February 25, 2018

I started the day at Lake Frederick with overcast skies and a light drizzle.  The lake contained a raft of ducks and amongst them were 6 Long-tailed Ducks, 3 Canvasback, 38 Ring-necked Duck, 26 Scaup (appeared to be mixed flock), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers and 284 Canada Geese.  I birded several additional small ponds in Frederick County and again ran into mixed flocks containing Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasback, Redhead, Bufflehead, Mallard, Northern Shoveler and Green-winged Teal.

Later in the day I ventured up into northwestern Frederick County and ran into one (1) Pine Warbler and what appeared to be a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk.

 

February 20, 2018

I visited a site just west of Winchester, Va from 6:10 to 6:35 tonight and had 6 American Woodcock peenting and displaying on both sides of the road in which I was walking.  They have been “putting on a show” the last 3 nights and appear to have increased in number from Sunday when I initially had 4.  Also conspicuous tonight were the Spring Peepers which were calling from the cattail marsh also along a section of the road.  Temperatures today were a very mild 72 degrees at the time of my walk.

February 18, 2018

Today traveling back from Richmond to Winchester I observed a Red-tailed Hawk (albieticola) just after crossing the Rappahannock River into Fauquier County.  I then stopped briefly by Bowman’s Pond in Fauquier County and observed 2 Cackling Geese in amongst the hundreds of Canada Geese.

At sunset, I went just west of Winchester on highway 50 and walked along a side road and picked up my first American Woodcock and Spring Peepers in Frederick County for the year.

 

February 11, 2018

I visited Jefferson County, WV early this morning in the light drizzle and haziness to look for the Snowy Owl that had been observed yesterday on Currie Road.  While not observed in the same field as yesterday; it was located in an adjacent farm perching from a fence line and easily observed from the road.

In Frederick County, Va. I observed a VERY wet immature Cooper’s Hawk attempting to dry out from the heavy rains of overnight.

February 10, 2018

I got out for a short period of time today, Saturday, and visited a couple of sites within Frederick County, Virginia.  I encountered Trumpeter Swan (R24) at the pond/lake behind Bowman Library .  It had been observed earlier in the week at Lake Frederick.  I also observed a Red-tailed Hawk (albieticola) in the southern part of the county.