The Birds of the Greater Rockbridge County, Virginia Area Richard A. Rowe Department of Biology Virginia Military Institute Accidental – A bird outside of its normal range (breeding or winter) or outside of its normal migration route Rare – A bird that is within its normal breeding or over-wintering range or its normal migration route, but should not be expected to be seen in the area on a yearly basis Unusual – A bird that is within its normal breeding or over-wintering range but is not reported on a regular basis in the county (1-5 sightings per year) Common – A bird that is regularly seen within the area but may not be present in large numbers or may have a restricted distribution (Locally Common) Abundant – A bird that is found in large numbers within the county but may have a restricted distribution (Locally Abundant) Transient – A bird that is seen in the area during migration or as a wandering sub-adult Year-round – A bird that is present in the area throughout the entire year and is usually a breeder Summer breeder – A bird that migrates into the area and breeds during the summer Winter migrant/resident – A bird that migrates into the area and over-winters and then leaves in the spring Notes: Cameron’s Pond, which was located near the current Rockbridge County High School, drained naturally in 1936. Womeldorf Farm ponds are located just outside of Lexington in the new, Pond’s housing development. Lake Robertson and Lake Merriweather were created after Murray published his account of the Birds of Rockbridge County. Organization: The taxonomic order and grouping of species follows the AOU 2016 checklist. This is the 17th supplement since publication of the 7th edition of the Check-list of North American Birds (American Ornithologists’ Union [AOU] 1998). It summarizes decisions made between April 15, 2016, and April 15, 2017, by the AOS’s Committee on Classification and Nomenclature - North and Middle America. Photos – Except for a few species, all photos of species are from the Rockbridge Co. Virginia area or from surrounding counties. Anseriformes: Geese, Swans, Ducks (All photos: Geese, Swans, and Ducks) Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens): Occurrence: Transient and winter migrant Dates: October through January Locations: Willow Lake, McCormick’s Farm, Big Spring History: A single Snow Goose was located by Kerry Kilday at McCormick’s Farm in January of 2018. The bird moved to Willow Lake in February and was still present in March. Three Snow Geese, one blue phase and two white phase were located at Willow Lake on 25 November 2014. A single Snow Goose was present at Willow Lake for several weeks in December of 2016. A lone Snow Goose was reported at the Ponds housing development near Lexington on 11 March 2011 by Dick Rowe. A pair of Snow geese was seen at McCormick’s Farm on 24 November 2010. A Snow Goose was reported in the county during the winter of 2008. Dick Rowe found it at McCormick’s Farm on 18 October 2008, Paul Cabe observed one on a farm pond in the northern portion of the county (most likely the same bird), and John Burleson reported a Snow Goose on Big Spring about one month later (again, probably the same individual). Snow/Blue Geese were reported on the1976, 1966, and 1958 CBCs. Murray reports white phase individuals on 18 November 1948 on Womeldorf Pond and flying individuals 14 October 1950 and 23 September 1953. Blue phase individuals were reported by Murray on 16 November 1948 on Womeldorf Pond and on the Maury River near Alone Mill from mid-December 1956 to 11 May 1957. Status: Rare and should not be expected to be seen in the county. Photo: Ponds housing development (old Womeldorf Farm) near Lexington, VA on 11 March 2011. For additional photos: Snow Geese Ross’ Goose (Anser rossii) Occurrence: Transient and winter migrant Location: McCormick’s Farm, Willow Lake, Ponds Housing development, Buena Vista, Old Farm Rd. pond History: A single Ross’ Goose was located at McCormick’s Farm on 14 November 2010 by Dick Rowe. The bird appeared to be paired with a Ross’ Goose x Lesser Snow Goose hybrid. Allen Larner suggested that the two geese in the photograph were Ross’ Geese. After a discussion and review of photographs, Allen Larner, Barry Kinzie and I have agreed on the identification of the Ross’ Goose and the likelihood that the other bird is a hybrid. This is the first record of a Ross’ Goose in Rockbridge County. A second Ross’ Goose was found at Willow Lake on 27 and 28 March 2011. Both sightings were submitted to VARCOM and have been accepted as Category 1 records for the area. During the winter of 2016-17, two Ross’ Geese were present in the county. One was at Willow Lake and the other was near Lexington. Three Ross’ Geese were located during February 2018 at Old Farm Rd. pond. The birds moved about in the area and were seen at several different locations into March. Ross’ Goose has been reported once on the CBC in 2016. Status: Rare and not expected to be seen. Photo: McCormick’s Farm ponds, 14 November 2010. For additional photos: Ross’ Goose Ross’ Goose x Lesser Snow Goose Hybrid Occurrence: Transient and winter migrant Location: McCormick’s Farm History: On 14 March 2010, a probable Ross’ Goose x Lesser Snow Goose hybrid was located at McCormick’s Farm by Dick Rowe. The bird appeared to be paired with a Ross’ Goose. In the photograph, the Ross’ Goose is on the left and the hybrid is on the right (note the distinct differences in head and bill shape). A good discussion of hybrids between Ross’ and Lesser Snow Geese can be found in: Trauger, D.L., A. Dzubin, and J.P. Ryder. 1971. White Geese Intermediate between Ross’ Geese and Lesser Snow Geese. Auk: 88 (4): 856-875. Hybrids are not recognized by VARCOM, and thus, no report was submitted. Status: Rare and not expected to be seen Photo: McCormick’s Farm ponds, 14 November 2010. For additional photos: Ross’ Goose x Lesser Snow Goose Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons): Occurrence: Rare winter migrant and resident Dates: Mid-February to mid-March Location: Goshen Pass area, Ponds Housing Development, Willow Lake History: A single Greater White-fronted Goose was located at Meadow Lawn Farm, which is north of Lake Merriweather and the Boy Scout camps along Millard Burke Rd. The goose was first located by Brian Morse on 13 February 2013 and 2013 then relocated by Dick and Lucy Rowe on 14 February 2013. The goose was positively identified on 16 February 2013. The goose was mixed in with a flock of approximately 50 Canada Geese and remained in the area until early March (the last record was 2 March 2013). This sighting is the County record for this species. The sighting was submitted to VARCOM and accepted as a Category 1 record. A second Greater White-fronted Goose was located at the Ponds Housing development on 22 February 2014 and again on 2 March 2014. This sighing was accepted by VARCOM and is the second county record. A third Greater White-fronted Goose was located at Willow Lake on 16 November 2014 by Dick Rowe. During the 2014-15 winter, three or four Greater White-fronted Geese were present at Willow Lake Status: Rare and not expected in the County. Photo: Ponds Housing Development, 22 Feb 2014 For additional photos: Greater White-fronted Goose Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis): Occurrence: Accidental Dates: 8 March 2008 to mid April 2008 Location: Willow Lake History: A single individual was located at Willow Lake on 8 March 2008. The goose was mixed in with a flock of Canada Geese and it remained on Willow Lake through the spring. The sighting was submitted to VARCOM and accepted as a Category 3 record. Status: Accidental and not expected in the area. Photo: Willow Lake, 14 March 2008. For additional photos: Barnacle Goose Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii): Occurrence: Transient Dates: 2-3 January 2013 Location: Willow Lake History: Dick Rowe located 8 Cackling Geese on Willow Lake on 2 January 2013. The Cackling Geese were mixed in with a large flock (150+) of Canada Geese. The Cackling Geese were present on the 3rd of January but were not located on the 5th. The Cackling Geese were most likely Richardson’s Cackling Geese (there are four subspecies of Cackling Geese). During January of 2015, a group of six Cackling Geese were present at Willow Lake. Cackling Geese were recognized as a separate species by the American Ornithologist’s Union in 2004 (45th Supplement to the AOU Check-list of N. A. Birds: Auk(3): 985-995, 2004). Prior to that time, they were considered as part of the Canada Goose complex. Status: Unusual and could be found in the winter Photo: Willow Lake, 2 January 2013 For additional photos: Cackling Goose Canada Goose (Branta canadensis): Occurrence: Year-round resident of the county Dates: Year-round Locations: Throughout the county History: There are several resident flocks in the county – Lexington Country Club, the Maury River near the locks on the Chessie Trail, McCormick’s Farm, Willow Lake, and Big Spring and other individuals have been reported at Lake Robertson, on the James River at the Blue Ridge Parkway, Barger’s Quarry Pond and on many farm ponds throughout the county. Canada Geese have been reported in 32 of 92 CBC with no records prior to 1974. Murray considered that Canada geese were transients seen from February to April and October to December flying over the county with a few seen on local ponds.