Wendy Ealding and I set out from Richmond: first stop was Big Bethel Reservoir in Newport News, traditionally a reliable place for Redheads. Today the Reservoir was completely frozen and aside from 2 Cormorants, there were no ducks there. Next stop was the Inlet at the Hampton VA, a very relaiable spot for Canvasbacks. Today aside from a few Mallards and Wigeon, it was empty of ducks and frozen around the edges. Next stop was Lynnhaven Inlet: the roosting trees that reliably hold Black-Crowned Night Herons held 5 adults. The inlet was partially frozen but we found at least 25 Brant, a number of Red-breasted Mergs, and 2 Brown Pelicans. Then on to the Tunnel Islands. All the rocks were covered with snow and frozen water, a very Arctic landscape. Gulls were very few and far-between, and almost all were Ring-bills. Island #1 had 4 Long-tailed Ducks and that was it for the islands. We saw no Oystercatchers on any of the islands. #'s 1,2, and 3 had few birds, save for a huge raft on #2 of 3-400 Lesser Scaup very close to the rocks and fringed by 20-25 Ruddy Ducks. However, #4 was the Happening island - many Surf and Black Scoters ( but no White-winged), another raft of 150 or so Lesser Scaup, with 2 male Redheads in the middle of them, 2 female Goldeneye, 2 male Harlequins,and 3 female Common Eiders. Great Corms were common, as were Bufflehead, Purple Sandpipers, and Ruddy Turnstones. We continued on towards Cape Charles, with the obligatory lunch stop at Sting-Rays, and following Ned Brinkley's super directions, easily found the splendid male Baltimore Oriole on Old Cape Charles Rd. In the same yard we also saw a Brown Thrasher. In Cape Charles we saw large flocks of Grackles, and a large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds at Kiptopeke. Lastly we stopped at the Ramp Rd. pond at ESNWR, and, guess what? - it was totally frozen. A lovely day birding, and it actually warmed up by afternoon. Gerry Weinberger Doswell You are subscribed to VA-Richmond-General. To unsubscribe, send email to va-richmond-general-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. To adjust other settings (vacation, digest, etc.) please visit, //www.freelists.org/list/va-richmond-general.