Ring-necked Duck. Photo by Ira Lianez.
On January 19, Drew Chaney led seven young birders to Dutch Gap Conservation Area. We parked and walked to the first overlook. The river was full of ducks including Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Ring-necked Ducks, Wood Ducks, American Black Ducks and American Wigeons. We were surprised to see a single female Redhead. We walked to the top of a hill, viewing two ponds. There were several Bufflehead.
We walked down a trail into the forest, finding a Red-headed Woodpecker. We continued onto the boardwalk. We saw two Pileated Woodpeckers, hitting woodpecker closeout. We also saw an American Coot and two Eastern Phoebes. We walked to the James River overlook, and had nine Common Mergansers flying over.
We walked down the trail, where we got a closer look at the river. Two more Common Mergansers flew over, and we saw several Double-crested Cormorants in the water. An adult Bald Eagle perched in the trees.
We arrived at Ancarrow's Landing, a park in the Richmond city limits. We were looking for an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a rarity that had been continuing since last year. We met many other birders looking for the flycatcher. They had seen it earlier, but could not relocate it. We searched most of the park, but were unable to find it. The highlight was an Orange-crowned Warbler.
by Ira Lianez
We walked down a trail into the forest, finding a Red-headed Woodpecker. We continued onto the boardwalk. We saw two Pileated Woodpeckers, hitting woodpecker closeout. We also saw an American Coot and two Eastern Phoebes. We walked to the James River overlook, and had nine Common Mergansers flying over.
We walked down the trail, where we got a closer look at the river. Two more Common Mergansers flew over, and we saw several Double-crested Cormorants in the water. An adult Bald Eagle perched in the trees.
We arrived at Ancarrow's Landing, a park in the Richmond city limits. We were looking for an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a rarity that had been continuing since last year. We met many other birders looking for the flycatcher. They had seen it earlier, but could not relocate it. We searched most of the park, but were unable to find it. The highlight was an Orange-crowned Warbler.
by Ira Lianez