A quarterlyIRGINIA journal of ornithological sightings in theIRDS Commonwealth V published by the Virginia B Society of Ornithology Volume 13 Number 4 Spring Records March–May 2017 Virginia Birds Regions Cities/towns numbered on map 1. Abingdon 18. Fredericksburg 31. Petersburg 42. Virginia Beach 2. Alexandria 19. Galax 32. Poquoson 43. Waynesboro 3. Bedford 20. Hampton 33. Portsmouth 44. Williamsburg 45 Frederick 4. Bristol 21. Harrisonburg 34. Radford 45. Winchester Clarke Loudoun 5. Buena Vista 22. Hopewell 35. Richmond North Fairfax Arlington Warren Fauquier 15,16 6. Cape Charles 23. Lexington 36. Roanoke Shenandoah 25, 26 Rappahannock Prince 2 7. Charlottesville 24. Lynchburg 37. Salem Page William 8. Chesapeake 25. Manassas 38. South Boston Madison Culpeper Rockingham21 Stafford 9. Chincoteague 26. Manassas Park 39. Staunton King Highland Greene George Augusta Orange 18 10. Clifton Forge 27. Martinsville 40. Suffolk 39 Spotsylvania Westmoreland 11. Colonial Heights 28. Newport News 41. Tazewell Bath 43 7 Louisa Caroline Richmond West Albemarle Essex East 9 12. Covington 29. Norfolk King and Queen Northumberland 12 Rockbridge Central King William 10 Nelson Lancaster 13. Danville 30. Norton Alleghany 23 FluvannaGoochland Hanover 5 Middlesex 14. Emporia Accomack Amherst Buckingham Henrico Botetourt Powhatan New 15. Fairfax Gloucester Craig Appomattox 35 Kent Mathews Bedford Chesterfield Charles James 16. Falls Church Cumberland Giles Roanoke 24 Amelia 22 City City 44 Buchanan 3 Prince York 6 17. Franklin Montgomery37 36 Campbell Edward 11 41 Bland Nottoway Prince Dickenson 31 32 Northampton Tazewell 34 George Surry 28 Pulaski Charlotte Dinwiddie Wise Franklin 20 Russell Lunenburg Southeast 29Coastal 30 Wythe Floyd Sussex Isle of 33 Southwest Smyth South Central Wight Carroll Pittsylvania Halifax 14 42 Lee Scott 1 Mecklenburg Washington Grayson 27 38 Southampton17 40 8 4 19 Patrick Henry 13 BrunswickGreensville Virginia Birds VSO Officers VSO Board of Directors Editors President Terms expire 2017 Bill Williams Jeff Trollinger, Henrico Bruce Johnson, Lovettsville [email protected] Past President Michael Lott, Fredricksburg Louise Menges Joe Coleman, Round Hill Laura Neale, Fairfield Vice President [email protected] Terms expire 2018 Regional Editors Lenny Bankester, Alexandria Patti Reum, Bluegrass Matt Anthony Secretary Russell Taylor, Vienna Fred Atwood Christine Stinson, Ferrum Dave Youker, Yorktown Terms expire 2019 Nick Flanders Treasurer Mary Ann Good Terri Cuthriell, Smithfield Lesley Bulluck, Bon Air Clyde Kessler Raven Editor Dan Bieker, North Garden Michael Lott Andrew Dolby, Fredericksburg Bill Williams, Williamsburg Janet Paisley Newsletter Editor Andrew Rapp C. Michael Stinson Len Alfredson, Arlington Bill Williams Membership Secretary Shirley Devan, Williamsburg Submissions Send reports and photographs to the Regional Editors. Photographs should be the highest electronic quality possible. Send with release form, which can be found on the VSO web site: www.virginiabirds.net. Articles for consideration can be sent to [email protected]. Season Reports due to Regional Editors Fall (Aug–Nov) 15 Dec Winter (Dec–Feb) 15 Mar Spring (Mar–May) 15 Jun Summer ( Jun–Jul) 15 Aug Terms and Abbreviations Species name in bold first time mentioned (VARCOM Review Birds BOLD CAPS); county names are in italics. Abbreviations ad. (ads.) adult(s) BBS Breeding Bird Survey CBC Christmas Bird Count Cr. Creek et al. and others f. female fide vouched by FOS First of Season Ft. Fort Gold Book Virginia’s Birdlife, An Annotated Checklist. Virginia Avifauna No. 7, Fourth Edition, 2007. Hwy. Highway Is. Island(s), Isle(s) imm. (imms.) immature(s) junc. junction juv. (juvs.) juvenile(s) L. Lake Ln. Lane MAPS Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship m. male m. obs. many/multiple observers Mt. Mountain, Mount NAP Natural Area Preserve NP National Park NWR National Wildlife Refuge ph. photographed by (initials) Pk. Park Pt. Point R. River Rd. Road Res. Reservoir RP Regional Park Rte. Route SF State Forest SP State Park VARCOM Virginia Avian Records Committee VDGIF Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries v. r. voice recording VSO Virginia Society of Ornithology WMA Wildlife Management Area * specimen collected On the cover: Virginia’s first Prairie Falcon photographed by Walt Barrows in Alexandria 26 Mar 2017 Virginia Birds is printed on recycled paper by PIP, Lynchburg. Published August 2017 Regional Reports North Editors: Michael Lott Mary Ann Good 1729 Jefferson Davis Hwy. 18280 Lincoln Rd. P.O. Box 339 Purcellville, VA 20132 Stafford, VA 22554 [email protected] [email protected] Arlington, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Madison, Prince William, Rappahannock, and Stafford counties; the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park Temperatures got off to an average start this spring before occasionally linger into May and early June. A Greater a dramatic warm-up in April, with temperatures at both Scaup, a rare transient in the Piedmont, was seen at Belvoir Dulles Int. and Reagan Nat. Airports averaging 6° above Pond, Fauquier 6 & 30 Mar (GS, KK), and 2 were at L. normal for the month. May saw temperatures return to Brittle, Fauquier 2 Apr (GS). A Lesser Scaup seen at Dyke near normal. Rainfall was slightly below normal through Marsh 21 May (GHa) was a month past its Coastal Plain March and April; however, precipitation in May was above late date of 20 Apr, where the species is a rare summer visitor. average across the Region. The highlights this season were A Surf Scoter was observed at Aquia Landing Pk., Stafford a Prairie Falcon that spent 3 weeks at the Alexandria 7 May (SK). This species is uncommon to rare this far up the Power Plant, the Northern Shrike that continued for over Potomac, and even near the coast its late date is 15 Apr. A 6 months at Sully Woodlands, Fairfax, and a European Ruddy Duck was observed well past its Piedmont late date Goldfinch (a possible escape). of 30 Apr at the National Parks Association lake, Loudoun 29 May (BHi); the Gold Book does mention several Abbreviations: C.M. Crockett Pk. (C.M. Crockett Pk., records into late May. The few remaining encounters with Fauquier); Dyke Marsh (Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Northern Bobwhite, formerly a permanent resident in the Fairfax); Huntley Meadows (Huntley Meadows Pk., Fairfax); Region, included just one report: on residential property in L. Fairfax (L. Fairfax, Fairfax); Leesylvania (Leesylvania SP, nw Culpeper 23 Apr (CH). An early Yellow-billed Cuckoo Prince William); Monticello Pk. (Monticello Pk., Alexandria); was reported in Sully Woodlands, Fairfax 16 Apr (ES), well Occoquan Bay (Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William) before the 30 Apr extreme early date for the Piedmont. A Chuck-will’s-widow, a rare transient in the n. Piedmont, WATERFOWL–HERONS was heard at a residence in Sumerduck, Fauquier 12 Apr A Gadwall was observed at Stonegate Scenic Easement, and unspecified day(s) before (KK). An Eastern Whip- Alexandria 18 May (APr), where it lingered through 31 poor-will, declining throughout the Region, was heard May, well past the inland 20 Apr late date; the species is a at Huntley Meadows 11 Apr (KO). The pair of Sandhill rare summer visitor in the Region. A m. Eurasian Wigeon Cranes that spent most of the winter quarter at Algonkian was observed at Clifton Farm, Fauquier 7 Mar (ph. BHa, Nature Preserve, Loudoun, with the latest winter report PS, GW). Arriving early was a pair of Blue-winged Teal noted as 20 Feb, was spotted again 4 Mar (Voice). Pairs were at Dyke Marsh 2 Mar (PWB) (Coastal Plain early date is also reported from Arkendale, Fairfax 18 Mar (AB) and 15 Mar). A Northern Shoveler made a surprise appearance Aquia Landing Pk., Stafford 7 May (SK). A Black-bellied at Dyke Marsh 21 May (GHa), well past the Coastal Plain Plover, a fairly rare transient inland in the Coastal Plain, was 30 Apr late date; the species is a rare summer visitor even seen at Dyke Marsh 15 May (EE). Reports of Whimbrels, on the coast. A pair of Ring-necked Ducks was observed rare w. of the Chesapeake Bay, included a single at Belle at L. Thoreau, Fairfax 16 May (GGe), possibly lingering Haven Pk., Fairfax 22 May (RR) and one at Woodward through 24 May, well outside the Piedmont late date of 15 Turf Farm, Fauquier 26 May (GS), with 10 seen there later Apr, although according to the Gold Book, small numbers in the day (TD). An early Spotted Sandpiper was seen at 4 Virginia Birds Volume 13 • Number 4 L. Fairfax 3–5 Apr ( JM), with 2 seen 4 Apr; the Piedmont May (BC). Single Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, also rare early date is 15 Apr. A rare sighting this far inland was a in the Region, were reported at Ball’s Bluff Battlefield RP, Willet observed at Huntley Meadows 24 Apr (HG). An Loudoun 14 May (KG, DL); Thompson WMA, Fauquier early Lesser Yellowlegs was reported at L. Fairfax 10 Mar 18 May (BHe); a private residence on Yellow Schoolhouse (QE); the Piedmont early date is 10 Apr. A Laughing Gull, Rd., Loudoun 21 May ( JC); and Monticello Pk. 29–30 May a fairly rare transient in the Piedmont, was seen on Pierpoint (KG). Single Alder Flycatchers, rare spring transients in the Ln., Fauquier 26 Mar (LM). Three Forster’s Terns reported Region, were found at Laurel Hill Pk., Fairfax 14 & 23 May at Pohick Bay RP, Fairfax 15 Mar (FA) were considerably (EM); Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, earlier than their Coastal Plain 5 Apr extreme early date, Loudoun 16 May ( JD); Leesylvania 17 May (RV); Occoquan while 7 made a fairly rare Piedmont appearance (appearing Bay 20–21 May (GB, LF); and Huntley Meadows 21 May mainly at larger lakes) at C.M. Crockett Pk. 5 May (KK). (KG). Reports of Least Flycatchers, rare transients in the A late Common Loon was seen at the Airlie Conference Piedmont, included an early arrival at Eakin Community Center, Fauquier 24 May (PS, GW) (the Piedmont late Pk., Fairfax 14 Apr (LW) (the Piedmont early date is 25 date is 15 May).