Even though I didn't think there was much chance that what was left of T.S.
Bill would bring any waifs into the state today, I couldn't resist getting out
in it, and so I found myself at Kerr Reservoir this morning, staring at mostly
empty skies. On the way down I spotted a family of Loggerhead Shrikes by the
road (VA 47 northwest of Chase City) - there was at least one juvenile in the
group. At the lake, I did see a single adult Forster's Tern in the late morning
that hung around above the dam for a while before disappearing, as well as the
usual nice birds for the spot - Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Cliff Swallows. A couple
of distant gulls went unidentified.
I stopped by Dick Cross WMA a little later and spent a while scoping Clyde's
Pond, which is as much marsh as pond these days. Here I was delighted to find
two broods of Pied-billed Grebe chicks. One group was well on the way to
adulthood, three chicks beginning to lose their stripes, while three others
were still tiny and were being fed by a very busy parent. Maybe there was
another adult somewhere, but I only saw one at a time. There also might have
been a seventh chick (or more); they were very good at hiding in the vegetation
and the rain was interfering with my view at times.
Another bird that at least caused me to do a double-take when driving by was an
adult Mute Swan beside US 1. It was in high water just north of the US 1 bridge
over the Roanoke River/upper Lake Gaston.
Hope everyone has a fun, safe holiday -
Mike Stinson
Buckingham Co., VA
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