Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

There was sun on the morning of Wednesday, May 8, and I couldn't get outside fast enough after so many days of cold and rain.  I visited this bird sanctuary created by the local Audubon club, saving a rare mountain wetland area from becoming a shopping center.  There were 5 "real" birders there who I enjoyed visiting with, and who were happy to help me know what I saw.

There were quite a few mallard mamas and babies, and also a group of male mallards hanging out together in another part of the water.  Must have been some good grub on the bottom, because they were all feeding heartily.

Great Blue Heron "yoga".  The birders were quite proud to point out their nesting pair, and I honestly had not expected to see herons here.  These guys were hanging out in their favorite tree the whole time, so they must have already eaten that morning.

Also lots of turtles around.  Sometimes I didn't realize they were there until I heard them plop off the log and into the water.  But these two seemed rather fond of each other.  Turtle smooching?

There were quite a few nesting boxes installed in the sanctuary, and I watched a pair of house wrens going in and out of this one carrying nesting material. 

A fellow that was looking for birds at the same time thought he had spotted an oriole, but another guy came along and helped identify this one as an American Redstart.  The bird was really flitting fast and furious in the brush, so I feel very lucky to have gotten this shot at all.  I later read that it uses its tail to flick flies off of branches and then eats the flies.

Also did not expect to see a green heron, and I had never been able to see one in breeding plumage before (the red chest), so I actually had to ask one of the real birders what it was.  I feel like I should have known that, as many as there are in Tidewater. This guy was way back in a little cove, so my zoom served me well.  I hate that there is a drink can in the shot, though.

A common, but very cute female cardinal.  One reason I chose this location to visit on this particular day was because I read that it had boardwalks throughout, and with all the rain there had been, I rightly judged that it would save some tromping through mud.