[va-richmond-general] Feathered visitors...

Seen yesterday around Manchester Lake and Pocosham Park woods...a Green Heron 
and a *very* vocal pair of Belted Kingfishers!
Also:

Grey Catbird (serenading nicely)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren (serenading from every possible bush and shrub)
Blue Jay
American Robin
Boat-tailed and Common Grackle
Downy Woodpecker
Tufted Titmouse
Red-tailed Hawk
White-breasted Nuthatch
Tree Swallow
  
The Kingfishers were skylarking, having a grand time announcing their presence 
while also flying up and down the length of the little creek that runs behind 
the lake.  The pair did this for about 3 hours, and they had quite an audience! 
 Three little girls from my neighborhood came running over when they saw me 
lurking around the lake with my binoculars (I am known as "The Bird Lady" 
amongst the kids in the neighborhood both because they know I like to watch 
birds by the lake, and because my companion birds enjoy sitting on the 
windowsill and the kids whistle and call to the birds, and sometimes, my birds 
answer them).  I showed them where the Kingfishers were flying, and showed them 
the photo of the Kingfishers in the field guide, and read to them about the 
birds (kids love that).

The Green Heron was stalking the shoreline and took 4 good sized fish in a 
matter of an hour, and a few other little tidbits while looking for larger 
fish.  This feathered angler would catch a fish, and then hop up onto the 
grassy area and then flip the fish and swallow.  It's interesting how the bird 
went up to the level, grassy area to do this; almost as though it were the 
"oops-proof" area where a fish could be recovered if dropped.  Amazing.  So, 
with a very distended and bulging crop,  the heron shook its feathers, preened, 
and then flew off, ostensibly to take a short nap after a late lunch.

I then visited with our new lifeguard, who is a recent immigrant from Serbia, 
and he asked me what I'd seen by the lake.  Never one to miss and opportunity 
for making a new convert, I showed him the photo of the Green Heron in the 
field guide.  His eyes lit up with enthusiasm, and he pointed to several birds, 
including the Kingfishers, asking what they were, their names, and so on.  It 
turns out he'd fallen in love with our Cardinals, and had spent the afternoon 
trying to take a photo of the birds as they landed around the pool area, but 
hadn't any luck so far.  But now, he knew the name of the bird he was pursuing. 
 When something feathered landed (a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, in 
particular), he eagerly grabbed for the binoculars and "oohed" and "aaahed" 
admiring the birds, asking questions about them.  Looks like another birder in 
the making!

Irene in Southside 
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