Hey all, got out to check the James River off Newport News a couple times over
the past 2 days. A relatively quick scan off a friend's property a couple
miles upriver from Lions Bridge/Mariner's Museum Park yielded the following
close to shore: Bufflehead (24)Canvasback (38)Common Loon (3)Forster's Tern
(2)Lesser Scaup (5)Greater Scaup (3)Ruddy Duck (55)Horned Grebe (1) I went back
out this evening around 5:45pm and did a rough count of the waterfowl roosting
in the River off Lion's Bridge. Good numbers of Horned Grebes and Scaup, most
of the latter were too distant for ID: Bufflehead (133)Lesser Scaup (5)Common
Loon (20)Common Goldeneye (30)Horned Grebe (220)Scaup sp. (260)Canvasback
(16)Hooded Merganser (3) Also had Osprey in the area both days, nice to see
them back. And approx. 14 Great Blue Herons back on nests at the Lake Maury
rookery (pine trees on east side of lake, visible from Lion's Bridge looking
North). Finally, joined a group of sharp-eyed birders on this morning's Sunday
Morning Walk at Newport News Park led by Jane Frigo of Hampton Roads Bird Club.
Weather was kinda nasty but group persevered to find the following waterfowl
of note on Lee Hall Reservoir: Pied-billed Grebe (11), Wood Duck (1), Tundra
Swan (8), Mute Swan (2), Ring-necked Duck (27), Am. Wigeon (44), Am. Coot (5),
Hooded Merganser (15), Gadwall (38). Nick FlandersRaleigh, NC (currently
Newport News, VA)
