some added birds of the southern Virginia region

Linda and I have wrapped up our summer volunteering experience in southern Virginia at Lake Philpott which is run by the US Army Corps of Engineers.  This lake is about 3000 acres and has a 100 mile shoreline.  Finished in 1953 Philpott Dam was designed as a dual purpose facility, hydro power and flood control. The Corps runs 11 boat launch areas, 3 campgrounds and one day use facility.

As volunteers our jobs would range from desk duty at the Visitor Center to trail maintenance and cleaning. One of the more favored assignment was boat patrol. This involved cruising the lake watching for boating violations and unsafe practices as well as checking in on the bathing beaches which were monitored by other volunteers.  During our last week end at the lake I was assigned to boat patrol which allowed me to take some added photos of birds on the lake.  A selection of the better ones is below.

This blue heron was very cooperative

The bird posed for pictures and then turned around so I could get both sides.  A real ham!

the eagle was flushed out of a tree adjacent to the lake and flew directly overhead allowing great pictures.  the wing span must have been six feet or more.

full sunlight allowed me to get lighting on top as well as under wings from the reflection on the lake.

I caught this elusive egret just as it landed using the burst exposure (10 rapid ones with single button push) function on the camera.

This bird teased us by staying several meters ahead of us requiring telephoto lens

one of 11 turkey vultures which we disturbed in one of the inlets off the lake.

I like to think this one was posing for me but more likely it was either warming its wings or posturing for leadership over the one next to it.