Today Fenton Day and I drove down to Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County
to look for a Brown Booby first reported by Ben Simpson on NARBA on 10-04, then
photographed on 10-06 by Terry Ellen Carter and her husband. The bird was also
observed by Clyde Kessler yesterday. We arrived at the park around 11am and
began scanning the lake from various points in the park. Finally at 2:40pm DST
we spotted the bird on the water across the lake from the point of land behind
the Haven Howe House, which is located adjacent?to the park marina.??As a point
of reference, a small lighthouse is located in a yard that borders the far side
of the?lake. The bird was seen in the water near this yard. Looking through a
spotting scope we could clearly see the dark brown head, back and tail in
addition to the large, ivory-colored bill. The photograph shows a white breast
and belly but those details were obscured due to the bird being on the water.
Mike Purdy
Roanoke, VA.
