Hi, Birders!
Wow!! Wish every one of you could have seen the awesome sight that Jim and
I saw at Dutch Gap/Henricus today. We stopped at the second overlook and used
the scope to look for, primarily, a pair of northern pintails Jim saw
yesterday. Not only did we spot 4 pintails, but there were at least 100 wood
ducks flashing their colors in the sun. It was the most beautiful of all the
sights I have seen as a birder, including a flock of yellow-headed blackbirds
covering the road in front of us at sunset in the Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
(also WOW!!).
ANYWAY, back to today. The wood ducks, beautiful in any light, fairly
sparkled in the crisp winter sun. Paterns and colors were vivid, and the ducks
were close enough to give us a wonderful view. Several mallards (also not
chopped liver) swam among the woodducks, flashing green. We watched as long
as the cold permitted and left reluctantly.
This was the largest gathering of wood ducks we have ever seen, and we are
at DG often. I can't guess why this occured or whether it will happen again.
If you come to Dutch Gap and catch it, though, you'll be a happy birder!
Good luck.
Jim and Beth Creamer
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