Northern Shoveler

[Carola]

While driving to Riner from Blacksburg on Sunday evening (May 19) with my daughter, I noticed a male Northern Shoveler in a livestock pond at the low spot on Dairy Road.  I paused for a few moments so my daughter could get a look, but not a great place to stop in the road, so didn't stay long. We didn't have binoculars, but he was at the end of the pond close to the road and we got a good look at him.  Didn't see any other ducks in the pond that evening.  When I drove by tonight, at about the same time, there were several big calves in the pond and no ducks!  Anybody else seeing shovelers around?  Seemed unusual to me, and according to the VSO yellowbook the late date for the mountains is May 17.