It was a glorious morning at Huntley Meadows, and I'm glad we got there
early before the crowds descended. Sightings include a female black duck
with a chick; a pair of wood ducks, and a second male on his own, the
female merganser who had eight chicks last Sunday had seven today s so she
seems to have lost one since last week; and a juvenile red-shouldered hawk
who attracted a gaggle of photographers and a beautiful adult
red-shouldered hawk in flight. We also saw a pine warbler, and heard but
did not see the common yellow throat and the prothonotary warbler.
There was quite a commotion when carps jumped out of the water in a mating
ritual; and a crowd also gathered to watch a Northern Flicker periodically
stick its head out of a tree cavity while a starling sat at the top of the
snag waiting for an opportunity to snatch eggs.
A muskrat appeared briefly, while a water snake sunbathed.
Go there early if you're headed there. HM is no longer the quiet nature
reserve it used to be before the pandemic.
Vineeta Anand in Alexandria
