So after the weather decided to be nice today, I left work half day and
headed to Hog Island. I really wanted to see those white pelicans. As
soon as I arrived, they were near the road in the first pond. They were
only 5 of them, but I got a few pics. I headed on and right after I
had passed them, an eagle flew through and they took off. I lost them
for a bit and then spotted them later in the day in a back pond. I rode
the drive several times, highlight for me was a nesting Killdeer sitting
on an egg in the road. I put some sticks around it to alert others and
when I left 6 hours later the egg was still there.... I walked the main
trail to the back platform. That is definitely where the most bird
activity was at and where I saw the otter.
Bald eagle activity was good, but mostly immatures. They are very
bashful over there so not many photos of them. The other bird activity
was awesome. There were birds of every kind everywhere. Even with me
not knowing many of them, I have quite a list. Of course, I also have a
list of ones I can't ID and will be posting photos later to get your input.
If you haven't seen the white pelicans, you need to go see them. They
are gorgeous birds and their markings, especially in flight are amazing.
I didn't leave there until 6:30 and was not bored at any time. The
Dominion plant is in their annual outage and have a ton of people
reporting for each shift. I would avoid getting there around the 7am,
3pm, and 7pm shifts.
Birds:
White Pelicans - 5
Laughing Gulls
Bald Eagle - 20+
Osprey - 9
Great Blue Herons - everywhere
Cormorants - 12
Mallards - 40+
Killdeer - 4
Orchard Oriole - 4
Mockingbird - 6
Great Egret - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 20+
Cardinal - 8
Blue Jay - 1
Red Wing Blackbirds - everywhere
Egret
Mourning Dove
Spotted Sandpiper - 2
American Robin
Wood Ducks - 2
Quail
Indigo Bunting -4
American Flycatcher - 6+
Barn Swallows
Tree swallows
Turkey Vultures
Black Vultures
Eastern Bluebird - 4
Blue Grosbeak - 2
Baltimore Oriole
Yellow Somethings
Red headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Greater Yeloowlegs
Chickadee
Green Heron
Non-Birds:
Otter - eating a carp
White tail deer
Turtle
Rabbit
Carp
Muskrat
Mosquitoes
Flys that Bite!
Barbara Houston
New Kent VA
