VA Birders:
Yesterday (2/3) I birded near the eastern end of Kerr Reservoir (Dick Cross
WMA, Tailrace Park, Palmer Point Park, North Bend Park, Occoneechee SP, and
various back roads in Mecklenburg County). I didn't find anything out of the
ordinary, but I did have good numbers of towhees (43 at Cross WMA), eastern
phoebes (6 at Cross WMA) and chipping sparrows (at least five flocks containing
30 to 150 chippies, each - no clay-colored sparrows to be found). Two brown
thrashers (Cross WMA and Palmer Point Road), one white-crowned sparrow (Cross
WMA), two red-headed woodpeckers (Palmer Point) and a number of brown-headed
nuthatches (various places) were also nice treats. There were few waterfowl to
be found, except at Cross WMA, where there were more than 400 ring-necked ducks
and lesser numbers of other species on Clyde's Pond.
Rather than return home and take care of errands, I decided to stay in
southern Virginia, and today, I made my way from South Hill to Surry County, by
way of Piney Grove Preserve. From the public road through Piney Grove
Preserve, I saw two red-cockaded woodpeckers and several brown-headed
nuthatches as well as more common species. A yellow palm warbler was with a
small flock of bluebirds on Harrell Mill Road. From the visitor center at
Chippokes SP, I found a lesser black-backed gull (possibly the same bird that
has been reported following the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) resting on the water
with a large group of ring-billed guls. A few herring gulls and several great
black-backed gulls were also in the mix. A large flock of Canada geese taking
shelter in the quiet water of the little bay to the west of Chippokes contained
one GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and one snow goose. A brown pelican, closer to
the James City County side of the river (visible only through the
scope) was also a nice surprise. About 750 gadwall were on Sunken Meadow
Pond. A few American wigeon were mixed in with the gadwall, and small numbers
of hooded mergansers and ring-necked ducks were near the northern end of the
pond.
I ended the weekend with just over 100 species, including all eight of
Virginia's woodpeckers. Not a bad weekend total considering the low diversity
of waterfowl and the windy conditions during the afternoon on both days.
Craig Tumer
Gainesville, VA
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