I went out to Carvins Cove this evening to see if anymore migrants had
stopped over. The only new migrants were a flock of 36 GADWALL. Although
Gadwall are
a common sight at nearby Murray's Pond, I think this may be the first time
I've seen them at the cove. Most of the birds I reported at the cove yesterday
have left, with a few holdovers, if not new migrants. Still present were a few
BONAPARTE'S and RING-BILLED GULLS, and 4 female RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. Also
1 HORNED GREBE. The highlight for me today was a River Otter playing in the
water near the fishing pier, the first one I've seen at the cove. I found a
KILLDEER nest behind the office with two eggs. I was alerted to the presence of
the nest due to the male doing the broken wing display to a Gray Squirrel. When
the squirrel got too close to the incubating female she moved off of the nest
and did the same display. I'm assuming I've attached the correct gender to the
two birds, I don't know if both the male and the female incubate the eggs.
These Killdeer that nest at the cove every year are interesting because they
spend a lot of time foraging in the woods. Even the nest is partially in the
woods. The only open areas are the parking lot and a few small grassy areas,
one
being by the lake. This is the only place I've ever seen a Killdeer and a
Pileated Woodpecker in the same field of view. The Pileated was foraging at the
base of a tree in the woods with a Killdeer standing right beside it.
I left the cove and headed over to Murray's Pond to check for any new
migrants there. The only new birds were a flock of 9 BUFFLEHEAD, including 5
striking males. They stayed together in a tight, little group so they may have
just
recently arrived. Nothing else except a few ROUGH-WINGED AND TREE SWALLOWS.
Plus the usual CANADA GEESE, one still on a nest.
Mike Purdy
Roanoke, Va.
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