February 2023

The SISKIN
Newsletter of the Northern Virginia Bird Club
Vol. 68, No. 1
February 2023
www.nvabc.org
Inside
NVBC GENERAL MEETING—THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 8 PM
Research on American Kestrel Population Declines and
an Overview of Programs at the Clifton Institute
Calendar of NVBC field trips,
February 15 – May 7, 2023
Club Sponsorship for the Virginia
Breeding Bird Atlas
Occoquan Bird Banding Station
Report
April 2023 Election of Officers
and Directors
Birding in Panama
A reminder to pay your 2023 dues
If not paid, this will be the last issue
you receive. The Siskin mailing label
shows the year through which your
dues are current or “CO” for
complimentary. Thanks!
Chincoteague Spring
Weekend Trip
The Chincoteague Spring weekend is
scheduled for May 19 through 21,
2023 (Friday to Sunday). The trip is
limited to 24 people and fills up very
fast. NVBC membership is required for
this trip and all tour participants will
need to declare that they are vaccinated
when they sign up for the trip.
Because the Chincoteague
weekends are such popular trips, we
are establishing a new process to
enable wider member participation
over the years. Registration will open
on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 6
am. To sign up for this trip, please
email
Elton
Morel
at
eltonlmorel@verizon.net. All members
who send an email between 6 and 7 am
will be eligible to be put on the list.
However, club members who were not
on the Spring 2022 or the Winter 2023
trip will get a higher priority, in the
order received. They will be followed
continued on p. 2
Speaker: Bert Harris
Institute is located on a 900-acre property in Fauquier County
ThenearClifton
Warrenton. Their mission is to inspire a deeper understanding and
appreciation of nature, to study the ecology of the region, to restore habitat,
and to conserve biodiversity. Their Executive Director, Bert Harris, Ph.D.
will inform us about their multiyear research project on American Kestrels.
Clifton Institute researchers have the goal of identifying the causes of
kestrel declines and they are studying how useful and productive different
kinds of fields are for these birds. Bert will also give an overview of the
Clifton Institute’s education, restoration, and research programs including
the role of cattle in grassland bird conservation, a project on the effects of
mowing on Box Turtles, butterfly and dragonfly counts, and bird walks.
Bert’s studies have taken him to Indonesia, Australia, and throughout the
Americas. He is now also an adjunct professor at both American and
George Mason Universities.
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.
American Kestrel with transmitter photographed by Sarah Cain
Presidential Peenting
Slow birding is a concept that I have heard about
recently. The basic idea is that you stop and watch a
few birds carefully, but not worry so much about
compiling a big list for the day. For example, you might
spot an individual Carolina Chickadee at a feeder and
focus in on that bird alone and see what it does. What are
its strategies for getting food? How is it interacting with
the other birds? Another part of slow birding is to pay
more attention to the habitat where the birds live. Why do
certain birds like a particular area? Are there signs that
birds have been there? For example, acorn caps strewn
around below oak trees often indicate that Blue Jays have
been feeding. I still generally prefer the traditional style of
birding, but this may be worth trying on occasion,
especially in my back yard or small local park. Of course,
on a Christmas Bird Count or other survey, slow birding
Fox Sparrow at Dyke Marsh photographed by Larry Meade
Chincoteague Spring Weekend from p.1
by those who have been on one of those trips, in time
stamp order. History tells us that the 24 slots are likely to
fill up very fast and therefore, a waiting list will be started
with those who respond in the first hour. Any club member
who sends an email after 7 a.m. on March 15 will not be
given the higher priority over those in the first hour but
will be considered for any available slot or waitlisted in
order of the time stamp. When signing up, please affirm
that you are vaccinated for COVID-19 virus and indicate
whether you are interested in the group dinner on Saturday
night and the boat trip (which has an estimated $35 fee) on
Sunday morning. Please do not make your hotel
reservations until your trip registration has been
confirmed.
Mid-May is an excellent time to visit the Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Spring shorebird
migration is in full swing with most birds in breeding
plumage. Historically, the club’s trips tally about 100
species including such Eastern Shore specialties as Blacknecked Stilts, American Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers,
Whimbrels, Marbled Godwits, Little Blue Herons,
Tricolored Herons, Cattle Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Least,
Royal, and Common Terns, Black Skimmers, Clapper
Rails, Seaside Sparrows, Chuck-will’s-widow, Brownheaded Nuthatches and Boat-tailed Grackles.
2
would not work since the goal is to census as many birds
as possible in the area.
Some people are taking this idea of slowing down
even further and are trying something called “forest
bathing”. Apparently, this does not involve wearing a
swimsuit in the woods and is actually done fully clothed.
Forest bathers unhurriedly walk through natural areas and
try to use all of their senses to immerse themselves in their
surroundings. It’s increasing in popularity and there are
even trained guides that take people forest bathing. It is
said to lower stress, decrease blood pressure and have
other health benefits. I might try it sometime, but I think I
would still be keeping a bird list on my phone which might
defeat the purpose. However we connect to nature, we are
all better off when we get outdoors on a regular basis.
—Larry Meade
G.R. Thompson WMA scene photographed by Neal Gause
Plans for the weekend include birding the Chincoteague NWR on Friday afternoon starting at 3:15 pm
(optional) or on Saturday starting at 7:30 am. Activities on
Saturday morning include birding along Beach Road,
Swan Cove and Tom’s Cove. We will also visit
Chincoteague Island Park Trail looking for land bird
migrants as well as visiting Queens Sound Flats, the
Chincoteague City mudflats, and possibly Mariner’s Point.
On Sunday morning, we will board a pontoon boat and
travel along Chincoteague Inlet then to Fishing Point at the
end of Tom’s Cove and finally Black Point Landing, all the
while looking mostly for shorebirds along the mudflats.
The trip concludes at noon on Sunday.
We have obtained a special rate of $130.00 per night,
including tax, on twenty rooms for Friday and Saturday
nights at the Best Western Chincoteague Island Hotel on
Maddox Boulevard. A two-night stay is usually required.
Hotel reservations must be made by April 20 to get this
special group rate. Confirmed participants should make
their own reservations by calling 800-553-6117 and be
sure to say you are with the Northern Virginia Bird Club.
Check-in time is 3 p.m. on Friday, May 19, and a 48-hour
cancellation notice is required. Chincoteague NWR is a
U.S. fee area.
—Elton Morel
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Virginia Society of Ornithology and the Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas
Species Sponsorship Campaign
The Northern Virginia Bird Club is sponsoring the Hooded Merganser and has committed to a 4-year $500 annual
donation starting in 2022 as part of the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s donation campaign to fund the creation of the
species accounts for the Virginia’s breeding species in the Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas. NVBC is accepting
donations from members to assist in this effort. Go to our website and click the “join/donate” tab for details.
Hooded Merganser family and male Hooded Merganser at Burke Lake photographed by Larry Meade
Occoquan Bay National
Wildlife Refuge Bird
Banding 2022
Spring 2022 was a perfectly
average passerine banding season at
the Potomac River NWR Complex,
Occoquan Bay. After 2020 was
canceled and 2021 operated with
constraints, “average” was great.
Fourteen volunteers banded 526 birds
of 58 species over 24 days and hosted
155 visitors. We recaptured 26 birds
from previous years (oldest being two
Northern Cardinals from 2016 and
three White-throated Sparrows from
2016, 2017 and 2018). No new
species were encountered, leaving the
species count at 103. The top five
species banded at OCCO remain the
White-throated Sparrow, Common
Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Northern
Cardinal.
Highlights from 2022 were: the
first Yellow-billed Cuckoo since
2015, second ever Least Flycatcher,
third ever Barn Swallow, Brown
Creepers, Winter Wrens, the first
Wood Thrush since 2016, Blue-winged Warblers, Black-throated
Green, Yellow-throated and Canada
Warblers, and Sharp-shinned Hawks.
fi
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 1 . February 2023
Lowlights from 2022 were: only
3 woodpeckers, a single Prothonotary
Warbler and, although the Common
Yellowthroat is holding steady as the
second-most banded bird, for the past
3 years they have been approximately
25 birds below their average of 70.
Record setters for a season were:
15 Carolina and 5 House Wrens, 12
Veeries and 8 Hermit Thrushes, 11
Brown Thrashers and 6 Black-and-white Warblers.
The banding station will be open
on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
from 7:00 am to till noon, weather
Election of Of cers
The election of club officers
and directors for two- year terms
that begin July 1 is on the agenda
for the April 2023 NVBC general
meeting. If you are interested in
serving on the NVBC Board or
have suggestions to make to the
Nominating Committee, please
send an email to nvbcsiskineditor@gmail.com by April 5, 2023. The
Nominating Committee will
present a slate of candidates at the
meeting. The by-laws allow for
nominations from the floor.
permitting, starting March 17, 2023.
It is located near the gazebo on
Deephole Point Road overlooking
Marumsco Creek.
—Suzanne Miller
Photograph by Suzanne Miller: “This Song
Sparrow banded on April 24 didn’t stop
growing that one tail feather”
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/ eld-trips-this-month.
To receive email notices, join the NVBC eMail Exchange. For sign-up directions see back page of The Siskin.
Sunday
Monday
Trip Leaders
5
5:00 PM
Woodcock Display
at Dusk Huntley Meadows
Hike/BikeTrail
Wednesday
Thursday
15
February
Jeremy Beck
Larry Cartwright
Dave Boltz
Toby Hardwick
Bert Harris
Ed LeGrand
Larry Meade
Mer Mietzelfeld
Elton Morel
Tom Nardone
Phil Silas
Dixie Sommers
Ed Wallace
Tuesday
703-517-1816
703-941-3142
703-599-8305
703-201-1517
615-440-0666
908-268-6627
571-275-2523
607-643-8307
703-907-9951
703-946-7738
703-987-0817
703-969-7931
504-343-1433
8:30 AM
Mason Neck SP
Tom Nardone
22
Tom Nardone
Saturday
18
8:30 AM
Dyke March
8:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
Friday
Dixie Sommers
23
NVBC
Meeting
8 PM
March 1
25
8 AM
Leopold’s Preserve
Toby Hardwick
Larry Meade
4
8:30 AM
Long Branch
8:30 AM
Blandy Farm
Tom Nardone
Elton Morel
Dave Boltz
8
11
8:30 AM
Burke Lake Park
8 AM
Occoquan Bay
NWR
Tom Nardone
Phil Silas
Larry Meade
Larry Cartwright
Mer Mietzelfeld
15
18
8:30 AM
Riverbend RP
8:15 AM
Widewater State
Park
Dixie Sommers
Elton Morel
22
25
8:30 AM
Neabsco
Regional Park Boardwalk
8 AM
Clifton Institute
29
April 1
Andrew Eberly
Elton Morel
Phil Silas
8:30 AM
Huntley Meadows
7:30 AM
Silver Lake RP
Dixie Sommers
Larry Cartwright
Ed LeGrand
Toby Hardwick
5
8
8:30 AM
Long Branch
8 AM
Aquia Landing
Beach Park
Tom Nardone
Elton Morel
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
fi
4
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
April
Wednesday
Thursday
12
7:30 AM
Occoquan Bay
NWR
Tom Nardone
19
Dixie Sommers
Phil Silas
20
NVBC
Meeting
8 PM
26
8:30 AM
Fort C. F. Smith
Jeremy Beck
May
3
8:30 AM
Long Branch
Jeremy Beck
Dixie Sommers
DIRECTIONS
NVBC Meeting (2/23, 4/20) 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.
——
Aquia Landing Beach Park (4/8)
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 mi. to the park entrance,
continue past park entrance gate to the
parking lot at the end of the road.
Meet in parking lot.
Blandy Experimental Farm/State
Arboretum of Virginia (3/4) 400
Blandy Farm Ln, Boyce 22620 Take
I-66 west to Rt 17 north (Exit 23,
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 1 . February 2023
Saturday
15
8:30 AM
Meadowood
Recreation Area
8:30 AM
Dyke Marsh
Friday
Delaplane/Paris). Follow Rt 17 north
to junction with Rt 50. Turn left at
traffic light onto Rt 50/17; go 7.8 mi.,
turn left onto Rt 750 to the
Arboretum. Meet in parking lot.
Burke Lake Park (3/8) 7315 Ox Rd,
Fairfax Station 22039 From I-495,
take exit 54 west (Braddock Rd). Stay
in right lane of exit if you are coming
from the north. On Braddock Rd, go
1.5 mi. and turn left onto Burke Lake
Rd. Go 4.7 mi. and turn left onto Rt
123 (Ox Rd). Turn left at second
traffic light (big park signs), and turn
left immediately after the entrance
booth. Park in the first lot on the right
(by the mini-golf course).
Clifton Institute (3/25, 4/29) 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.
Dyke Marsh (2/15, 4/19) 6401
George Washington Memorial Pkwy,
Alexandria 22307 (Belle Haven Park
and Marina). From Alexandria, take
22
7:30 AM
Leopold’s
Preserve
Ed LeGrand
Toby Hardwick
29
7:30AM
Clifton Institute
Bert Harris
Elton Morel
6
7:30 AM
Leesylvania SP
Larry Meade
Ed Wallace
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 (4/26) 2411 24th St
N, Arlington 22207 From I-66 east,
take exit 72 (Spout Run Pkwy). At
traffic light, turn right on ee 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. From Alexandria: take GW
Pkwy north, take left exit onto Spout
Run, then right exit onto Lorcom Ln,
and follow remaining directions
above.
Huntley Meadows Hike & Bike
Trail (3/5) 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 (2/22, 3/29)
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.
5
Directions.
Leesylvania State Park (5/6) 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 (2/25, 4/22)
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 (3/1, 4/5,
5/3)
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.
Mason Neck State Park (2/18) 7301
High Point Rd, Lorton 22079 From
I-495, take I-95 south 7 mi. to Lorton
exit. Left on Rt 642 to Rt 1. Right on
Rt 1 to Rt 242 (Gunston Rd). Left on
Rt 242, go 4 mi. to Mason Neck
Management Area. Turn right, follow
paved road to end at Visitor Center.
State fee area.
Meadowood Recreation Area (4/12)
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
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.
6
Neabsco Regional Park – Boardwalk
(3/22) 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 (3/11, 4/15) 13950 Dawson
Beach Rd, Woodbridge 22191 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.
Riverbend Park (Visitor Center)
(3/15) 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great
Falls 22066 From I-495, take Rt 193
west 5 mi. to Rt 603 (Riverbend Rd).
Turn right onto Rt 603, go 2 mi. to
Jeffery Rd. Turn right onto Jeffery and
go 0.8 mi. to main park entrance sign
on right. Turn right and continue 0.5
mi to Visitor Center parking lot. Meet
in front of Visitor Center.
Silver Lake Park (4/1) 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.
Widewater State Park (3/18) 101
Widewater State Park Rd, Stafford
22554 From I-95, take exit 148 to
Quantico Marine Corps Base and
follow signs to Widewater State Park.
Left on Russell Rd. Right on Rt 1
South, go 1 mi. Left turn on Telegraph
Rd, go 0.5 mi. and turn left on
Widewater Rd. Widewater Rd. (Rt
611) turns into Arkendale Rd. (Rt 633)
after about four miles. Follow this
road for about 2 mi. and cross railroad
tracks. Entrance to park Visitor Center
entrance is about 2.5 mi. on
right. Meet at the Visitor Center. State
fee area.
Note: Trillium Trail-G. Richard
Thompson Wildlife Management Area
walk is scheduled for May 13.
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 See
directions. 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 (Mar-Oct) 8 am (Nov-Feb)
Meet in parking lot. Leader: Harry
Glasgow
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 7 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
Ash-throated Flycatcher
photographed at Sky Meadows
Park by Larry Meade
Northern Virginia Bird Club . www.nvabc.org
Birding in Panama
In October 2022 I visited Canopy Camp in Darién
Province in the far southeastern portion of Panama. This
was my second trip to a Canopy Family property having
visited Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge in 2018. October
is the rainy season in Panama. While marketing folks
would call it the “green” season, I would call it the MUD
season!
During the six days in Darién, I saw over 200 species.
I suspect I would have seen many more in the dry season,
but our birding schedule was relatively relaxed as we
avoided regular downpours. Many species were easily
spotted at the various feeders on the Camp property.
Banana feeders attracted Red-lored Parrots, Collared
Aracaris, Crested and Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, as
well as mammals such as the white-faced capuchins,
Geoffroy’s tamarins, and white-nosed coatis .
Hummingbird feeders lured 15 species of hummingbirds
plus Bananaquits. A sheet with a spotlight gathered moths
and insects to showcase Streaked, Sulphur-bellied, and
Rusty-margined Flycatchers along with various trogons.
The Camp even offered a vulture feeding station (far from
our platform tents) providing great views of King Vultures
feeding on carcasses. Some of my favorite small birds
from the trip were found in the Camp – the Gray-cheeked
Nunlet, Cinnamon Becard, and Olivaceous Piculet.
The Camp specializes in trips to see Harpy and
Crested Eagles. Active nests of these near threatened
species were found in Darién in 2019 and 2020. Harpy
Eagles are the largest raptors in their range reaching over 3
feet in length with a wingspan that can exceed 7 feet. They
typically hunt monkeys and sloths within the jungle.
Observing such a dramatic bird made the trek to reach the
nest worthwhile.
The trek began with a drive from the Camp down the
Pan-American Highway to its end in Yaviza. This begins
the infamous Darién Gap where immigrants must cross
undeveloped jungle as they travel from South American
towards the US. The Highway is a paved two-lane road –
the only paved road in all of Darién Province. Some
bumpy dirt roads extend off the Highway, but much travel
in the province is done along the rivers by piragua – long
flat canoes. We continued by piragua on the Chucunaque
River to a family farm about 20 minutes west of Yaviza.
We navigated the muddy trails on horseback and each of
us had a family member on foot leading our horse. I was
grateful not to be slogging through the mud which was a
foot deep in spots.
After 40 minutes crossing woods and fields, we
reentered the jungle. We left our horses there and walked
another 20 minutes to a wooded rise with a view of the
Harpy nest high in a cuipo tree. With spotting scopes and
binoculars, we found the mother and 35-day-old chick on
the nest. The mother soon retrieved a small mammal, and
we watched her shred it into small pieces for the chick.
With a weak wail, the male harpy announced his arrival
and stood sentinel over the nest. He was a cooperative
model for pictures. Eventually we left the striking birds
and retraced our steps by horseback, piragua, and truck to
return to the Camp after a pause at the farm for
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 1 . February 2023
refreshments and to meet their rescued kinkajou (who had
a fondness for orange juice from a straw).
The following day we sought the Crested Eagle. Our
guide had discovered the active nest in 2020. The chick
had fledged but remained near its nest as it learned to
survive on its own. The trek to reach the rare bird was
much easier than the prior day. We drove off the highway
along the bumpy Salto Road and walked 20 minutes into
jungle. The magnificent juvenile male called and flew
from one branch to another while keeping a careful eye on
us from above. Like the young Harpy Eagle, the juvenile
Crested Eagle was mostly white, not yet having achieved
its adult plumage. Crested Eagles grow nearly as large as
Harpy Eagles with a similar diet. I admired his gorgeous
thick, long tail which made him even more visually
striking than the Harpy Eagles. As we watched the
juvenile, a critically endangered Great Green Macaw
paused briefly in the canopy overhead.
While the eagles were the highlights of the trip, I
thoroughly enjoyed spotting familiar birds from home. The
migrants had arrived in Panama offering sights of
Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Prothonotary and
Blackburnian Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Swainson’s
Thrushes, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern WoodPewees, Spotted Sandpipers, Little Blue and Green
Herons, Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, as well as Blue and
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Spotting the familiar in its
winter home was almost as fun as finding striking life
birds like the Red-billed Scythebill, Slaty Spinetail,
Whooping Motmot, Pied Water-Tyrant, Great Jacamar,
Great Curassow, and Pearl Kite.
—Cynthia Nickerson
Crested Eagle photographed by Cynthia Nickerson
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
2023 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 leave a
message for Elizabeth Fenton
at
703-533-0851.
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: February 23,
April 20, September (tbd), and
November (tbd), 2023.
Next Board Meeting: Thursday,
March 2, 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 April issue will include
activities through June 2023. Please
send items for publication by March
15, 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
Joanna Taylor, 703-243-5989
Directors Emeritus: Len Alfredson,
Charlotte Friend, Don Wiesnet
Membership: Elizabeth Fenton,
703-533-0851
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@mail.com
Photographs from Birding in Panama
By Cynthia Nickerson
Photographs from top left (clockwise):
Collared. Aracari
King Vulture
Harpy Eagle
Gray-checked Nunlet
Streaked Flycatcher
The Siskin . Vol. 68, No. 1 . February 2023
Addendum website only 1