Before and after attending a VARCOM meeting in Lexington today, and before
some family commitments this evening, I saw some fairly interesting birds
in a limited amount of birding time.
On the way to the meeting I saw Hooded (2), Common (6), and Red-breasted
mergansers on the James River just above the Snowden Dam (Amherst / Bedford
counties).
After the meeting I spotted a Red-necked Grebe just downstream from the US
60 bridge over the Maury River, just inside the Buena Vista city limits.
While looking at the grebe I met a local resident who told me he had a Bald
Eagle nest on his property nearby and invited me to come see it. I
accepted, and when I looked at the pine tree he pointed out to me, found an
adult eagle staring back at me from a nest.
After crossing the Blue Ridge I stopped at two of the larger lakes in
Amherst County. The first bird I saw at Thrashers Lake - before getting out
of my car - was an immature Golden Eagle soaring overhead. I was able to
get it in the scope and watch it circling above me for a few minutes until
it passed out of sight to the south. Over at Stonehouse Lake a short time
later I was able to find two Red-necked Grebes, probably those reported
earlier today by Mark Johnson.
Later in the afternoon at a private lake in Bedford County the species list
included 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 2 Horned Grebes, and yet another Red-necked
Grebe, as well as a dozen or so Red-breasted Mergansers.
Having mentioned VARCOM above, let me put in a plug for our state bird
records committee and encourage anyone who is not familiar with its
activity to check out their webpage here:
http://www.virginiabirds.net/varcom.html
Good birding everyone; enjoy the grebes -
Mike Stinson
Dillwyn, VA
--
My 2014 birding blog: http://birdingtheheartofva.blogspot.com/
