VA birders,
This afternoon my husband and I went to Oceana Pond (on Oceana Naval Base
property). The pond only had a pair of AMERICAN WIGEONS and a lone PIED-BILLED
GREBE on it, however we were surprised to see an OSPREY preening in a tree in
across the pond. The Osprey was the first of three we saw that afternoon in
other locations. While at the pond, 2 TUNDRA SWAN V-formations (40 in one and
75 in the other) flew over. The trails around the pond had countless
Yellow-rumped Warblers and other typical winter birds. We were very pleased to
find
3 different BROWN CREEPERS working the tree trunks in the back-side trails.
After leaving Oceana Pond we stopped by Owls Creek on General Booth Blvd.
and watched the BALD EAGLE in the tree top across the creek. Thats when we saw
our second OSPREY for the day. It flew by the Eagle, swooped down close and
flashed it's talons and then went on it's way.
We left Owls Creek and headed toward the beach at Rudee Inlet and saw a
couple of Brown Pelicans and Gannet and then went out 17th Street headed west.
When 17th Street changes to Virginia Beach Blvd., just past the Birdneck Rd.
intersection there is an Osprey nest on the right side of the
road...yep...thats
where we saw our third OSPREY of the day. It was actually sitting in the
nest. We didn't have great looks at the bird as its back was to us and only
once
turned its head to confirm the Ospreys head features. This all happened
within an hour and a half...who would have thought we would have seen 3
Osprey,
late November. I thought it was pretty cool!
Karen Beatty
Virginia Beach, VA
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