Marsh Wren
Photo by Laura McGranahan
Thirteen people came out for an all-day field trip this past Sunday in Clarke County and close-by Lake Frederick meeting at Snicker’s Gap a little before 9 a.m. and returning there at about 4:40 p.m. While the Gap was thoroughly socked in with heavy fog, the Shenandoah Valley was bright and sunny especially when the sun came out fully around 10:30 a.m. When we returned to Snickers Gap late in the afternoon it was still thoroughly socked in and much cooler than what we’d experienced all day in the Valley.
Highlights of the 54 species of birds seen included a well-seen and heard continuing Marsh Wren at Blandy Farm in the pond on the east side of the road near Rattlesnake Spring as well as a Surf Scoter on Lake Frederick.
Other birds we were pleased to see included a Long-tailed Duck, six of the seven woodpeckers (only missing a Hairy), two Eastern Phoebes, a Long-tailed Duck at Lake Frederick, 4 Bald Eagles, 8 Red-tailed Hawks, 4 American Kestrels, 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches (all at Blandy), and a Swamp Sparrow at Cool Spring.
We also enjoyed seeing two Fox Squirrels.
Joe Coleman & Laura McGranaghan assisted by Liam McGranaghan