Mary Foster, Tony Adcock, and I braved the heat this morning to check out
Staunton River State Park. We found some nice exposed mudflats that held
good numbers of wading birds, but very few shorebirds yet. Highlights were
3 juvenile Little Blue Herons, 30+ Great Egrets, 15 flyover Blue-winged
Teal, and 2 Spotted Sandpipers. We also got nice looks at a pair of Belted
Kingfishers and a Red-headed Woodpecker, and on the drive out of the park a
male Summer Tanager flew up from the roadside and perched for a great view.
On the way home, we stopped by the Powell farm in the Wolftrap area where
Mississippi Kites have been breeding regularly for several years. We found
1 adult bird soaring and harassing a Red-tailed Hawk.
Paul Glass
South Boston, VA
