This morning I too visited Altamaha WMA getting there about 7:30 am. I saw two Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on the east side of Rte 17 taking flight from the far back pool as I got close to that pool. They circled and then headed north and I got good looks at them. I did not see any others in that last pool. On the way out there, I saw 3 Least Bitterns and about 100,000 Red-winged Blackbirds (OK that may be a little high). On the return walk, I got a good long look at a Purple Gallinule in the middle of the pathway. It may have been displaying because its tail feathers were upright and the white was very visible.

I went over to the west side of Rte 17 (an area I am not very familiar with). At the Champney Island lookout, I saw three more Black-bellied Whistling Ducks flying around the fields. They flew around for about 2 minutes and then settled down in the grass. Even though I saw exactly where they landed, I could not locate them again in the high grass.

Always good birding down there.

Jim Throckmorton

Sandy Springs, GA

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