Birding in the Neighborhoods South: Deer Lagoon and Greenbank Farm
By Cathi Bower
Back at the end of February out at Deer Lagoon, that Redhead was still out there hanging with the scaup and some Ring-necked Ducks and all the other many species to be expected — Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, wigeons, Mallards, Green-winged Teals, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Coots, a Common Goldeneye and Canada Geese. The wooded dike path was thick with little mixed flocks of chickadees, Bushtits, Brown Creepers, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, plus the usual Virginia Rail calling, and Marsh Wrens and Red-winged Blackbirds.
Early in March, at Greenbank Farm we watched Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Bewick’s Wrens, Marsh Wrens and Great Blue Herons. We could hear a rail, too. We then wandered over to the Wonn Road shore access where we enjoyed the sunny beach, protected from that chilly wind, and watched the Double-crested Cormorants, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Red-breasted Mergansers, Horned Grebes, Surf Scoters, a Red-necked Grebe, a Pacific Loon, a Kingfisher, and at least one White-winged Scoter!
Just before Spring arrived, another chilly wind drove us to the relatively protected east side of Deer Lagoon at Sunlight Beach, where we watch dozens of Brants, a few Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers and the most gorgeous ducks — too many to name - who have all developed their seasonal looking-for-love plumages. A striking Eurasian Wigeon was so close in for us to really appreciate his glowing copper head. Same with the Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teals and more Northern Shovelers than any of us remember seeing anywhere. The main attraction was to see the heron rookery one last time before their nests are obscured with spring foliage. We counted at least three dozen Great-blue Herons, half of whom were standing on the marsh and the rest were perched up on their nests. Such an interesting sight, and every now and then a squawk startled us every time! There were also a few Greater White-fronted Geese out there! Plus, we witnessed quite the Bald Eagle drama out on the beach. Several were tumbling around on the spit that the Brants then opted to vacate. The altercation appeared to be over a food item. One of the eagles was the leucistic one that’s been out there off and on. Hurry up if you want to see the rookery in actioon, because they are impossible to watch once the trees leaf out. And the herons like it that way.
Birding in Neighborhoods South (BIN South) meets every other Thursday morning at 9 a.m. Contact Cathi Bower. Next dates are April 16 and 30. As days get longer the meeting time changes to 8 a.m.