Reece Jamerson and I checked Paddle Creek Ponds about the middle of the afternoon. As Glen Eller posted for us, we had three BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS there, along with a Spotted Sandpiper, a Pectoral Sandpiper, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron and about 15 Killdeer. Next stop was the Weir Dam--only birds there were about 20 Canada Geese. Then Musick's Campground, where we were joined after a short while by Wallace and Carolyn Coffey. Highlights were Cooper's Hawk Kingfisher D. C. Cormorant BLACK TERN Great Egrets 3 Great Blue Heron OSPREY The Osprey put on a great show, coming from the left and dropping in a spectacular dive right in front of the island (now a peninsula) with the willow tree not far in front of us to grab a fairly large fish right at the edge of the shore in shallow water. He turned it as he flew off toward the Virginia shore. As the sun was setting, Mike Sanders called Wallace and they agreed to check Paddle Creek to follow up on our Buff-Breasted Sandpiper report. We caught up with them there as it was getting dark. There were some folks fishing along the pond and they had been working around the pond, so between their activity and the darkness, we didn't find the Buff-breasted Sandpipers again. But, then, Wallace told us to train our scopes and binoculars on the three silos down the road where Barn Owls had been seen. Mike spotted one sitting by the opening of the middle silo, and as we watched, an adult BARN OWL flew out. We thought we were seeing another owl there, so Mike, Reece and I drove down along Paddle Creek Rd. to try to get a better view of the silo opening. We saw what we concluded were at least two additional Barn Owls, likely another adult and a young owl. Reece and I had a great birding day with unexpected results and good birding experiences with Wallace, Carolyn and Mike Sanders. Roy Knispel Johnson City