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Close Encounters: Bald eagles spotted at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach

A pair of bald eagles rest in an osprey nest at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Sandra Porter Leon
A pair of bald eagles rest in an osprey nest at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Sandra Porter Leon
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Sandra Porter Leon photographed a pair of bald eagles resting in an osprey nest at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach with the remains of a ribbonfish they had devoured.

Taylor Proffitt sent photos of bald eagles in a lake in the Kings Grant neighborhood in Virginia Beach. “We see them fairly often,” Proffitt wrote.

Linda Glasson sent a beautiful photo of a juvenile bald eagle at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.

Michael Schimmel spotted a group of tundra swans feeding and resting at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach during the Winter Wildlife Blue Goose Tram Tour.

Tundra swans feed and rest at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Michael Schimmel
Tundra swans feed and rest at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Michael Schimmel

Joe DiGeronimo sent photos of nonbreeding adult willets, feeding along the bay shore of First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. “These beauties had nearly vanished in Virginia, for they were actively hunted as a highly sought after food source up until 1918 when market hunting of willets was outlawed,” DiGeronimo wrote.

Nonbreeding adult willets feed along the bay shore at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Joe DiGeronimo
Nonbreeding adult willets feed along the bay shore at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Joe DiGeronimo

Connie Owen had an unusual sighting of a group of white-fronted geese while visiting the Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore. Owen “was excited to see these unusual geese among the numerous Canada geese, mallards, and buffleheads.”

A group of white-fronted geese visit the Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore. Courtesy of Connie Owen
A group of white-fronted geese visit the Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore. Courtesy of Connie Owen

Reuben Rohn got a photo of a harlequin duck at Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore. The harlequin duck is a rare sea duck in Virginia with a round head and short bill. They are usually found on rocky coastlines in the winter.

A harlequin duck visits Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore. Courtesy of Reuben Rohn
A harlequin duck visits Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore. Courtesy of Reuben Rohn

Gina Rose sent a photo of a very cooperative and beautiful great blue heron near the Pagoda in Norfolk.

Neil Rose photographed a great blue heron on the Norfolk waterfront near the battleship.

Steve Daniel sent photos of great egrets and a great blue heron at Stumpy Lake in Virginia Beach.

Terry Zawacki sent beautiful photos of pelicans lined up on the edge of a boat basin at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Joan Grippo had a great day at the Norfolk Botanical Garden observing and photographing pelicans. “Cherry blossoms are blooming with a beautiful fragrance,” Grippo wrote.

Mack Barefield sent a beautiful photo of a flock of cedar waxwings visiting his bird bath in Broad Bay Colony in Virginia Beach.

A group of cedar waxwings visit a birdbath in Broad Bay Colony in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Mack Barefield
A group of cedar waxwings visit a birdbath in Broad Bay Colony in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Mack Barefield

Terry Riley sent a photo of a male oriole in his backyard in the Three Oaks neighborhood in Virginia Beach. “Since putting this feeder out several weeks ago, we’ve had male and female orioles stop by for grape and red berry jelly almost every day,” Riley wrote.

Ruth McElroy Amundsen photographed a flock of robins that were “enjoying the only unfrozen water around” in her heated birdbath at her home in Norfolk.

A flock of robins enjoy bathing in unfrozen water in a backyard heated birdbath at a Norfolk home. Courtesy of Ruth McElroy Amundsen
A flock of robins enjoy bathing in unfrozen water in a backyard heated birdbath at a Norfolk home. Courtesy of Ruth McElroy Amundsen

Ellen Keeter photographed hummingbirds at her feeder in Birdneck Point in Virginia Beach. “I am lucky enough to normally have at least two hummingbirds year-round,” Keeter wrote.

Michael Barney photographed the largest copperhead he had ever seen sunning on the main trail at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.

Nancy Watters sent photos of a fox that has been visiting her patio each night in Broad Bay Point Greens in Virginia Beach.

Mike Weirich got a photo of a group of dolphins frolicking in the water by the boat ramp at Owl’s Creek in Virginia Beach. Pelicans were also flying over. “I assume there were fish up there,” Weirich wrote.

Dolphins frolic in the water at Owl's Creek in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Mike Weirich
Dolphins frolic in the water at Owl’s Creek in Virginia Beach. Courtesy of Mike Weirich

Vickie Shufer, wildfood@cox.net