Paul Glass, Fenton Day, Bruce Richardson and I enjoyed a nice morning at
Staunton View Park in Mecklenburg/Charlotte Co. The MARBLED GODWIT that Fenton
found Friday was still present near the point of Staunton River State Park in
the early morning but moved out of sight by afternoon. It was probably still
there but had moved behind the wall of vegetation. Another nice bird for the
morning was a juvenile TRICOLORED HERON found further upriver amongst a group
of GREAT EGRETS. Also upriver was a probable juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON but
distance and lighting was playing tricks on us and we could not absolutely rule
out Snowy Egret. Lots of shorebirds were present which included a nice adult
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER still sporting alternate plumage ( 6 BB Plovers flew over
earlier in the morning but this was the only one on the ground). Other
shorebirds were KILLDEER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, GREATER and
LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER and LEAST SANDPIPER. Immature WHITE IBIS were there in big numbers
and I believe our best count was 35, there were most certainly more. An
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK was hanging out with some Mallards and at least one (maybe
two?) NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was working the shoreline. A family of PROTHONOTARY
WARBLERS was enjoyed in some brush near the parking lot. Lots of good stuff to
look at down there but, if you go, bring a scope! Good birding.
Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie Co.
