After fleeing VA Beach Saturday night ahead of the storm and hunkering down
Sunday during it, I ventured out today around noon to do a little birding.
I ended up at the Belmont Bay Marina. The sun even peeked out a couple of
times while I was there, nicely lighting the many ducks on the calm bay.
There were thousands of ducks beyond scope range, but of those I could see,
Lesser Scaup were the most numerous (250 to species and a 1000 as "scaup"
though undoubtedly Lessers), followed by Gadwall, then Ruddy Ducks, then
Ring-necked Ducks, all in the multiple 100s. There were two rafts of
American Coot (with liberal numbers of Gadwall mixed in) that I
conservatively put at 1000 total.
In smaller numbers I was happy to see about 60 Canvasbacks, plus Mallards,
American Black Ducks (in flight, none on the water within range),
Bufflehead, Hooded and Common Mergansers, and one male Redhead.
Also of note were a half dozen Laughing Gulls in a mixed flock of larids on
the roof of the "Fairfax Boat Company" in-water boat shed, towards the
bridge.
I initially stopped at OBNWR, but it was closed for a managed hunt today.
Poking around the perimeter, I snagged my earlobe on a catbrier. Not a
painful or impressive injury, but it bled for 15 minutes like I had opened
an artery. I mention only for the continued amusement of the few who are
aware of the narrative arc of my 4 day birding weekend.
Cheers,
Russ Taylor
