Nokesville Christmas Bird Count
Click here for maps, data and other resources.

Now in its 110th year, the Christmas Bird Count is the oldest and largest citizen science event in existence. The National Audubon Society leads the effort, compiles data nationwide and makes the results available to all on their website here.

All Christmas Bird Count Circles cover a 15-mile diameter circle (113,000 acres). The Nokesville count circle, centered at Merrimac Farm WMA, covers a diverse landscape at the edge of the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area and captures the transition from coastal plain to piedmont ecosystems.

It extends from the Prince William County landfill on Route 234 to Nokesville Proper, and from the Lunga Reservoir near I-95 to Catlett in Fauquier County. The count circle includes portions of Prince William Forest Park, Manassas Airport and large areas within MCB Quantico.

Parks and conservation areas include Merrimac Farm, the Cedar Run Wetland Bank, Foggy Bottom Wetland Bank, Nokesville Park, Brentsville Courthouse, Bristoe Battlefield Park and Hellwig Park.

The count circle covers part of Prince William's Rural Crescent, where 10-acre subdivisions, small farms and private ponds of all sizes are common. In Fauquier, birders survey small hamlets along Elk Run Road and near Bristersburg, as well as most of Catlett, and Calverton.

December 27 2009

The Nokesville Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Sunday, December 27 was lots of fun and turned up some interesting birds. Despite some morning fog, flooded creeks and frozen ponds, it was a beautiful day and the weather was more cooperative than what could have been, especially considering the recent snow. Despite tempertures that rose to the mid-40's in the afternoon, most ponds were frozen and waterfowl sightings were few and far between.

Twenty-two people participated and together recorded 84 species and 36,709 individuals. This year the count benefited from considerably better coverage in the Fauquier portions than previous years, which added three species to the list - Wilson's Snipe, Purple Finch and Loggerhead Shrike.

We saw Red-headed Woodpeckers at four locations - Merrimac Farm WMA, Cedar Run Wetland Bank, Foggy Bottom Wetland Bank and in a narrow tree line along Deepwood Lane. Other notable species include a variety of owls - Saw-whet, Screech, Barn, Barred and Great-horned - as well as a Merlin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Horned Larks, and American Pipit.

The Cedar Run Wetland Bank produced the count's only Northern Bobwhite and a lone Coot was spotted among a large flock of Mallards in a pond off Wright Lane in Nokesville. Despite the many Wild Turkey tracks in the snow at Merrimac Farm, no actual birds were seen and the only one recorded was near Manassas Airport.

Many thanks to the intrepid birders who made this count a success:
Jeanette Baldwin, Marlis Baldwin, Bob Blakney, Todd Day, Alton Dick, Rick Flaherty, Jan Frye, Kurt Gaskill, Harry Glasgow, Eli Hosen, Jake Hosen, Kim Hosen, Greg Justice, Larry Kline, Gary Myer, Matt Myer, Tim Stamp, Russ Taylor, Larry Underwood, Nancy Vehrs, Jim Waggener, Kelly Westermyer.

December 14 2008

Highlights of the count included screech owls at Prince William Forest Park (PWFP) with barn owls, barred owls and great horned owls elsewhere in the count area. There was a woodcock on Parkgate Drive, as well as a cackling goose and meadowlarks.

We saw ravens at both the landfill and Victory Lake, rusty blackbirds at the Cedar Run Wetland Bank, and pine siskins at PWFP and the Cedar Run Wetland Bank. The Route 234 wetland mitigation area added a merlin and tree sparrow to the list.

Thanks to the Virginia birders who make this count a success:
Al Alborn, Bob Blakney, Julia Flanagan, Jan Frye, Kurt Gaskill, Jane Graw, Mariam Hamamo, Jake Hosen, Kim Hosen, Bob Klarquist, Larry Kline, Gary Myer, Matt Myer, Kevin Parker, Mark Ribaudo, Charles Smith, Joanna Taylor, Jeff Trollinger, Jim Waggener, Kelly Westermeyer

January 4 2008

It was 6:30 a.m. and the temperature was 13° when 22 people gathered at Merrimac Farm to begin the Christmas Bird Count for Nokesville, Virginia. Neither cold nor gloom of night stayed these committed citizen scientists from helping complete this important national survey.

At the end of the day, volunteers observed and recorded 15,873 individual birds representing 82 different species for the Nokesville Circle (survey area). Click here to view the data collected on January 4, 2008.

Notable sightings included Red-Breasted Nuthatches and Bald Eagles at several locations as well as a Northern Harrier at the Cedar Run Wetland Bank, Wild Turkeys at Merrimac Farm and Red-headed Woodpeckers at Quantico Marine Corps Base. Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, and Hooded Mergansers were spotted near the airport and American Woodcock on Parkgate Rd. before dawn. To learn more about each sector, use the links on the left menu bar on this page.

The Christmas Bird Count, a national survey led by the National Audubon Society, captures a snapshot of bird populations in early winter and helps focus attention on the plight of wildlife nationwide. The first Christmas Bird Count was held on Christmas Day in 1900, when 27 observers counted birds in 25 locations. Since then, this survey has grown to include more than 50,000 people surveying more than 2,000 locations.

Now in its 108th year, the database compiled from Christmas Bird Counts provides important information about the long-term trends in bird populations in North America and is used by scientists, land managers, and conservation agencies.

The Nokesville survey area includes habitats that are unique in Northern Virginia. It is centered on the western border of Merrimac Farm at Cedar Run and fans out from this point to include the area within a circle with a 7.5 mile radius. Click here to view a map of the entire Nokesville Circle (large file).

This area, last surveyed as part of the Christmas Bird Count in x995, includes portions of Fauquier County and Quantico Marine Corps Base as well as Nokesville, Merrimac Farm, Cedar Run Wetland Bank, Foggy Bottom Wetland Bank, Manassas Airport, Prince William Forest Park, Dove's Landing and the Prince William County Landfill.

It's a huge area to cover! Special thanks to Jay Keller and Kurt Gaskill, who helped arrange survey areas and scout locations, and the Northern Virginia birders who made the 2007-08 survey a success:

Bob Blakney, Alton Dick, Jen Folts, Mike Friedman, Kurt Gaskill, Charlie Grymes, Kim Hosen, Greg Justice, Jay Keller, Bob Klarquist, Terrence Kopp, Bev Leeuwenburg, Gary Myer, Matt Myer, Neil Nelson, Kevin Parker, Bob Shipman, Nancy Shipman, Cindy Smith, Joanna Taylor, Jim Waggener, Kelly Westermeyer.

You don't have to be an expert birder to participate in the count. More eyes help spot more birds and the Christmas Bird Count is an exciting opportunity for beginning birders to connect with others and learn more about both birds and important habitats.

Volunteers can also participate by counting and recording backyard birds at feeders on the count day. Contact us at alliance@pwconserve.org or 703.499.4954 for information about next years event!

Resources:

NOKESVILLE CBC RESULTS

• 2009-10
• 2008-09
• 2007-08

MAPS

• Northern Virginia count circles
• Entire Nokesville count circle (large file)
• Nokesville Sector 1
• Nokesville Sector 2
• Nokesville Sector 3
• Nokesville Sector 4 & 5

National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count website

Virginia Birding Interactive Map Viewer

You don't have to be an expert birder to participate in the count. More eyes help spot more birds and the Christmas Bird Count is an exciting opportunity for beginning birders to connect with others and learn more about both birds and important habitats.

Volunteers can also participate by counting and recording backyard birds at feeders on the count day. Contact us at alliance@pwconserve.org or 703.499.4954 to receive information about next years event!