I decided to swing by Dutch Gap on the way home this afternoon. It was
very quiet, but I managed to get a few nice pics and hope to post them
later tonight.
I stayed on the roadway and the upper end near the first platform. As
it got later and closer to dusk, there started to be much movement
around and overhead of ducks and geese. I am not sure what the ducks
were...they were dark colored and had some white on the underwing. They
weren't mallards is about all I can be sure of.
When I arrived at the first platform there was a Coot and a Grebe off to
the right. They were about 3 feet apart. As I watched, they came
together and the Grebe was picking stuff off the feathers of the Coot
and they were staying very close to each other. Then another Grebe
popped up (I have no idea where he came from) and the behavior changed.
While they stayed in the same vicinity, if the Coot got too close, the
Grebes would lunge at it to make it back off. I wonder if that is like
the husband surprising the wife and boyfriend?? ;-)
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Pied-Billed Grebes (3)
American Coot (1)
Cardinals
Mockingbirds
Red wing blackbirds
Kestrels (2)
Canada Goose
Wood Ducks (2 pair)
And if anybody needs a cat, there were about a dozen of them down in the
parking area near the boat ramp. Looked like someone had dropped some
food for them.
I will post some pictures later.
Barbara Houston
New Kent, VA
