Rockfish Valley Trail 4/28/11

All photos are © Marshall Faintich


The tornado warning was lifted around 2 p.m., so I went over to the trail to see what last night's storm may have brought in. There were the usual species along with two kinds of warblers.

Two male Common Yellowthroats were chasing a Bluebird out of the vegetation along the creek that is next to Glenthorne Loop Road. In the brush, a female Common Yellowthroat was collecting nesting materials.


Female Common Yellowthroat


Female Common Yellowthroat


Male Common Yellowthroat

Nearby I saw this swallow flying about and then entering one of the boxes. It looks like a juvenile Tree Swallow, but its tail doesn't look right to me, and there appears to be a white spot on the top of its rump. Probably just a minor variation.


Tree Swallow


Tree Swallow

In the bog area near Yellow Bird Thicket, there was at least one, and perhaps two Yellow-breasted Chats. First of the season of this species for me. Both species of warblers seen today were on the trail all last summer.


Yellow-breasted Chat



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