[va-richmond-general] Possible COMMON GALLINULE at Dutch Gap this morning 4/5/14
- From: Wendy Ealding <wealding@xxxxxxx>
- To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 15:54:09 -0400 (EDT)
Gerry and I have been having some after-the-fact consideration of an unusual
looking American Coot that we saw at Dutch Gap this morning.
When we arrived around 8:30 there was a group of about 30 American Coots just
off the first observation platform. At the edge of the group, maybe about 50
feet out from the platform, we noticed an unusual looking bird that didn't seem
to be interacting with the Coots. It was about the same size as the Coots but,
it had a red (not white) bill and was not solid black like the Coots - the back
was dark brown. It did not have an obvious frontal shield. I was struck by the
large amount of white under the tail, and a white broken stripe along its side.
The bird was observed swimming and loafing in among a clump of weed and
eventually flew off with the group. We were unable to observe the feet, either
while swimming or in flight.
Neither of us had a field guide with us at the time although in consulting the
first edition Sibley since, we agree that the bird that we saw is consistent
with the adult non-breeding bird shown as Common Moorhen in that reference.
Common Moorhen has been split since the publication of the first edition, and
the North American species is now known as Common Gallinule.
If the bird is indeed a Common Gallinule, this would be an early migrant. The
Gold Book lists the typical early arrival date as April 15. We would encourage
anyone visiting Dutch Gap over the next few days to try and relocate the bird.
There are prior eBird records from this location
I am going to revise my eBird submission and include this documentation.
One of these days I am going to learn how to digiscope with the phone. I had
both with me at the time
Wendy Ealding
North Chesterfield.
-----Original Message-----
From: Wendy Ealding <wealding@xxxxxxx>
To: va-richmond-general <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.>
Sent: Sat, Apr 5, 2014 12:07 pm
Subject: Dutch Gap this morning
Gerry Weinberger and I birded Dutch Gap this morning. The wintering waterfowl
have pretty much all gone. Best birds of the morning were a group of 8
Savannah Sparrows perched on the barb wire on the top of the fence around the
ash pond embankment along the first part of the main trail, and 3 Great Egrets
which were in the main swamp - they showed up some time between our first stop
on the way in and our second stop on the way out around 10:30.
I had to leave and Gerry decided to stay a bit longer. As I was driving on 95
just approaching Chippenham, he called to say he had located a Great Horned Owl
nest with at least two young at the back of the swamp. I didn't have time to
go back and see for myself.
My full species list is at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17749781 - I haven't included
anything Gerry may have found after I left
Wendy Ealding
North Chesterfield
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