Hello Birders,
Richmond Audubon led a group to Curles Neck Farm in eastern Henrico Sunday
morning. The weather was beautiful and the birds were, too.
Highlights, included a sunrise stream on Ring-billed Gulls coming upriver
across the farm from some roosting spot, presumably in the Hopewell area.
Certainly, the most gulls I have ever seen. There was no way to
confidently count them, but based on the portions of the flock dropping
down to feed on the farm I would "estimate" the flock to be near 30-40,000.
We found 16 lingering Snow Geese (14 blue morph), and farmers there tell me
that the flock left a bit earlier than it usually does. They stopped
noticing them about two weeks ago.
We had great looks at a Great Horned Owl on her nest and very brief looks
at a Barn Owl sneaking out the back door of a barn. Pipits were everywhere
and Horned Larks were singing somewhere up there. Plenty of snipe to look
at it and even more we almost saw. Diverse waterfowl in low numbers. There
was one Red-necked Grebe, imagine that.
Curles Neck Farm is private.
Ebird list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17370749
Good birding,
Ellison
--
Ellison Orcutt
Birder/Naturalist
Richmond, Va
Cell: (804) 339-6976
Mr.EllyO@xxxxxxxxx
