Afternoon errands yielded at least 5 blue winged teal (3m, 2f) vocalizing,
plus a pair of wood ducks in the same area.
_____
From: Janice Frye [mailto:jjfdc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 11:45 AM
To: 'va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'; 'va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: Riverside Dr., James River Park
On the way to drop off recycling this morning I found a beautiful male
blue-winged teal preening near 7751 Riverside, and there was a PB grebe
upriver from him. On the return trip both were not seen, but there was a
pair of Common mergansers on a rock at the beginning of Pony Pasture Rapids
and another female flying around near them. I saw COMEs 4/5 last year not
far upriver, but is this a little late? Swallows were out there along with
what appeared to be Bonaparte's gulls in breeding plumage. It was gray and
drizzling, so all were a pleasant surprise. Yesterday afternoon at the
Wetlands the gulls appeared to be catching whatever the swallows and purple
martins were eating above the surface of the river.
Jan
Richmond
