Benjamin Gerber got a beautiful shot of a bald eagle flying overhead at Western Branch in Chesapeake. Bald eagles have become more numerous and can frequently be seen near large bodies of water where they forage for fish.
Ankie Keizer photographed a beautiful bald eagle posing on a branch in a pine tree at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. “First, he was flying on top of us, but fortunately he decided to sit quietly for a moment,” wrote Keizer.
Joe DiGeronimo photographed a flock of tundra swans at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. “On occasion, Open Roads events are in place wherein the refuge roads, normally closed to vehicles, are open to automobile traffic,” wrote DiGeronimo. “A unique opportunity.”
Reuben Rohn had a rare sighting of a long-billed curlew at Box Tree Marsh in Northampton County. The long-billed curlew is a long-legged shorebird with a very long, thin-curved bill. The curlew is a visitor from the western part of the country where they breed in the summer months and winter along the coast and interior Mexico.
Connie Owen photographed a lesser scaup at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. The lesser scaup is a medium-sized diving duck that spends the winter along the coast in bays, rivers, and wetlands. They often mix with other diving ducks including greater scaup, redheads, and ring-necked ducks.
Laura Koubsky got a photo of a flock of redhead ducks taking flight at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Redhead ducks are medium-sized diving ducks that can be distinguished from other ducks by their cinnamon-red head. They often form large rafts with other diving birds.
Mike Weirich got some photos of black scoters at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach. Scoters are black, velvety sea ducks with a bright orange knob at the base of the bill. They form large flocks in the winter along the coastline where they forage for mussels.
June McDaniels sent a photo of a barred owl that she and Andrew Baldelli spotted on Nanney’s Creek Road in Virginia Beach. “He was visible from the bridge,” wrote McDaniels.
Tom Houser had a pair of orioles show up in his yard in the Carolanne Farms neighborhood in Virginia Beach. “They were very skittish when they first started hitting our feeders,” wrote Houser. “One of my favorite visitors!”
Pam Woody was delighted to see an oriole in her yard in Windsor. “Gorgeous birds!” wrote Woody. Orioles are often seen during the winter months as they are migrating south and can be lured to feeders with fruits and nectar.
Hummingbirds are still around. Nylia Laney looked out her kitchen window and received a surprise birthday greeting from a hummingbird coming to the feeder in the Castleton area of Virginia Beach.
Gary Williamson spotted a beautiful ribbon snake camouflaged amongst the leaf litter at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. Ribbon snakes resemble garter snakes but have lateral yellow stripes against a dark background.
Steve Daniel spotted a gray fox while hiking the trail at Pleasure House Point in Virginia Beach. “I was thrilled to see a gray fox there for the first time on Friday,” wrote Daniel. “We had a stare-off for about a minute before it bounded back into the woods.”
Vickie Shufer, wildfood@cox.net
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If you go
What: Two-hour whale watching
When: December-February; 1 p.m.
Where: 200 Winston Salem Ave., Virginia Beach
Cost: $35/adults, ages 12-and-older; $33/military; $28/children 4-11; $5/toddlers 3 and younger
More information: (757) 425-3400; rudeeangler@gmail.com; www.rudeetours.com/whale-watching.
