FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] The Wetlands (JRPS)

["JANICE FRYE" <jjfdc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This afternoon and evening at the Wetlands was interesting. A red-shouldered
hawk was hunting in the parking area about 5pm.   No American bittern, but
it has so many places to hide and there are frogs everywhere with all the
recent rain.  An accipiter flew above that pool.  The barred owl was still
around the bridge on the golf-course side of the pond and I am learning some
of its habits now.  Still no owlets detected.  I went over to Pleasant Creek
after poking around over there.  Two kingfishers were rattling at opposite
ends of the creek.  There was a horned grebe in the creek and it was letting
me get very close without spooking.  The pictures were getting better and
better until 3 noisy cyclists and a dog off the leash came along.  The
bicycles alarmed the bird so much it never calmed down around me after that.
And the dog went in the creek.  The grebe disappeared up the creek until it
went speeding by and out into the river at dusk.  Just before dusk two 1st
winter Bonaparte's gulls worked their way downriver.  Wood ducks whistled as
they flew, and woodpeckers could be heard all around.  Just after the grebe
headed out to the river a red fox trotted briskly along on the other side of
the creek.  Then possibly 2 pairs of barred owls began hooting, maybe trying
to locate each other after a busy day of being mobbed and harassed by crows
and others.  There was definitely a pair over near the bridge to Pony
Pasture, and a pair downriver from the gravel path to the parking area.
They were not considerate enough to hoot at the same time, or the same pair
moved.  I like them being around in any number.  Goodnight!

 

Jan

Richmond