Virginia Birds A Quarterly Journal of Ornithological Sightings in the Commonwealth Published by the Virginia Society of Ornithology Volume 9, Number 4 Spring Records March–May 2013 Volume 10, Number 1 Summer Records June–July 2013 Editors' Notes Spring was reported to be cooler and wetter than normal in many regions. Interesting events included a widespread fallout of phalaropes, presumable from an offshore weather event, and the departure of the irruptive species that were present throughout the state during the winter. The cooler, wetter weather continued into summer in some regions with reports of nesting failure and early post-breeding dispersal, particularly after Tropical Storm Andrea. In this issue we bid farewell to Lenny Bankester who has been our North Region Editor since 2010. We appreciate all of his contributions to this publication, particularly his efforts to capture important sightings from the listserv and eBird. Good Birding Alan and Linda On the Cover: This Common Redpoll visited a thistle feeder on Compton Mountaian in Southwest Virginia. Photo by Roger Mayhorn. Publisher Regional Editors Virginia Society of Ornithology Fred Atwood Printed on recycled paper Lenny Bankester Adam D’Onofrio Editors Wendy Ealding Linda Fields Clyde Kessler Alan Schreck Lynda Mayhorn [email protected] Roger Mayhorn C. Michael Stinson Bill Williams Terms and Abbreviations imm. (imms.) – immature(s) VDGIF – Virginia Department of Species name in bold first time men- Jct. – Junction Game and Inland Fisheries tioned (RARITIES bold and all caps) juv. (juvs.) – juvenile(s) VSO – Virginia Society of County names are in italics L. – Lake Ornithology Abbreviations: MAPS – Monitoring Avian WMA – Wildlife Management Area ad. (ads.) – adult(s) Productivity and Survivorship – VARCOM Review List Bird BBS – breeding bird survey m. – male † – written details submitted CBC – Christmas Bird Count m. obs – many/multiple observers * – specimen collected Cr. – Creek Mt. – Mountain, Mount et al. – and others NWR – National Wildlife Refuge Submissions f. – female ph. – photographed (by + initials) Send reports and photographs to the fide – vouched by Pt. – Point Regional Editors. Photographs should FOS – First of Season R. – River be the highest electronic quality possi- Ft. – Fort Res. – Reservoir ble. Send with release form, which can Gold Book – Virginia's Birdlife, An Rte. – Route be found on the VSO web site: www. Annotated Checklist. Virginia Avifauna SF – State Forest virginiabirds.net No. 7, Fourth Edition, 2007. SP – State Park Articles for consideration can be sent to Hwy. – Highway VARCOM – Virginia Avian Records [email protected] I. – Island(s), Isle(s) Committee Page 2 Virginia Birds Volume 9 • Number 4 and Volume 10 • Number 1 Season Reports Due to Regional Editors Virginia Birds Regions Summer (Jun–Jul) 15 Aug Fall (Aug–Nov) 15 Dec Winter (Dec–Feb) 15 Mar Spring (Mar–May) 15 Jun Virginia Birds Virginia Volume 9 • Number 4 and Volume 10 • Number 1 Page 3 1Page 10•Number Volume 4and 9•Number Volume Spring Reporting Period March 2013 — May 2013 Editor—Lenny Bankester 5615 Chase Court North Alexandria, VA 22312 [email protected] Arlington, Culpepper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Madison, Prince William, Rappahannock, and Stafford Counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church Manassas and Manassas Park. No report received. Editor—Clyde Kessler P.O. Box 3612 West Radford, VA 24141 [email protected] Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rocking- ham, Augusta, Highland, Bath Rockbridge, Botetourt Alleghany, Craig, Giles, Roanoke, Montgomery and Pulaski Counties. Abbreviations: GL (Greenfield L., Botetourt); Nazarene Teal at WL 12 Apr (SH); 25 Northern Shovelers in (Nazarene Church Road Wetlands, Rockingham); Shenandoah 27 Mar (DH), four at WL 12 Apr (SH), NB (Natural Bridge, Rockbridge); Stuarts (Stuarts three near Swoope, Augusta 7 May (AL) and a male near Draft, Augusta) USHL (Union Springs Hollow L., Riner, Montgomery 19 May (CH); 14 Green-winged Rockingham); WL (Willow L., Rockbridge). Teal in Shenandoah 27 Mar (DH); 133 Ring-necked Ducks at the Pump Storage Facility in Bath 3 Mar (PB) GEESE—HERONS and 53 at L. Shenandoah, Rockingham 25 Mar (GMo), Geese reports included a Greater White-fronted and 4 Greater Scaup near Mt. Solon, Augusta 17 Mar Goose near L. Merriweather, Rockbridge 2 Mar (DL & GMo) and 20 in Augusta 18 April for a new (RR), and 3 Mar (JP); a Snow Goose found near New county spring peak count (AL). A Surf Scoter was seen Hope, Augusta 2 March (GMo); and 3 Cackling Geese and photographed in Staunton 2 May (AL & PW) and at WL 3 Mar (DM & GM). Two Mute Swans were 3 May (AL). An immature White-winged Scoter was found near Mt. Solon, Augusta 1 Apr (DL). Ten sub- observed at Riverview Park, Radford, 13 Mar (CK). A adult Tundra Swans were seen at GL5 Apr (BJ, KJ, f. Hooded Merganser with seven ducklings was seen & BK); another was observed at McCormick’s Farm, near Arcadia, Botetourt 3 May (VL, WL, & GM). Red- Steele’s Tavern, Augusta 20 Mar (JK); one was located breasted Mergansers were at USHL with a single there near Greenville, Augusta 19 April (SH), and one was 19 Mar and three on 27 Mar (KS). At least 20 Common present near Fishersville 18–30 April (m. obs). Duck Mergansers were observed south of Buena Vista, reports for the Region included: 19 American Wigeon Rockbridge 3 Mar (RR) and two were found on the James on Claytor L., Pulaski 24 Mar (MMu); 25 Blue-winged R., Botetourt 16 Mar (WT). Sixteen Ruddy Ducks Page 4 Virginia Birds Volume 9 • Number 4 and Volume 10 • Number 1 were near Greenville, Augusta 19 Apr (SH). Twenty-six (WL). A Black-bellied Plover was at Leonard’s Pond, Common Loons were found at USHL 8 May (KS). Rockingham 22 May (DL). Nine Semipalmated Plovers Nine Horned Grebes were at Silver L., Rockingham 16 were found near Stuarts 7 May (VL) and three were Mar (VL) and 12 were found in Augusta 18 Apr (AL). seen in Rockingham 18 May (DL). Nineteen Spotted Double-crested Cormorants were well-represented Sandpipers were at Greenfield L. 7 May (BK). A new with 64 at Riverview Park in Radford 28 Mar (CK); spring peak count for Solitary Sandpipers in Augusta 29 on the New R. at Parrott, Pulaski 9 Mar (DH); 26 occurred when 64 were tallied there 7 May (AL). Two in Shenandoah State Park, Warren 6 Apr (JW); 40 on Greater Yellowlegs were found at the Nazarene (DL the Shenandoah R., Page 13 Apr (MH); and 15 at L. & GMo) and seven were counted there on 10 Apr (EG Shenandoah, Rockingham 8 May (DL). An American & GM) along with 4 Lesser Yellowlegs. One Greater Bittern was found at GL 18 May (KD). Thirty-six Great Yellowlegs was found near Arcadia, Botetourt 16 Apr Blue Herons were counted near Staunton 15 Mar (VL). (WT). Six Lesser Yellowlegs were also discovered near A Great Egret was present at WL 9 Apr (RR); four Stuarts 7 May (VL) A Dunlin was observed at Leonard’s were found at GL 17 Apr (KD) with singles there 26 Pond, Rockingham 1 Apr (DL), 3 Apr (CZ) and 6 Apr Apr (KD & MS), and 15 May (BK); and four were seen (GM & MM). Least Sandpipers were found in the near Stuarts, Augusta 7 May (VL). A Snowy Egret was Region with 25 near Stuarts 7 May (VL); 79 there 9 present in Staunton, Augusta 18–19 Apr (AL, m. obs) May (AL) for a new county peak count; 15 in Shenadoah and two were in Shenandoah 8 May (ET). An ad. Little 8 May (ET); and 10 at L. Frederick, Frederick 10 May Blue Heron was photographed at Stuarts 23 Apr (VL, (WP). Five White-rumped Sandpipers were seen in PN, & BT). A Tricolored Heron was found there May Rockingham 19 May (WL). A Pectoral Sandpiper was (VL). Three Cattle Egrets were found near Murray’s at the Nazarene 10 Apr (EG & GM), and two were Pond, Roanoke 30 Apr (BJ & KJ) and one photographed found in Shenandoah 3 May (DH). Two Semipalmated near Buena Vista, Rockbridge 7 May provided a first Sandpipers were found in Rockingham 19 May (WL). county record (RR). Four Black-crowned Night- Twenty or more Wilson’s Snipe were found on Old Herons were seen at Vista Pond in Waynesboro, Augusta Farm Road Pond, Rockbridge 25 Mar (RR); ten were 12 Apr (VL); five were observed in Page 17 May (DH); noted near Stokesville, Rockingham 30 Mar (BE & and ten were at Newman L. in Harrisonburg 23 May KH); eleven at Nazarene 6 Apr (DL & GMo) and 51 (DL). Four Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were found were seen near Dublin 11 Apr (fide SB). An American along Roanoke River Greenway in Roanoke City 12, 16 Woodcock was found at Union Springs L., Rockingham Mar (KD). 19 Mar (KS); three were at GL also 19 Mar (LB); at least seven were near Humpback Rocks, Augusta (GM EAGLES—FLYCATCHERS & VL), 23 Mar (GM); and seven were at GL28 Mar A Golden Eagle was observed near Dublin, Pulaski (MHa). A nest with eggs was found in Craig 9 Apr 2 Mar (CK), and one was near L. Merriweather, (BM). Six Red-necked Phalaropes were found near Rockbridge, 2 Mar (RR). An ad. Northern Goshawk was Stuarts7 May (VL), and one was there 9 May (BT). A observed near Waynesboro, Augusta 15 Mar (GM, MM, Red Phalarope was near Stuarts7 May (VL) and one & MN) and another at Lyndhurst, Augusta 17 Mar was found at the Henry Hills Subdivision in Rockbridge (BT), may have been the same bird. Three Bald Eagles 8 May (RR). Three Bonaparte’s Gulls were found at the (two ad. and one imm.) were found near Narrows, Nazarene Church Wetlands, Rockingham 1 Apr (DL); Giles 9 Apr (CB).