August 2023

The SISKIN
Newsletter of the Northern Virginia Bird Club
Vol. 68, No. 3
Inside
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Calendar of NVBC field trips
August 12 – November 4, 2023
American Woodcocks at
Kenilworth Park and Aquatic
Gardens
Spring Chincoteague Trip Report
Twitching in Oregon
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
August 2023
www.nvabc.org
NVBC GENERAL MEETING—THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 8 PM
Exploring the Birds and Islands of
New Zealand
Speaker: Dixie Sommers
Dixie Sommers joined a Field Guides tour of New Zealand in November
2022
and observed 134 bird species including 53 endemics. The first
stop was in Auckland to adjust to the time and season change with a visit to
Tiritiri Matangi Island. This one square mile island near the edge of the
harbor is a great conservation success story as it had been deforested and
home to introduced predators such as rats and stoats. Reforestation and
predator removal has allowed native birds to thrive. Besides the North and
South Islands, they made 2 day-trips to other islands so there were boat
rides and plenty of seabirds, shorebirds and waterfowl. And, of course, they
saw a kiwi, and 3 penguin species. Dixie will tell the stories to go with
some of her best photos, and the complete photos are in her New Zealand
file available at www.ddpix.smugmug.com.
Dixie last presented to NVBC about her visit to Cuba in 2016. She has
now birded all over the world including all 7 continents. Her volunteer
activities have also grown as she is currently the Treasurer of the Virginia
Society of Ornithology as well as editing their newsletter. She leads bird
walks for NVBC, Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, and Friends of
Dyke Marsh. Dixie’s efforts have been and continue to be very important in
our efforts to help get the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas fully funded and
published.
Tui (above left) and Great Crested Grebe with young (above right) photographed by Dixie Sommers
Presidential Peentings
Identifying shorebirds can be frustrating for many
birders. These birds can all look pretty much the
same as they scurry around on beaches, mudflats or
plowed fields. Even experienced birders can sometimes
struggle to figure them out, especially if they are far
away. We often say that color is not always the best field
mark to use when making an ID and this is especially
true with shorebirds. Noting the leg or bill color of a
shorebird can be useful, but these features could be
covered in mud. Usually, it’s best to focus more on the
size and shape of the bird’s body and its bill. If there are
many shorebirds, comparing and contrasting the different
species present can be helpful. A large godwit with a long
curved bill will really stand out from the smaller
sandpipers.
While shorebirds can be challenging, they also
provide rewarding birding experiences. The best months
to see them are during spring migration in May and
during fall migration in late July, August and into
September. I always enjoy setting up my spotting scope
to scan for unusual shorebirds. At a place like Bombay
Hook in Delaware (where we will be going to in August)
there can be hundreds of small sandpipers (peeps),
dowitchers, avocets, and plovers to sort through. If you
find something out of the ordinary while scanning the
multitudes, it can be exciting. As mentioned in Elton’s
article, NVBC birders at Chincoteague found a breeding
plumage Red-necked Phalarope. Rare shorebirds from
Europe can sometimes show up and draw birders from
far away who are hoping to add them to their life lists.
Several years ago, a Black-tailed Godwit at Chincoteague
was seen by throngs of enthusiastic birders.
Coastal locations are the best places to see
shorebirds, but you can also find them in Northern
Virginia. If the water levels are low enough, Huntley
Meadows can be productive. Hunting Creek near Dyke
Marsh has historically been a great place to see
shorebirds including the occasional rarity. A lesser known
spot is Middlesex Pond in Chantilly which is easy to
access and often has a nice assortment of shorebirds.
Birders flocked there to see a Ruff a few years ago. I
hope you can get out to see some of these sometimes
challenging, but always fun to see, birds this year.
—Larry Meade
Short-billed Dowitcher at Chincoteague photographed in
2007 by Larry Meade.
American Woodcocks at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
Last April, I learned through the birding grapevine
that an American Woodcock could be seen feeding her
young at Kenilworth Gardens Park in Washington DC.
After the Dyke Marsh walk, I crossed the river to go look
for them. I arrived at the park and found the River Trail
where they were being seen. After asking a couple of
other birders, I eventually was thrilled to find the mother
woodcock with her young not far from the trail. She was
feeding her four babies worms and did not seem to be
bothered by my presence at all. I had never seen young
woodcocks or ever photographed any woodcock at all.
This was great! In my photo, you can see three of the
young lined up behind their mother. I learned later that
woodcocks only feed their young for about a week, so
birders who saw these birds were fortunate to be within
the window to see them.
—Larry Meade
2
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Spring Weekend Trip: Chincoteague, May 19 – 21, 2023
The Northern Virginia Bird Club’s spring trip to
Chincoteague on May 19 to 21 was front-loaded with the
best bird of the weekend. The trip started with a foray onto
the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge’s Wildlife
Loop on Friday afternoon. On the far north end of the
Wildlife Loop is Shoveler Pond where we arrived in
perfect conditions for shore-birding – the water level was
just right for concentrating together hundreds of shorebirds
and the sun was behind us giving us ideal light. As we
sifted through our first viewing of Dunlins, Short-billed
Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Plovers, and
Greater Yellowlegs, Ana Arguelles called me over to her
scope to look at a phalarope. It was a female Red-necked
Phalarope in full breeding plumage – what a stunningly
beautiful shorebird! It augured a great start to the trip on
which we collectively found 85 species.
That same drive around the Wildlife Loop also netted
us a very active Snowy Egret as well as a Cattle Egret
dining on two frogs it had caught in the marsh. Next on the
agenda was a quick drive to the far end of the south beach
parking lot where a previously scouted Piping Plover was
nesting in an exclosure. We managed to get excellent looks
at her as she hunkered down in the sand as best as she
could.
We were undaunted by swarms of mosquitos on our
outing to find the Chuck-will’s-widow at sunset on Friday
night, though we were successful only so far as hearing
them. Despite being tantalizingly close to two singing
“Chucks,” we couldn’t manage to see either.
Saturday morning began with a walk along the
boardwalk near the hotel in the foggy, misting aftermath of
a rain shower. We heard many Clapper Rails but failed to
get a good look at one. We did manage to see both Glossy
and White ibises and a handsome Black-bellied Plover.
The morning visit to the refuge yielded a Black Tern
flying distantly offshore. We broke for lunch to elude a
midday rain shower and regrouped in the afternoon. A pair
of Black-necked Stilts on the causeway gave us nice looks
while a pair of copulating Common Terns at the Queens
Sound Landing tern colony were quite entertaining. A
return trip to the refuge in the afternoon finally produced
good looks at Pine Warblers and Brown-headed
Nuthatches along the Marsh Trail, but again we were
attacked by marauding mosquitos.
Our boat trip on Sunday morning with Daisey’s Island
Cruises on the Chincoteague Inlet was quite pleasant
compared to the previous day’s rain showers. We motored
out to Gunboat Point where we found a pair of Red Knots
in breeding plumage. We then proceeded to Fishing Point
at the south entrance to Tom’s Cove where there is an
expanse of beach habitat. Hundreds of shorebirds — mostly
Sanderlings – were feeding on Horseshoe Crab eggs. In
amongst this feeding frenzy were four Red Knots. We also
spotted a small group of Royal Terns, three of which were
waddling together in a curious and delightful courtship
dance.
Red-necked Phalarope photographed by RJ Benson
Piping Plover in exclosure photographed by Peter
Penczer
Common Terns photographed by RJ Benson
—Elton Morel
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 3 . August 2023
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 on 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
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
August
Saturday
12
8 AM
Bombay Hook X-Trip
Members only/
Registration Required
Trip Leaders
Larry Meade
Jeremy Beck
703-517-1816
Dave Boltz
703-599-8305
Larry Cartwright 703-941-3142
Toby Hardwick 703-201-1517
Bert Harris
615-440-0666
Ed LeGrand
908-268-6627
Joan Mashburn 703-209-8678
Larry Meade
571-275-2523
Mer Mietzelfeld 607-643-8307
Elton Morel
703-907-9951
Tom Nardone
703-946-7738
Phil Silas
703-987-0817
Dixie Sommers 703-969-7931
19
7:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
Tom Nardone
Mer Mietzelfeld
26
8 AM
Shenandoah River
Campus at Cool
Springs Battle eld
Elton Morel
Dave Boltz
September
2
7:30 AM
Silver Lake RP
Larry Meade
3
7:15 PM
Swift Watch
Joan Mashburn
Call leader for meeting
place and directions
6
9
8:30 AM
Long Branch
7:30 AM
Leesylvania SP
Dixie Sommers
Tom Nardone
Phil Silas
16
13
7:30 AM
Clifton Institute
8:30 AM
Fort C.F. Smith
Bert Harris
Elton Morel
Jeremy Beck
20
8:30 AM
Algonkian RP
Elton Morel
Dave Boltz
21
23
7:30 AM
Occoquan Bay NWR
NVBC
Meeting
Phil Silas
Larry Cartwright
8 PM
27
30
8:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
Hike/Bike Trail
7:30 AM
Leopold’s Preserve
Ed LeGrand
Toby Hardwick
Dixie Sommers
October
4
7
8:30 AM
Long Branch
8 AM
Aquia Landing
Beach Park
Dixie Sommers
Tom Nardone
Elton Morel
fi
fi
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
4
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
October
Wednesday
Thursday
11
8:30 AM
Neabsco Regional
Park Boardwalk
Phil Silas
18
8:30 AM
Laurel Hill
Equestrian
Center
Phil Silas
25
8:30 AM
Meadowood Recreation
Area – Lower Potomac
Field Station
Larry Cartwright
Dixie Sommers
November 1
8:30 AM
Long Branch
Tom Nardone
DIRECTIONS
NVBC Meeting (9/21) 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 in held.
——
Algonkian Regional Park (9/20)
47001 Fairway Dr, Sterling 20165
From I-495, take Rt 7 west 11 miles
(mi.) to Cascades Pkwy north and
drive 3 mi. to the park entrance.
Proceed on Fairway Dr turning left
onto Volcano Island Dr, then turn right
into parking lot. Meet at the parking
lot beside restrooms and Park Shelter
1.
Aquia Landing Beach Park (10/7)
2846 Brooke Rd, Stafford 22554 From
southbound I-95 towards Stafford,
take exit 140 to Stafford, then left
(east) on Courthouse Rd (Rt 630), go
3.5 mi. and turn right on Andrew
Chapel Rd (Rt 629), go 0.9 mi. and
under the railroad bridge to a slight
left onto Brooke Rd (Rt 608), go 4.4
fi
fi
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 3 . August 2023
mi. to the park entrance, continue past
park entrance gate to the parking lot at
the end of the road. Meet in the
parking lot.
Bombay Hook X-trip (8/12) Take Rt
50 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Go north 34 mi. on Rt 301. Turn right
at Rt 300. Go 15 mi. to Kenton,
Delaware. At the traffic light, turn
right on Rt 42 to Leipsic. From there
go left on Rt 9 for 1.5 mi. to the
entrance of the refuge. Meet at the
Visitor Center parking lot.
Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage
Park (10/14) 10708 Bristow Rd,
Bristow, VA 20136. From I-95: Take
Rt 234 north (exit 152B), travel 7.5
mi. and make a left onto Independent
Hill Dr. Then make immediate right
onto Rt 619 (Bristow Rd). Travel 7
mi. and turn left onto Iron Brigade
Unit Ave. The parking lot is located on
the left at the traffic circle. From I-66:
Take Rt 234 south (Exit 44). Travel
4.5 miles and turn right onto Rt 28
(Nokesville Rd). Travel 1.5 mi. and
turn left onto Rt 619 (Bristow Rd).
Travel 0.25 mi., turn right onto Iron
Brigade Unit Ave and continue to
parking lot. Meet in parking lot.
Clifton Institute (9/16) 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.
Friday
Saturday
14
8 AM
Bristoe Station
Battle eld Park
Toby Hardwick
21
8:15 AM
Sky Meadows SP
Elton Morel
Ed LeGrand
28
8 AM
Manassas
Battle eld Park
— Brawner Farm
Toby Hardwick
4
8 AM
Silver Lake RP
Ed LeGrand
Toby Hardwick
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
parking in the parking lot on the left.
Please do not drive up to the house
and park there.
Fort C.F. Smith (9/13) 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
humps), and continue to park on left.
Meet in parking lot at east end of park.
Huntley Meadows Park (8/19) 3701
Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria 22306
From I-495, take Rt 1 south 3 mi. to
Lockheed Blvd. Right on Lockheed;
go 0.5 mi. to Harrison Ln to park
entrance on left. Meet in parking lot.
Huntley Meadows Hike & Bake
Trail (9/27) 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).
Laurel Hill Equestrian Center
(10/18) Lorton From I-495, take I-95
outh about 7 mi. to exit 163 (Lorton
Rd). Continue 1.4 mi. west on Rt 642/
Lorton Rd, then turn left on Rt 611/
Furnace Rd then an immediate right
5
Trip Directions from page 5
Laurel Hill Equestrian Center
(10/18) (continued) onto Dairy Rd.
Proceed to and meet in the parking lot.
Leesylvania State Park (9/9) 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 (9/30) 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 (9/6, 10/4,
11/1)
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.
Manassas Battlefield Park Brawner Farm (10/28) Manassas
20109 From I-495 take I-66 west 21
mi. to exit 43B for US-29 N.
Continue on US 29 for 1.3 mi. Turn
left onto Pageland Ln. Continue 0.5
mi. then turn right into Brawner Farm.
Continue 0.3 mi. to Brawner Farm
parking lot (6501 Pageland Ln,
Gainesville 20155). Meet in the
parking lot.
M e a d o w o o d R e c re a t i o n A re a
(10/25) 10406 Gunston Rd, Lorton,
VA 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
becomes Gunston Cove Rd. After
crossing Rt 1, road becomes Gunston
6
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
( 1 0 / 11 ) 1 5 1 2 5 B l a c k b u r n R d ,
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 the traffic light
and turn right on Blackburn Rd. The
park parking lot is then 0.2 mi. on the
left.
Occoquan Bay National Wildlife
Refuge (9/23) 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 in parking
lot. US fee area.
Shenandoah River Campus at Cool
Springs Battlefield (8/26) From
I-495, take VA-267 West (Dulles Toll
Road) to Leesburg for 36.8 mi. Take
exit 1A and merge onto US-15 South/
VA-7 West/Leesburg Bypass for 3.3
mi. Continue straight to stay on VA7
West for 17.1 mi. After passing
Snicker’s Gap but just before the
Shenandoah River Bridge, turn right at
Parker Lane (F709) then go 1.4 mi. to
the parking lot. To avoid the toll, from
I-495 take VA-7 West (Leesburg Pike)
to Leesburg for 47.2 mi. After passing
Snicker’s Gap but just before the
Shenandoah River Bridge, turn right at
Parker Lane, then go 1.4 mi. to the
parking lot.
Silver Lake Park (9/2, 11/4) 16198
Silver Lake Rd, Haymarket 20169
From I-495, take I-66 west 24 miles to
exit 40 (Rt 15). Turn south onto Rt 15
(toward Haymarket) and go 0.3 mi. to
Rt 55. Turn right onto Rt 55 and go
0.9 miles to Antioch Rd. Turn right
onto Antioch and go 1.3 mi. to Silver
Lake Rd. Turn right and proceed to
park entrance and continue to parking
lot next to the lake. Meet in parking
lot.
Sky Meadows State Park (10/21)
11012 Edmonds Ln, Delaplane 20144
From I-495, take I-66 west 42 mi. to
exit for Rt 17 north (Delaplane/Paris).
Go north on Rt 17 6.5 mi. to Rt 710.
Turn left into park and proceed 1 mi.
to Visitor Center parking lot. State fee
area.
Bird Walks at Local Parks
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve,
second Saturdays, 8 am. Meet at
the parking lot. Visit the Loudoun
Wildlife web site,
www.loudounwildlife.org/events/
Blue Ridge Center for
Environmental Stewardship,
fourth Saturday, 8 am Meet at
Education Center.
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 front of
snack/concession stand 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.
Leader: Harry Glasgow
Merrimac Farm, last Sunday, 8
am Meet at Merrimac Farm Stone
House. www.pwconserve
.org/eventsindex.html#birds
Riverbend Park, first and third
Fridays, 8 am, beginning April
to October 20. Meet at the
Nature Center parking lot off
Jeffrey Road. No fee but call
Riverbend Park at 703-759-9018
to register. Leader: Robin Duska
eBird Sharing Contact Update
We are updating the NVBC
eBird contacts so that sharing lists
on walks is a bit easier. Please help
by sending your first and last name,
preferred eBird email and eBird
username to Joan@mashburns.com.
Northern Bobwhite photographed by Joan
Mashburn at Hog Island WMA
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Twitching in Oregon
It was a rainy Friday afternoon before the Superbowl,
and I found myself in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of
my visit was a weekend-long conference for my work, but
my heart wasn’t in my work. This was my first visit to the
west coast as a birder, and I was really excited to see some
west coast birds!
For work, I was committed to teaching a class at 11am
that Friday, but immediately after the class, I jumped in my
rental car. If I left right then, I would have time for the two
hour drive out on Hwy 26 to the Oregon coast, and
specifically Nehalem Bay, where the Nehalem River
dumps into the Pacific. This is a brackish water system
surrounded by low scrub, sandy beaches and low salt-pine
forests.
As I walked up and down the windy beaches, I was
delighted to spot Pelagic Cormorants, Red-throated and
Common Loons, Common Goldeneyes, Western, Iceland,
and Glaucous-winged Gulls (gulls being particularly
difficult for me!). One rare sighting was a flock of 12
Semi-palmated Plovers and two Dunlins, who happened to
be on the beach at the same time as me.
Finally, with the sun fading, I figured I’d better get
back to the hotel before my wife called out the state patrol
looking for me. My route back had me headed up US 101
(“The 101” as the locals call it). For those of you not
familiar with the Pacific Coast Highway, it is one of the
most stunning highways in the United States. From San
Diego to Seattle, it is essentially a cliffside two-lane road
where on one side you have the booming Pacific Ocean,
and on the other, sheer rock face and tall old-growth
Douglas Fir forest.
When one finds oneself on this highway, at sunset, one
is biologically compelled to pull over and take a picture of
the sunset for Instagram. So that’s what I did. I found a
pull-off, turned off my car, and grabbed my cell phone. I
left my good camera and binoculars in the car, figuring
there’s not much need, since you can’t see anything from
high up above the beach. I had already done my birding
and submitted my checklists. I just wanted a quick snap of
the sunset and would be on my way.
Having taken my sunset photo, I noticed, in a scrubby
tree just beyond the rock wall keeping me from plunging
200 feet to my death, was a small round bird, about the
size of my fist. What was it though? It just looked like a
fuzzy lump in the tree. I decided to get closer.
As I got within six feet of the bird, I realized I was
looking at a very tiny owl. Not being an expert on owls, I
assumed it must be a Western Screech Owl. But I only had
my phone, and the pictures from my phone are terrible. I
needed my good camera.
Backing away slowly, I softly chanted to the owl,
pleading, “Please stay! Please stay! Please stay!”
I quickly and quietly opened my car door and grabbed
my camera from the front seat. As I turned it on and
checked the settings, a lime-green VW camper bus full of
hippies pulled up right in front of the owl. (The 101 is
absolutely full of these VW hippie buses.)
The Siskin . Vol. 68 No. 3 . August 2023
I made a motion to the occupants as they were getting
out, waving my arms at them and pleading with my eyes,
as if to say, “QUIET! BE STILL!” They were somewhat
confused, but complied, standing still.
I stepped into place, and click click click got the
shot. Owl!!!!!
Breathing easier, I told the hippies (incorrectly),
“That’s a screech owl! See it?”
”Yeah, man, that’s so cool!” They smiled and beamed,
and we all laughed, and I assured them that I really was
very normal, but it was very special to see such a bird. I
got in my car and drove away, with the owl still in that tree
when I left.
Later, when I was able to study the photos more
clearly, I realized that my owl was, in fact, not a screech
owl, but a Northern Pygmy Owl, and now, isn’t that just a
cool bird?
I drove the remaining two hours in the total darkness
of night back to the hotel, completely beaming inside that
the best bird I saw that day was the one I totally never
expected to see.
—Scott Harris
Northern Pygmy Owl photographed by Scott Harris
7
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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 website at
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 leave a
message for 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
nvbcexchange@googlegroups.com. The
list is for NVBC members’ use only.
General Meeting Dates: September
21, 2023 and November 16, 2023,
February 15 and April 18, 2024.
Next Board Meeting: Thursday,
September 1, 2023, 7:30 pm. 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 November issue will
include activities through January
Please send items for
publication by October 1, 2023 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, 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, nvbcsiskineditor@gmail.com,
703-476-3903
Administrator, NVBC Facebook
Group: Allie Guidry (please contact
through Facebook page)
NVBC email: lgmeade@gmail.com
Chincoteague Spring Trip Birds
Snowy Egret (above) photographed by RJ Benson
Ruddy Turnstone (left) and Semipalmated Plover (below left)
photographed by Peter Penczer
Red Knot (below) photographed by RJ Benson
The Siskin . Vol. 68 No. 3 . August 2023
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Additional Chincoteague Birds
American Oystercatcher photographed by RJ Benson
Black-necked Stilts photographed by RJ Benson
Forster’s Tern photographed by RJ Benson
Least Tern photographed by Peter Penczer
Royal Terns photographed by RJ Benson
The Siskin . Vol. 68 No. 3 . August 2023
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