more bird watching...

Another poor quality shot, because this guy was on the opposite side of a pond, roughly 75m away. I got an ID on him, turns out it is a Rusty Blackbird, supposedly a rare find in the highlands now. Their population has declined 90%. We observed a family group of 10-12 at Valle Crucis Park

I took a quick trip home on sunday and took the opportunity to do some bird watching in a different area, so we dropped by Bent Creek Experimental forest. I think it was the first time I've ever been there without my mountain bike. Here is a shot of lake Powhatan, which turned out to be a nice spot for water fowl.  
Pied billed Grebe
Bufflehead pair (female left, male right)