It didn't seem possible that I could have a better birding day on the trail today than I did yesterday, but that's exactly what happened! I arrived around 8:30, and parked just off of Glenthorne Loop (route 627) about 50 yards north of the first wooden bridge on the Glenthorne Loop trail. As soon as I got out of my car, I saw a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk fly off of the kestrel box and across the bridge. An Eastern Phoebe was sitting of the roof of the kiosk there, and looked confused as to what all the excitement was about. I crossed over the bridge, and saw the hawk fly into a tree along the downstream trail where a Great Blue Heron was perched. And a moment later, a Pileated Woodpecker flew to the same tree.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
My plan was to hike the east side of Reids Creek from this bridge to the second wooden bridge as Walt Childs and I had done yesterday. By the time I crossed back over the bridge to the east side, I had already logged seven species. During the next hour, I logged another 30 species on this leg of the hike. Highlights were a Blue-winged Warbler and a Yellow-throated Vireo, and the rare Yellow-bellied Flycatcher that I had seen there six days ago was still at the southern end near the second wooden bridge. In addition to some beautiful warblers, I saw one unidentified warbler - all I saw was a plain, bright olive green back with no wing bars before it flew into some dense brush - this bird was too small to be a Red-eyed Vireo.
After returning to the first wooden bridge, I crossed Reids Creek, walked part way around the bog area, and then back the downstream trail, adding four more species to the morning list. I was going to walk to my car and happy to leave with 41 species for the morning, but changed my mind. I wanted to see if that unidentified warbler was still at the other end. I never did see that warbler again, but the extra trip was well worthwhile. I added three more species: an early season Purple Finch, a Swainson's Thrush, and most importantly - a Lawrence's Warbler (this is a rare hybrid between a Golden-winged and a Blue-winged Warbler) - not officially another species, but I am counting it! Today's 44 species brought the number of species I have seen on the RV Trail since September 4th to 62!
I saw six other warbler species in addition to the the unidentified one and the Lawrence's: Blue-winged, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, American Redstart, Tennessee, and Black-throated Green. The Lawrence's was deep in shadow, but I have posted most of the photos I took of it, as it is such an unusual find. It's eye mask is of variable darkness, and it's throat patch is very weak. I suspect that it may be a first fall female, or more likely a Lawrence's back-cross with a Blue-winged.
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
Lawrence's Warbler
I heard two White-eyed Vireos calling back and forth to each other, and saw one of them flying on my second trip down Reids Creek. There were lots of Red-eyed Vireos, and I saw a Yellow-throated Vireo both times I hiked Reids Creek, so I don't know if it was the same or different birds.
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Female Purple Finch
Brown Thrasher
Scarlet Tanager
Swainson's Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
This morning's RV Trail list (44 species):
Carolina Wren American Goldfinch Indigo Bunting Field Sparrow Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Tufted Titmouse Red-shouldered Hawk Great Blue Heron Green Heron Common Raven Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Wood-Pewee Eastern Phoebe Ruby-throated Hummingbird Northern Cardinal Carolina Chickadee Rock Pigeon Pileated Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Catbird Red-eyed Vireo White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Scarlet Tanager Cedar Waxwing Brown Thrasher Purple Finch Blue-winged Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Magnolia Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler American Redstart Tennessee Warbler Unidentified Warbler Northern Mockingbird Blue Jay Swainson's Thrush |