Trip Day 24 Monday May 17, 2021 At Martinsville VA

There was a threat of rain today but it didn’t come until we were back at the trailer after visiting two sites that showed promise for birding. Ruth had marinated Chicken for the grill for tonight and later I will tell you about the SURPRISE in foods that we found today while grocery shopping.

After breakfast and packing a lunch (Mine was a piece of Pizza that we had leftover from Sunday night.) we made a stop at the P.O. (Post Office) to mail some cards and the book to return for the Book Club to Marlys. That was downtown from where “Patricia” was the clerk and handled that Media Mail adroitly.

Ruth's" Face" Tree.

A look at the park from the parking lot.(NB Path)

Continuing on it was to the first of two parks that are good birding sites. This one was named Jack Dalton park and it was built for walking, enjoying the shrubs and trees and for us finding birds. There were a number of folks taking part in walking the 1/2 mile loop around the center meadow . There was a ball diamond and  great trails running from the center out to the woods and into them. The macadam walking trail was great fro Ruth to walk on as the surface was dependable. The two benches along the way helped her stretch the walk a bit.

Song Sparrow singing

A Purple Finch

Look hard to see the Pileated Woodpecker.

 Between this park, the next one and the campground site, we did pick up 26 species today and among them these great birds: FISH CROW , PILEATED WOODPECKER (again), EASTERN KINGBIRD, ORCHARD ORIOLE, and the  BALTIMORE ORIOLE, CEDAR WAXWINGS, PROTHONOTORY WARBLER,  CHIMNEY SWIFT, and the BELTED KINGFISHER (again). Ruth has yet to see the Belted Kingfisher as it goes both ways on the Smith River behind us but only when I have been watching. She was also excited about the Orioles and the Pileated Woodpecker as the Orioles have yet to come to our orange and grape jelly at the feeder. We have had Purple Finch, A Carolina Wren and the Black Capped Chickadees come,  and we keep watching for the Carolina Chickadees.  (Very difficult to separate from the Black Capped .)

The second park was Beaver Creek Reservoir, now this time the GPS DID NOT pick upon the real reservoir ,but a store with EXACTLY the same name.  (They sold boats and sails there). So that took us into town and exactly10 miles out of our way until we asked a man where the Reservoir was. He directed us nicely and with two turns  and 7 miles we were there.  If there are duplicate names that can be a problem, and I suppose an address would have solved the problem, but I am not there yet.  The Beaver Creek Reservoir was just 3 minutes from the first Park. !!!

 

 

 

The Beaver Creek Dam

Same Lake looking east

The leakage was at the righand was now stopped 

 

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 They were stopping leakage from the Beaver Creek Dam and one road was closed but we did cruise one road and parked a while at the boat ramp which was huge and paved. Two fishermen, and one auto visitor were all that was there.  The reservoir was small, much smaller than the Philpott Lake one.  Not a bird on the lake! We have noticed thatwe have seen almost no gulls at all. Even on the lakes and reservoirs. Hmm?

 

 

That ended the day as we needed some supplies. (trailers do have limits on room for storage).
So, a stop at the Food Lion (great in the south) found the surprise I mentioned . It was one of our favorites and we had not seen it for three years. TILLAMOOK “MUD SLIDE” ICE CREAM”. Even though our freezer is small,  (2.2 CU Ft?) Ruth rearranged everything so it would fit.(Of course!). Tillamook is made in Oregon ,but it has not made it to Michigan Yet!

With the grill set up and the chicken marinated overnight, we had tender chicken and veggies  that ended a fine day.

I don’t mention the Water Sewer and electric, but I usually dump the sewer every three days and today was it.

The rain ended about supper time, and the sun is trying to break through. Tomorrow we visit my niece Catherine and her husband Bruce in Roanoke just 50 miles west in a straight shot. We have not seen them in awhile and that will be a treat. (She is one of my sister Grace’s daughters.)

We will fill you in on that visit tomorrow.—Jim