I did a bit of birding by car in the rain this morning. The best find was a
mixed flock of Grackles and Rusty Blackbirds foraging on the wet ground in
the industrial park area. I only had time to scan a small portion of the
flock before they took off, but I counted just over 30 Rusties, and probably
missed many more. In the same area was a gull flock that included 2 first
cycle Herrings with about 80 Ring-bills. Sparrows included Field,
Savannah, Song, White-throat and Junco.
At Edmund's Park, a lone Tree Swallow (my first of the season) was foraging
over the main pond, and 110 Ring-billed Gulls were feeding on earthworms on
the hillside next to the pond.
Yesterday I had a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the back yard for the first time
in several weeks.
Paul Glass
South Boston, VA
