Hello, all. Here's a brief update on a 50% successful outing this afternoon
looking for waterfowl.
Ragged Mountain was scanned for 45 mins; goldeneye and greater scaup were
not present, but *redhead* was.
Monticello High School Lake had the same *common merg.* and ring-necked
ducks that have been there recently, plus the deceased coot that David
Shoch earlier reported.
The cackling goose and dabbling ducks that had been reported in a cornfield
in Green Springs were no longer there; thanks to Andrew Rapp for giving me
directions to the correct field.
At Lake Monticello, I met Kim Kozella who showed me phonescopes of *long-tailed
ducks* and a *canvasback*; I scanned the entire group of birds enough to go
over some parts twice, but still missed these. I still got three *common
mergs.* I was very surprised that any open water would remain after the -3
degree temperatures last night and the single-digit temps earlier in the
week. I would have thought that waterfowl that sleep on the water would be
in enough danger from overnight freezing that all of the birds would go
south or to Lake Anna or somewhere else with much more open water.
I guess these birds will be in less danger from the cold and ice starting
tomorrow, when temperatures that will allow melting are forecasted.
Great birding,
Shea
