FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] New Birding Spot

[juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Mike and I spent Earth Day in a "new wetland" we discovered just behind our 
neighborhood. The wetland, mitigated from the I-295 construction > a decade ago 
has, thanks to our beaver friends been tailored into a nature lover's paradise. 
Knee-high boots were needed but that should keep out some of the riff-raff. We 
did some litter removal and then installed 2 Wood duck boxes and 10 Bluebird 
boxes. It was hard for me to be a good carpenter's helper as so much was flying 
about to photograph and scope. The best was a flotilla of freshly fledged downy 
goslings swimming in between Mom and Dad. Another pair of Canada Geese sat 
tightly on their nest. A surprise sighting of a pair of Spotted Sand-pipers in 
great plumage bobbed along the beaver dams. A Beaver gave us the tail slap as 
we unnknowingly got too close to his territory. 

Here's the highlights-yeah we got wet-soaked in fact but it was great out there.

Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose and goslings
Wood Duck
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk

Spotted Sandpiper (2)
Eastern Kingbird
Cedar Waxwing (12)
Yellow-throated Vireo
Carolina Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Prairie Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
-and the expected residents.

Julie K.
Chester