ML645291665

Media notes

Just caught the tail end of VIRA call (was an exact match for the first "Call" example sound listed in Merlin - the West Virginia, July 2000 sound file), approximately the first two seconds of the attached recording.

Observation details

Heard a soft "grunting" call (just managed to catch a recording of the last ~ 2 seconds, but Merlin was able to identify as VIRA) coming from the weeds just beyond the end of the boardwalk on the right-hand side. Then a moment later, two tiny (perhaps softball sized) reddish-brown fluffballs flew out of that bunch of weeds across the little channel of open water that runs perpendicular to the boardwalk, landing just a few seconds later in a different clump of weeds. Watched and waited for a long time, but did not hear or see again. A lifer for me, but a well-known and well-documented location for this species.

Additional species

• Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
• Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus