The ruddy duck was the most sighted bird in the Audubon Mathews Christmas Bird Count, which was held on Jan. 2 in Mathews County and the Ware Neck sector of Gloucester.
A total of 16,791 birds of 110 species were spotted that day, according to local CBC compiler Mark Sopko. Other top species seen by birders included the bufflehead (1,297), red-winged blackbird (1,229), the common grackle (1,014), Canada goose (968), American crow (603) and yellow-rumped warbler (482).
Among the rare birds sighted in the local count were the American bittern, semipalmated plover (two), sedge wren, lark sparrow and blue-headed vireo (two).
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