April 2024 – Northern Virginia Bird Club

SISKIN
The
Newsletter of the Northern Virginia Bird Club
Vol. 69, No. 2
April 2024
NVBC GENERAL MEETING—THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 8 PM
Inside
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www.nvabc.org
Calendar of NVBC field trips April
10 – June 15, 2024
Birds in Spring (photographs)
2024 Winter Chincoteague trip
report
Birding in Northern California the California Condor
Virginia Birding Big Day
The first-ever Virginia Birding
Big Day will be held on May 4,
The event is a traditional big day
competition that will be raising money
f o r t h e Vi r g i n i a S o c i e t y o f
Ornithology’s Virginia Breeding Bird
Atlas 2 (VABBA2) Fund, which
finances the ongoing efforts to
synthesize, interpret, and publish data
collected during the fieldwork portion
of VABBA2. Big Day participants will
form teams and compete in their
category to see the most bird species
and raise the most money. Money will
be raised via donor pledges. The
Virginia Big Day Committee, a group
of birders from around the
Commonwealth, would be grateful if
you would consider participating and
especially if you would spread the
word about the event!
There are three types of teams:
Standard (3-10 people age 19 or older),
Youth (3-10 people age 18 or younger),
and Club (No upper limit, all members
must be members of a club). Teams will
compete in their category as well as
regional categories (Mountains and
Valleys, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, or
Statewide).
For more information, go to https://
vabirdingbigday.org.
—Patrick Lewis
Bald Eagles in the Mason Neck Area
Speaker: Randy Streufert
Eagles nest in Mason Neck State Park and the adjacent Elizabeth
BaldHartwell
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge — the first wildlife
refuge in the United States that was created specifically to protect Bald
Eagle nesting areas. Come and learn more about these iconic birds from
Randy Streufert and enjoy his stunning photographs. He will also share
with us some of his exceptional photographs of other birds and wildlife
from his vast experiences in the Mason Neck area.
Randy Streufert is a founding member of the Friends of Mason Neck
State Park and is currently serving as Treasurer.
He is a nature
photographer and volunteers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s
Potomac River Refuge complex. He joined the Friends Board in 2012 after
retiring after 40 years of
service in the federal
government. He’s been
photographing the wildlife
on Mason Neck since 1979
when he and his wife
moved there. His photographs have appeared on
the cover of Virginia
Wildlife magazine, and he
was the grand prize winner
in the 2019 National
Wi l d l i f e F e d e r a t i o n
Gardening for Wildlife
photography contest.
Several of his photographs
are on display at the park’s
visitor center.
General Meeting Notes: Early bird refreshments start at 7:30 pm. Any
contributions of food or beverage will be most gratefully received. There
will be a drawing for door prizes. Northern Virginia Bird Club pins will be
available for members who would like to buy them ($5 each)
MEETING PLACE: St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane,
Arlington, 22207. Directions are on page 5.
records, it can be interesting to see if your first of year
observations for various birds are happening at around the
same time as previous years.
e all love spring because it is when the natural
It’s not just birds that augur the return of spring. When
world emerges from winter and comes back to life.
I see my first butterflies each year, I know we are almost
As birders, we notice this transition through the lens of
done with the cold weather. Butterflies which winter as
our bird observations. Northern Cardinals and American
adults, including Eastern Commas, Question Marks, and
Robins are with us all winter, but when they start singing,
Mourning Cloaks, are often some of the first ones I see.
we know that spring may still be a way off, but it is
By early April, there are many more
coming. In early February, I always
species of butterflies around,
see a large group of Common
including the Falcate Orangetip
Grackles show up in the same tree
which can only be seen in the
as in previous years. Often these
spring. Common Green Darners are
are the first ones of the year for me.
dragonflies that migrate from the
A few weeks later, Tree Swallows
south into our region. Since they
and Ospreys show up. More birds
don’t need to emerge in their adult
such as Red-winged Blackbirds
form from local wetlands, they are
start singing and competing for
usually the first dragonflies that I
territories. If the weather has been
see each year. For plant lovers,
warmer than usual during the late
spring ephemerals return. I
winter, birds that winter not far
especially like the Virginia
south of us such as Brown
Bluebells which profusely spread
Thrashers, will show up early and
across wet wooded areas at places
start singing from the treetops.
like Riverbend and Bull Run
Birds that winter in the tropics, Falcate Orangetip photographed by Larry Meade
Regional Park. At Merrimac Farm
however, have no idea what the
in Prince William County, they have
weather is here and will show up
a Bluebell festival to celebrate them. Whatever you enjoy
on about the same dates every year. As we move through
about spring the most, I hope you get outside to
spring, more species arrive as they migrate into our
experience it.
region. The grand finale happens in May when avian
—Larry Meade
abundance reaches its peak. If you keep year to year
W
Presidential Peentings
Spring has sprung….Happy Birding to all…
Seth Honig photographed (above) the Black-throated
Green Warbler in his yard on May 2, 2022, (below)
Common Merganser with chick getting a ride at Great
Falls on May 7, 2023, and (right) Barred Owlet at Great
Falls on May 26, 2019
2
Larry Meade photographed the Louisiana Waterthrush at
Riverbend Park
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Chincoteague Winter Trip
Mother Nature was moody during the Northern
Virginia Bird club winter visit to Chincoteague National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) planned for February 9 to 11. The
group managed to find collectively 71 species, despite
having to stop earlier than planned on Saturday and
abandon their highly anticipated Sunday morning visits to
Kiptopeke State Park and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and
Tunnel.
The weather was sunny and comfortable on Friday
afternoon as the group visited the Wildlife Loop on the
refuge, where we spotted several species of waterfowl
including a Mute Swan (unusual for Chincoteague NWR)
amongst the Tundra Swans, and a very distant Merlin
perched on a snag. Snow Geese flocks are always a hoped for treat on the winter trip, and we were not disappointed
at the beach where we saw a large flock in flight and
spotted several “Blue morph” examples among the flock
roosted on the dunes.
As night gathered, we waited at the pony corral for an
American Woodcock watch, eventually hearing “peenting”
from at least three individuals. Lucky birders facing in the
direction of the fading light with excellent vision were able
to see several low flybys, and a single display flight.
As we gathered on Saturday morning in the hotel
parking lot, we saw Brown-headed Nuthatches in the pines
above. It was a very high tide, and we walked the nearby
boardwalk where we were delighted to spot a Clapper Rail
swimming across the estuary. While returning, we flushed
up several Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sparrows for fleeting
views.
Returning to the refuge, we re-found the large flocks
of Snow Geese. A long walk down the beach paid off with
an excellent study of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
The best shore-birding of the weekend was along the tidal
edge of Tom’s Cove, where we managed to find a Blackbellied Plover, several Ruddy Turnstones, American
Oystercatchers and Willets.
Saturday afternoon, we visited Donald J. Leonard
Park, where we found a large flock of White Ibis
(primarily juveniles) feeding in the vegetation on the
shoreline. A visit to Queens Sound Boat Ramp resulted in
our finding several Common Goldeneyes and our first and
only flock of Boat-tailed Grackles.
The group continued to Mariner’s Point, and that’s
when Mother Nature lost her patience. Rain started, and
the group retreated to the hotel. After consulting the latest
forecasts, which were calling for heavy rains and wind on
Sunday morning, the group, with disappointment,
cancelled Sunday’s activities. However, they rallied their
spirits enough to enjoy dinner at Bill’s Seafood and Steak
Restaurant Saturday evening.
—Elton Morel
Photographs from top:
Lesser Black-backed Gull by Kevin Roback
White Ibis by Kevin Roback
Boat-tailed Grackle with “beady yellow eyes” by Charles Rowan.
The Siskin . Vol. 69 No. 2 . April 2024
3
Upcoming Trips and Events
Compiled by Elton Morel
Note:
Beginning birders are welcome on all trips.
When reservations are required, please call one of the trip leaders. Phone numbers are below.
If in doubt about a trip because of weather, please call one of the leaders.
Check the NVBC website for updated information about trips: http://www.nvabc.org/updated- eld-trips/.
•To receive email notices, join the NVBC eMail Exchange. For sign-up directions see back page of The Siskin.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
April
Thursday
Friday
10
Saturday
13
8:30 AM
Meadowood
Recreation Area
7:30 AM
Occoquan Bay NWR
Phil Silas
Dixie Sommers
Bob Butterworth
Trip Leaders
Bob Butterworth
Larry Cartwright
Toby Hardwick
Bert Harris
Ed LeGrand
Joan Mashburn
Larry Meade
Mer Mietzelfeld
Elton Morel
Tom Nardone
Phil Silas
Dixie Sommers
Ed Wallace
Wednesday
703-343-0933
703-941-3142
703-201-1517
615-440-0666
908-268-6627
703-209-8678
571-275-2523
607-643-8307
703-907-9951
703-946-7738
703-987-0817
703-969-7931
504-343-1433
17
8:30AM
Dyke Marsh
Bob Butterworth
18
20
7:30 AM
Leopold’s Preserve
NVBC
Meeting
8 PM
Toby Hardwick
Ed LeGrand
24
27
8:30 AM
Fort C. F. Smith
7:30 AM
Clifton Institute
Tom Nardone
Joan Mashburn
Bert Harris
Elton Morel
May 1
4
8:30 AM
Long Branch
7:30 AM
Leesylvania SP
Bob Butterworth
Larry Cartwright
Bob Butterworth
Mer Mietzelfeld
8
11
8:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
Hike/Bike Trail
7:30 AM
Trillium Trail
Elton Morel
Phil Silas
Larry Cartwright
Dixie Sommers
15
8:30 AM
Fort CF Smith
Joan Mashburn
Tom Nardone
May 17-19
Chincoteague Spring Weekend
Members only/reservations
required
Sign up began March 13 @6 am
Elton Morel
18
7:30 AM
Occoquan Bay NWR
Larry Meade
Tom Nardone
22
25
8:30 AM
Neabsco RP Boardwalk
7:30 AM
Conway-Robinson SF
29
June 1
Toby Hardwick
Bob Butterworth
Phil Silas
Bob Butterworth
8:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
Park
7:30 AM
Silver Lake RP
Toby Hardwick
Mer Mietzelfeld
Tom Nardone
Bob Butterworth
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
fi
4
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
June
Wednesday
Thursday
5
8:30 AM
Long Branch
Joan Mashburn
Dixie Sommers
Friday
Saturday
8
9 AM
Limberlost Trail,
Shenandoah NP X-trip
Elton Morel
Email Elton Morel for
details
(eltonlmorel@verizon.net)
15
8 AM
Clarks Crossing Park Bluebird Trail
Larry Meade
Bob Butterworth
DIRECTIONS
NVBC Meeting (4/18) St. Andrews
Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Ln,
Arlington 22207, at the intersection of
Lorcom Ln and Military Rd. From the
intersection of Spout Run Pkwy and
Lorcom Ln, go about a half mile on
Lorcom to the second traffic light.
Turn left onto Military and enter the
first driveway on the right. There is
some parking near the Church’s back
entrance and a bigger lot up the
driveway. There is on-street parking.
Enter at the back door facing Military
Rd which leads to the Undercroft
where the meeting is held.
——Clarks Crossing Park – Bluebird
Trail (6/15) 9850 Clarks Crossing Rd,
Vienna 22182 From I-495, exit onto
Chain Bridge Rd (Rt 123) toward
Vienna. Continue on Maple Avenue
(still Rt 123) in Vienna, turn onto
Beulah Rd. Continue for about 1 mile
until left turn onto Clarks Crossing
Road. Continue to the end of Clarks
Crossing and park at the parking lot
overlooking the W&OD Trail.
Clifton Institute (4/27) 6712
Blantyre Rd, Warrenton 20187 Take
1-66 West to exit 40, to merge onto
US-15 south towards Haymarket (0.4
mi), then turn right onto VA-55 West.
Drive 5 mi. and turn left onto
Blantyre Rd. Proceed 5.6 mi. and then
turn right on to a dirt road. Drive
northwest for about 0.3 mi. to the first
lake and park in the parking lot on the
left. Meet your leader at this parking
lot. Please do not drive up to the
house and park there.
Conway-Robinson State Forest
(5/25) 12816 Lee Hwy, Gainesville
20155 From I-495, take I-66 west
27.6 mi. to exit 43B, US-29 North in
The Siskin . Vol. 69, No. 2 . April 2024
Gainesville. Continue on US-29 for .4
mi, turn left into access road to
parking area. There is a small parking
area adjacent Route 29-S which can
accommodate approximately 10 cars.
Additional parking is permitted along
the entrance/exit road unless it
restricts through traffic.
Dyke Marsh (4/17) 6401 George
Wa s h i n g t o n M e m o r i a l P k w y,
Alexandria 22307 (Belle Haven Park
and Marina). From Alexandria, take
George Washington Pkwy south.
Cross I-495, continue 1.2 mi. to Belle
Haven Park entrance on the left. Meet
at south parking lot.
Fort C. F. Smith (4/24, 5/15) 2411
24th St N, Arlington 22207 From I-66
east, take exit 72 (Spout Run Pkwy).
At traffic light, turn right on Lee Hwy.
At successive traffic lights, turn left
onto Spout Run Pkwy, then left onto
Lorcom Ln, then right onto Fillmore
St. Go one block on Fillmore, turn
right onto N. 24th St (watch for speed
bumps), and continue to park on left.
Meet in parking lot at east end of
park.
Huntley Meadows Hike & Bike
Trail (5/8) From I-495, take Rt 1
south 0.5 mi to Rt 633 (S. King Hwy).
Turn right (west), go 2.5 mi. to park
entrance and lot on left (just before
Telegraph Rd).
Huntley Meadows Park (5/29) 3701
Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria 22306
From I-495, take Rt 1 south 3 mi. to
Lockheed Blvd. Turn right on
Lockheed and go 0.5 mi. to Harrison
Ln to park entrance on left. Meet in
parking lot.
Leesylvania State Park (5/4) 2001
Daniel K Ludwig Dr, Woodbridge
22191 From I-495, take I-95 south
about 14 mi. to exit 156 (Dale City/
Rippon Landing/Rt 784). Following
the posted highway signs for
Leesylvania State Park, exit east on Rt
Proceed eastward 1.1 mi. to Rt 1.
Turn right (south) on Rt 1 and go 0.9
mi. to Neabsco Rd. Immediately past
the Wawa service station, turn left
(east) on Neabsco Rd and proceed 2
mi. to park entrance on right. After
passing through the park entrance
gate, go 2.2 mi. to end of paved road
and park in “Picnic Area” parking lot,
immediately before turn-around circle
at fishing pier. State fee area.
Leopold’s Preserve (4/20) 16283
Thoroughfare Rd, Haymarket 20169
From I-66 west, take exit 40 to Rt 15
toward Haymarket/Leesburg. Turn
left onto Rt 15 south. Turn right onto
Rt 55 and go 1.7 mi. to Thoroughfare
Rd. Turn left onto Thoroughfare and
go 0.3 mi. There are parking lots on
both sides of the road. Meet in the
right hand (west) parking lot. The left
hand (east) parking lot can be used for
overflow parking.
Long Branch Nature Area (5/1, 6/5)
625 S Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington
22204 Take Rt 50, east from Fairfax
or west from Rosslyn to Carlin
Springs exit. Go south on Carlin
Springs 0.5 mi. to Nature Center on
left, just south of N. Va Community
Hospital on left.
Meet at Nature
Center parking lot.
Meadowood Recreation Area (4/10)
10406 Gunston Rd, Lorton 22079
From I-495, take I-95 south 7 mi. to
Lorton exit. Left on Rt 642 .
Immediately after passing under
railroad tracks (0.25 mi.) turn right
on Lorton Market Rd, which soon
(continued p. 7)
5
Birding in Northern California:
the California Condor
Turkey Vulture and California Condor
photographed by Peter Penzcer
This past summer we spent four weeks in Northern
California, hoping to beat the heat and hike the redwoods.
The weather never varied: mornings were foggy and
afternoons were 75F and sunny. We did manage to see the
famous trees but got sidetracked by the excellent birding.
The highlight was seeing a California Condor, the largest
bird in North America and the rarest.
Soon after we arrived, we hired Rob Fowler, a bird
guide who lives in Arcata and specializes in Humboldt and
Del Norte counties in the northwest corner of California.
(Yes, Fowler is his real last name.) Together the two
counties comprise 2,000 mountainous square miles but
have only 165,000 people. The largest metropolitan area is
Eureka–Arcata with 65,000 people. The two cities are on
opposite sides of Humboldt Bay, a “Globally Important
Bird Area,” as Rob described it, due to the vast number of
birds that winter there.
We met at 6:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning at the
Arcata Marsh, which he described as the most popular
birding site in northwest California with 322 reported
species. The summer is the off-season for birding there,
but we still saw 50 species. Some of the memorable birds
were the Virginia Rail, California Quail, Western
Flycatcher, Wrentit, Black Phoebe, and the Long-billed
Curlew. They may not be the rarest or sought-after birds
for California birders, but for us East Coasters they were
all special. Peter’s brother, who is not a birder (but may be
now) was amazed at what Rob was able to show us in a
place that he has been visiting for 30 years. After about 3
hours in the marsh, we drove up to Blue Lake for some
more birding. Whereas the coast is perpetually cool,
Humboldt County heats up dramatically as you head
inland and Blue Lake is warmer even though it is only a
few miles from the ocean. There is no lake at Blue Lake,
although we did walk a bit of the Russian River and saw
numerous birds including Black-throated Gray Warblers
and a White-tailed Kite.
Rob was not only exceptionally knowledgeable about
birds, but he has a warm and engaging personality.
Incidentally, he uses the same camera lens as Peter, a
Canon 400mm/F5.6 and, if you look at his website, for
Fowlerope Birding Tours, you can see that he gets good
results.
Besides giving us an excellent birding tour, Rob told
us that the best place to see a California Condor was at
Dolason Prairie, confirming some eBird alerts we had
seen. The prairie is a large open field on the high ground of
Redwood National Park, about one hour north of Arcata,
where we were staying with Peter’s brother and his
girlfriend. The birds were expected to appear in the early
afternoon so we headed up there with a picnic lunch. After
getting up at 5 a.m. more than once in search of birds, the
condor was already Peter’s favorite.
We had lunch at the prairie picnic area and posted a
lookout, but no condors. Another birder stopped by and
told us that it was her fourth trip to the prairie, but she had
6
yet to see a condor. We tried to stay positive and, after
lunch, drove off to another, higher, prairie, then came back.
Just as we were about to give up, we looked up in the sky
and a single condor soared overhead and circled the prairie
for about ten minutes. It was unmistakable due to its huge
wingspan of 9.5 feet, nearly twice the size of a Turkey
Vulture, white patches under the wings, and prominent
“fingers.” Remarkably, the weight of an adult condor is
only 20 pounds, the size of a large cat.
We got some good photographs showing the tags on its
wings marked “A2.” It’s not often that you can learn a wild
bird’s name, in this case “Nes-kwe-chokw,” let alone its
birthday (or is it hatchday?), which was March 8, 2020.
This particular condor was a male and hatched at the
Oregon Zoo, according to information available online. He
was a youngster, since condors reach maturity only after 6
to 8 years and can live to be more than 50. Of course, they
eat carrion, and a condor is always top dog at a carcass
unless a Golden Eagle shows up with its superior talons.
Some 40,000 years ago, condors were found all over
North America, and Lewis and Clark saw them in the
Pacific Northwest. By the 1980s, their numbers had fallen
to only 22 due to DDT, lead poisoning, and their extremely
slow reproduction—only one egg per year. All of the wild
birds were captured and bred in zoos, then introduced into
the wild in Southern California, Baja, Utah, and Arizona.
At the impetus of the Yurok, a local Indian tribe, the birds
were reintroduced into Northern California. A2 is known
as Nes-kwe-chokw in Yurok, meaning “He returns.”
It was an exciting sighting given its huge size and
rarity. There were only 561 California Condors in the
world in 2022 according to the Fish and Wildlife Service,
with 347 in the wild, so it is indeed one of the world’s
rarest birds. Although the captive breeding program was a
huge success, it is still “critically endangered.”
Although the condor was definitely the largest bird we
saw in California, there were many others as well, and at
least one miss. We hoped to see a Marbled Murrelet and
Rob gave us some ideas for where to find one. Two days
later, we got up at 5:15 a.m. and drove up to Prairie
Redwoods State Park where the endangered shorebird
nests in the tops of the old-growth trees. Early in the
morning, the male and female birds meet in the meadow
by the visitor center to trade off on nest-watching duties.
We heard them, but did not see them due to the dense fog.
The following Sunday we met Ken Burton and a dozen
other birders for a free guided bird walk at Redwoods
National Park. Ken is Humboldt County’s other main bird
expert. The scenery was beautiful as we walked out to the
mouth of Redwoods Creek. Gazing out from the beach at
the edge of the Pacific Ocean we got a good look at
Caspian Terns, Common Murres, Heermann’s Gulls, and
Pacific Loons. We ended the trip with 21 life birds.
—Anne Marie Kupferer and Peter R. Penczer
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Trip Directions (from p. 5)
Meadowood Recreation Area (4/10).
becomes Gunston Cove Rd. After
crossing Rt 1, road becomes Gunston
Rd. Go 1.8 miles to Meadowood on
right. (BLM, Lower Potomac Station
Office). Park on right next to horse
barns just before field station
building.
Neabsco Regional Park Boardwalk (5/22) 15125 Blackburn
Rd, Woodbridge 22191 From I-495,
take I-95 south about 14 mi. to exit
156 (Dale City/Rippon Landing/Rt.
784). Take exit 156A for Rt 784 east
toward Rippon Landing.
Continue
0.7 mi. cross Rt 1 where Dale Blvd
becomes Rippon Blvd and continue
down the hill another 0.4 mi. to a stop
light and turn right on Blackburn Rd.
The park parking lot is then 0.2 mi.
away on the left.
Occoquan Bay National Wildlife
Refuge (4/13, 5/18) 13950 Dawson
Beach Rd, Woodbridge 22192 From
I-495, take I-95 south 9 mi. to (left)
exit 161 (Woodbridge). Go south on
Rt 1 about 2 mi. to left turn onto
Dawson Beach Rd. Continue on
Dawson Beach 0.7 mi. to entrance
gate. Meet at the parking lot.
Silver Lake Park (6/1) 16198 Silver
Lake Rd, Haymarket 20169 From
I-495, take I-66 west 24 mi. to exit 40
(Rt 15). Turn south onto Rt 15
(toward Haymarket) and go 0.3 miles
to Rt 55. Turn right onto Rt 55 and go
0.9 miles to Antioch Rd. Turn right
onto Antioch and go 1.3 miles to
Silver Lake Rd. Turn right and
proceed to park entrance and continue
to parking lot next to the lake. Meet
in parking lot.
Wrentit photographed by Peter Penczer
The Siskin . Vol. 69, No. 2 . April 2024
Tr i l l i u m Tr a i l – G . R i c h a r d
Thompson Wildlife Management
Area (5/11) (Fauquier Co) From
I-495, take I-66 west 51 mi. to Linden
exit (Rt 79). Go left (south) from exit
ramp on Rt 79 approx. 1000 ft. to Rt
Turn left (east) onto Rt 55; go 1.2
mi. to Rt 638 (Freezeland Rd). Turn
left (north) onto Rt 638. Follow Rt
638, as it bears right, 5.3 mi. to
Trillium Trail Parking Area on right
—look for sign on kiosk. (Parking
Area is just before radio towers.)
Note: participant must have an access
permit issued by VA Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries,
www.dgif.virginia.gov,
1-866-721-6911.
Song Sparrow photographed by Seth Honig
Bird Walks at Local Parks
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, second Saturdays, 8 am Meet at the
parking lot. Online registration. Visit the Loudoun Wildlife web site.
www.loudounwildlife.org/events/
Bles Park, third Sundays, 8 am Meet at the parking lot. Online
registration. www.loudounwildlife.org/events/
Dyke Marsh, Sundays, 8 am Visit the Friends of Dyke Marsh web site,
www.fodm.org
Great Falls National Park, Sundays, 8 am Meet in the main parking lot
near the Park Visitor Center.
Huntley Meadows Park, Mondays, 7 am (Apr-Sep) 8 am (Oct-Mar)
Meet in parking lot.
Merrimac Farm, last Sunday, 8 am Meet at Merrimac Farm Stone House.
www.pwconserve.org/events/index.html#birds
Riverbend Park, first and third Fridays, 8 am, beginning April 5 to
October 18. Meet in the Nature Center parking lot off Jeffery Road. No fee
but call Riverbend Park at 703-759-9018 to register. Leader: Robin Duska
Sweet Run State Park, fourth Saturdays, 8 am Meet at Education Center.
Online registration. www.loudounwildlife.org/events/
California Condor with “A2” tags photographed by Peter Penczer
7
NORTHERN VIRGINIA BIRD CLUB
P.O. BOX 5812
ARLINGTON, VA 22205-0812
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Dulles, VA
Permit No. 400
DATED
MATERIAL
JOIN THE NORTHERN
VIRGINIA BIRD CLUB
Northern Virginia Bird Club dues for
2024 are $10 for Individual and $15
for Family Membership. Members
receive our quarterly newsletter, The
Siskin. Checks for dues should be sent
to Northern Virginia Bird Club, Attn:
M e m b e r s h i p , P. O . B o x 5 8 1 2 ,
Arlington, VA 22205-0812. Or join or
renew online at the club’s web site,
http://www.nvabc.org/join/.
If you miss an issue of The Siskin or
need to report an address or ZIP Code
change, please send an email message
to lgmeade@gmail.com or email
Elizabeth Fenton
at
emfenton@cox.net.
Please note: NVBC does not
exchange, give away, or sell its
membership lists.
NVBC ON THE WEB
Current information and special
notices about NVBC meetings, field
trips, and other activities, along with a
printable membership form, are
posted on the club’s website,
www.nvabc.org.
If you have information or pictures
you would like to see on the website,
please email the webmaster, Jeremy
Beck at jghyll+nvabc@gmail.com.
NVBC eMail Exchange
By participating in the club’s email
exchange, you can get email notices
of late updates to The Siskin and the
field trip schedule. To join the
exchange, send
an
email
to
lgmeade@gmail.com. Put
“EXCHANGE” in the subject field
and your full name in the message
area. You will receive a response from
nvbc-exchange@googlegroups.com.
The list is for NVBC members’ use
only.
General Meeting Dates: April 18,
September 19, and November 21,
2024.
Next Board Meeting: Thursday, May
30, 2024, 7:30 p.m. To join the Zoom
board meeting or to have items put on
the agenda, please email
lgmeade@gmail.com.
Deadline for next issue of The
Siskin: The August issue will include
activities through October 2024.
Please send items for publication by
July 1, 2024 to the editors at
nvbcsiskineditor@gmail.com.
CLUB CONTACTS
President: Larry Meade,
571-275-2523
Vice President, Programs: Phil Silas,
703-987-0817
Vice President, Field Activities:
Elton Morel, 703-907-9951
Secretary: Diane Marton,
703-527-7360
Treasurer: Jean Tatalias,
703-281-6099
Directors: Jeremy Beck,
703-517-1816,
Joan Mashburn, 703-209-8678
Directors Emeritus: Charlotte
Friend, Joanna Taylor, and Don
Wiesnet
Membership: Elizabeth Fenton,
emfenton@cox.net
Webmaster, www.nvabc.org: Jeremy
Beck, jghyll+nvabc@gmail.com
Editors, The Siskin: Pat and Neal
Gause, 703-476-3903
Administrator, NVBC Facebook
Group: Allie Guidry (please contact
through Facebook page)
NVBC email: lgmeade@gmail.com
Photographs of Birds in Spring
by Seth Honig
Birds singing:
Northern Parula photographed along the Accotink Trail, in the
Mantua Park section on April 15, 2020
Prothonotary Warbler at Huntley Meadows on April 17, 2023
Common Yellowthroat, singing away at Huntley Meadows on
April 17, 2015
Mourning Warbler perched up and singing at Paddy Knob on
May 17, 2023.
Birds with nesting material or food:
Eastern Phoebe gathering nesting material on April 8, 2022 at
Veteran’s Memorial Park in Woodbridge
The Siskin . Vol. 69, No. 2 . April 2024
Killdeer chick, having caught a worm on April 28th at the
Mooreview Parkway Impoundments in Loudoun.
Addendum website only 1
Photographs of Birds in Spring in Ohio
by Neal Gause
Marsh Wren photographed along Maumee Bay State Park
boardwalk, May 10, 2023
White-crowned Sparrow at Magee Marsh, May 11, 2022
Eastern Whip-poor-will at Magee Marsh,, May 10, 2022
Blue-winged Warbler as Oak Openings Preserve Metropark,
May 13, 2022
White-eyed Vireo at Magee Marsh,, May 10, 2022
Warbling Vireo Magee Marsh,, May 15, 2021
The Siskin . Vol. 69, No. 2 . April 2024
Addendum website only 2
More Warblers in Spring
Canada Warbler in stream on May 12, 2022 photographed by
Seth Honig
Golden-winged Warbler at stream on May 5, 2023, photographed
by Seth Honig
Magnolia Warbler photographed at Magee Marsh by Neal
Gause, May 9, 2022
Blackpoll Warbler (female) photographed at Crane Creek
Estuary Trail by Neal Gause, May 15, 2022
Cape May Warbler in yard on April 25, 2022 photographed by
Seth Honig
The Siskin . Vol. 69, No. 2 . April 2024
Yellow Warbler photographed at Magee Marsh by Neal Gause,
May 11, 2022
Addendum website only 3