over the years -- sometimes birdy, but sometimes not. Light rain came earlier than I expected, but it soon cleared up. Near the picnic area at the top of the hill I was pleased to hear and then see a Hermit Thrush, as well as several of that species' "cousins": Eastern Bluebirds. I was stunned when a noisy group of four Northern Flickers passed by. Along Yulee's Trail on the northeast side I spotted my only Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the day, along with one or two more Hermit Thrushes. The other parks and public spaces I covered were less productive, but I did see a large flock of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and European Starlings near Dobson Pest Control on the south side of town. The nicest surprise of the day was at my final stop, the Frontier Culture Museum: a Winter Wren popped into view! It had started to rain again, however, so no photo. I'll tabulate my species counts soon.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Hermit Thrush, and in center, Ruby-crowned Kinglet. (Montgomery Hall Park and south Staunton near Middlebrook Road, December 17)
December 25: In the afternoon on Christmas Day there were lots of birds along Bell's Lane, and quite a few human beings as well. I had a very nice view of a Yellow-rumped Warbler near the kiosk, and eventually saw a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (male), along with the more common birds.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Robin, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Goldfinch, and White-breasted Nuthatch. (Bell's Lane, December 25)
December 28: In the morning I joined Penny Warren's bird walk along Bell's Lane, but I had to leave just before a Barred Owl was sighted, to my later consternation. So after doing chores in the afternoon I returned just in case it was still there, without luck. I did have some nice consolation prizes, however: a Bald Eagle high overhead, an American Kestrel feasting on a rodent, and a low-flying adult male "gray ghost" Northern Harrier in the usual upland area. The Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Duck, and Canada Goose shown here were on the private farm pond when the group stopped there in the morning.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, and Canada Goose. (Bell's Lane, December 28)
Additional photos and montages, including individual photos of some of the birds in the above montages, will soon become available on the Wild Birds chronological (2023) page. (I am in the midst of a major reorganization of my bird photos, so that they will be sorted year by year.)