Today when I took my son to arts camp I saw 2 Osprey-sized black birds with
long bills and the shaggy throat on a light post and the bridge railing just
before 9am. There are a number of Osprey nests along there for size
comparison, and 2 Vulcan quarries at Short Pump and in south Richmond just
east of I-95. Ravens have been seen at The Wetlands in the James River Park
System and in the south Richmond area, plus Lynda Richardson photographed a
nest at the Short Pump quarry years ago. I have seen a couple on the bridge
in the past year or two, and a pair at Rt. 10 and I-95 last winter with
Allen Larner and Penny Warren (correct last name?) during our hummer trip.
These birds did not fly and they were gone on the return trip about 20
minutes later. In the middle of the bridge stopping to observe them would
be frowned upon anyway. Without checking a map, I would guess that the
Willey is roughly halfway between the quarries, though no one seems to be
reporting them nesting at either location.
Drivers on the Powhite Parkway may be finding one Osprey that regularly
perches on the jersey wall close to the tollbooth end of the bridge looking
downriver. I see it almost every time I take that route to the Purple
Martin roost in Shockoe Bottom.
Jan
Richmond, VA
