Today (Tuesday) I observed 1 imm. male and 1 female red crossbill
at Alyce and Tim Quinn's home in Roanoke. When I arrived, Alyce
said that she had not seen any crossbills since Monday evening.
Shortly thereafter (around 10:15) I spotted 2 crossbills in the
deciduous trees directly across the road from the Quinn's home.
The birds gave me excellent views, though certainly not as good
as the close views others had when the birds visited the feeders.
Thanks, Alyce!!
After leaving the Quinn residence, I decided to make a run over
to Rural Retreat Lake to look for the Sandhill Crane. When I got
to the lake around 12:15, I saw a good variety of waterfowl but
alas, no crane. While checking out the waterfowl, I was approached
by the manager who asked me if I had "seen any of those cranes?"
I replied NO and asked if he had seen any cranes. The manager
stated that he had seen 4 Sandhill Cranes fly into the marsh here
late yesterday but hadn't seen since. Encouraged by this news,
I decided to check out the surrounding fields in the hopes that
the birds had not departed but just out feeding in the fields somewhere.
I was blessed to find 4 Sandhill Cranes in one of the fields just south
of the lake. If you travel past the lake to the T-intersection with
RT 670 (Pine Glade Rd), stop at the intersection and look up on the
hill to your right and slightly behind you in the field above the plowed
area you'll be looking at the area where I saw the cranes. Also at
Rural Retreat Lake were: 30 Blue-winged Teal, 6 Green-winged Teal,
5 Ruddies, 100+ coots, 8 Ring-necks, 2 Bufflehead, 15 Am. Widgeon,
6 Lesser Scaup, 2 Hooded Mergs, 50+ Tree Swallows, 2 N. Rough-wings,
1 Raven, and 1 Osprey.
Good Birding,
Mike Boatwright
Amherst,VA
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