The northerly winds started to subside here in my Wintergreen area, so I first headed over to the Rockfish Valley Trail. It was fairly quiet. Many of the smaller birds that forage in tall grasses were either few in number or not there, most likely as a result of the recent loss of habitat along the trail. I did manage to see 25 species there. The most exciting part of this trail today was watching some American Crows harass a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Northern Harrier flying low over fields looking for breakfast.
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Harrier
I then drove along Rhue Hollow Rd. a little south of the Rockfish Valley Trail where I added a Turkey Vulture and an Eastern Phoebe to my morning list. After returning to Stoney Creek here in Wintergreen, I added a Pied-billed Grebe and NRW Swallows on Lake Monocan, a Carolina Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco in wooded areas, and the Red-shouldered Hawk nesting in my back yard to bring this morning's list to 32. One of the Phobes that is nesting under my deck posed for a photo. |
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NRW Swallow
Eastern Phoebe
This morning's list (32 species):
Tree Swallow NRW Swallow Barn Swallow Kingfisher Starling American Crow Canada Goose Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Blue Jay Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Eastern Phoebe Eastern Meadowlark Northern Cardinal American Goldfinch Northern Mockingbird Cowbird Eastern Bluebird Yellow-rumped Warbler Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Northern Harrier Black Vulture Turkey Vulture |