The three WOOD STORKS continue at Sandy River Reservoir this morning.
Warren and I got great looks as they flushed from the close right cove at
the Gates-Bass Road boat launch. Crappy scope photos obtained.
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59727751
We later viewed two of them working the shore across the lake from the
main boat ramp. Those two were last seen heading into the far right cove,
to the right of cattail point. The third bird was last seen in the cove
next to the Gates-Bass Road parking area. They appear to be juvenile/first
year birds due to the extent of feathers remaining on the head.
Evan Spears
Farmville, VA
On Thu, Sep 12, 2019 at 9:43 PM Evan Spears <e3spears@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I quickly stopped in at the Gates-Bass Road boat launch to scan Sandy
River Reservoir for migrants around noon today. While there appeared to be
nothing terribly exciting at first, I noticed with my binoculars a strange
white wader walking behind a distant row of cypress trees against the far
shore. I ran to get the scope only to obtain a single three second view
through the heat shimmer between the gap in the trees before the bird
walked away again. I had to leave, so I alerted others to the oddity.
Big thanks to Julian Dymacek for braving the late afternoon heat to
confirm my suspicion via kayaking across the lake to the cypress cove where
he found not one but three WOOD STORKS. Ty Smith arrived later and watched
the birds until dusk. Two appeared to fly away from lake while one
continued foraging along the shore.
Observation details and link to their photos in checklist:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59715574
I will head out early tomorrow to check if they are still around.
Evan Spears
Farmville, VA
