[va-richmond-general] Wetlands this evening (4/24)
- From: "Barnett, Lewis" <lbarnett@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Richmond Audubon Society mailing list <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:53 +0000
I dropped by the Wetlands section of James River Park after work today. Other
than my first City-of-Richmond Common Yellowthroat of the year, there wasn't
much in the way of detectable migrants at that time of day, but it was a rather
remarkable hour in the woods.
There is what seems to be an active Downy Woodpecker nest easily visible from
the trail on the right about 50 yards into the park. This is just opposite a
jumble of sycamore logs that were cut to clear the trail after Irene. There's a
broken off snag with a perfectly round hole (that looked too small for a Downy)
near the top, about twenty feet off the trail. As I looked at the hole through
my binoculars, thinking to myself that it looked like a perfect nest site for
something, out poked Mama Downy's head.
As I was peeking from the eastern-most blind at a Swamp Sparrow preening in a
bush by the pond's edge, out swam a beaver trailing a few fronds of what looked
like some sort of grass.
There was a ruckus off on the trail that leads west from the pond, which turned
out to be a mixed flock of Cardinals and Chickadees mobbing a Barred Owl that
was on the ground, presumably with some tasty bit of supper. I got an
interesting look as the Owl flew off, looking a bit disheveled and annoyed at
all the attention.
There were Purple Martins, Barn Swallows and Tree Swallows flying over the
river. As I was watching them, an Osprey flew out from the south bank, low over
the water, trailing its talons in the water, a bit like the hippogriff in one
of the Harry Potter movies. Once or twice as it crossed the river, it seemed to
dip its beak downwards, as if it was drinking on the wing like some swallows
do. I had never seen anything like that.
As I was leaving, I took the time to track down the Yellowthroat, which was
singing strongly from high up in the good-sized juniper on the eastern edge of
the meadow.
Definitely the best hour of my day.
Lewis Barnett
lbarnett@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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