Eleven volunteers turned out today for the annual Winter survey at the James
River National Wildlife Refuge. It was great to welcome a few new participants
and to welcome back a few veterans of prior years. We had delightful,
unseasonably warm weather that had everyone down to their shirtsleeves by the
end of the walk, though the day was mostly overcast and a bit breezy.
We totaled 40 species, with Bald Eagles being the star of the show. We had
several close encounters, and by the end of the day had tallied 23 individuals.
Most of these were from a scan of the north shore of the James from the Blair’s
wharf area. Close encounters were from walking the trails near the information
kiosk.
There were a smattering of wintering songbirds, including both Kinglet species,
one Hermit Thrush, and one Brown Creeper. We had good woodpecker action with
vocal Pileateds and Downies, and a cooperative Red-headed Woodpecker in the
swamp behind Blair’s Wharf that gave everyone good looks. As has been the case
in recent years, American Black Ducks dominated the waterfowl category, with a
few Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and Bufflehead thrown in.
Complete checklist follows. The eBird checklists have a few photographs:
http://ebird.org/ebird/va/view/checklist/S34324582 ;
<http://ebird.org/ebird/va/view/checklist/S34324582>
http://ebird.org/ebird/va/view/checklist/S34324670 ;
<http://ebird.org/ebird/va/view/checklist/S34324670>
Thanks to everyone who turned out for this event!
Lewis Barnett
Richmond Audubon Society
Total species: 40
Canada Goose 150
Bufflehead 3
Wood Duck 3
American Black Duck 50
Mallard 3
Hooded Merganser 7
Double-crested Cormorant 29
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 20
Bald Eagle 22
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Ring-billed Gull 30
Herring Gull 6
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull 4
Mourning Dove 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 4
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 1
Eastern Bluebird 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Hermit Thrush 1
Pine Warbler 2
Dark-eyed Junco 8
White-throated Sparrow 12
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Common Grackle 11
—
Lewis Barnett
blbarnett3@xxxxxxxxx
