I took advantage of the beautiful evening and full moon yesterday to check
the Banister WMA for Woodcocks. I found 2 birds peenting and displaying in
the last 2 fields on the right just before you reach the river. I had 2
additional birds flyby while I was listening to the displaying birds.
This morning I spent a couple hours at Lawson's Creek WMA trying to beat the
oncoming rain. I found a nice flock of about 75 Rusty Blackbirds foraging
in the marsh. I was able to sneak on a bluff overlooking the area where the
birds were feeding, and got great looks at them for about 10 minutes before
they flushed into the trees over my head and eventually moved on. The only
other notables were my first singing Brown Thrasher of the spring, and a
lone drake Shoveler which was my first for this location.
Paul Glass
South Boston, VA
