I checked a few spots along the Shenandoah today and found more than I expected.
In the 1.5 mile accessible stretch of the river south of Hwy 50, I found 7
birds: 2 pairs and 1 loner. 1 bird of one pair (male?)
appeared to be maybe 80% into alternate plumage while his mate was totally dull
(don't jump on that one - I'll say no more).
The only other spot where I found birds was at Morgan Ford (CR624), just NE of
Front Royal, where the bridge is flooded out. There
were 4 birds total, all ignoring the presence of encroaching boats.
Surprisingly, the stretch of river between Hwy 50 and Hwy 7 was totally void of
them (just a few C Mergansers).
Lake Frederick was plagued with 12 boats - only a few geese were tolerating
them = no grebes, nor anything else.
For those interested, the Red-tailed Hawk on the nest at Sky Meadows SP was
sitting pretty high in the nest today, seeming to
indicate that maybe she has hatchlings?
A great day to be out, but I'm still longing for that Painted Bunting!
Jon Little
Winchester
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