FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Lapland Longspur, lots of duck, King William County

[Susan Heath <sheath@xxxxxxx>]

All,

I decided to try my luck in King William County this morning after 
spending the night in Richmond and I was not disappointed.  Nothing 
truly exciting until I reached "the pocket" which was loaded with 
ducks.  Excellent!  I didn't count because there were too many (and 
really it's just not worth it if you aren't getting paid).  There were 
nine species of waterfowl including Gadwall, American Wigeon, Ruddy 
Duck, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and Tundra 
Swan.  Also there were many, many American Coot (some walking on the 
ice, quite entertaining), Pied-billed Grebe, Forster's Tern, and a young 
Bald Eagle attempting to catch a duck (it was not successful while I was 
there).  Back up Powhatan Trail at the intersection with Moscow Creek 
Lane, I stopped to scope through some gulls and found a flock of field 
birds including about 25 Horned Larks, 4 Lapland Longspurs and 2 
American Pipits.  Nothing but ringers in the gull flock.

I did a little county birding and didn't find anything else interesting 
so I headed up to Windmill Point in Lancaster County where the Snowy Owl 
was in December 2000.  No owl of course but many more houses.  I barely 
recognized the place.  On the way home, I checked out Washington's 
Birthplace in Westmoreland County and found about 36 Tundra Swans, 2 
Mute Swans and around 25 Gadwall in the little cove behind the visitor's 
center.  To the right of there out in Pope's Creek were six Canada Geese 
and one was teeny, tiny.  Cackling Goose I do believe.

Sue

--
Susan A. Heath
George Mason University
Environmental Science Department
Fairfax, VA

Secretary, Virginia Avian Records Committee
Keeper, Virginia Comp List at www.virginiabirding.org

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