Rockfish Valley Trail 5/12/13

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

It was sunny and cool this morning, but a bit breezy. Even with the wind, it was a great day to be out on a bird hike. I ended up with 26 species on the trail. Highlights included three warbler species: Palm, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Yellow (male and female); Orchard Oriole; at least four White-eyed Vireos, and a pair of Broad-winged Hawks (adult and juvenile). I might have had more species. Just after I arrived at the prime trail location for warblers, and I heard lots of birds singing, a pair of barking dogs, allowed to run loose by their inconsiderate owners, ran up to me and disturbed both the birds and me. Sigh . . .


Female Yellow Warbler


Male Yellow Warbler


Male Yellow Warbler


Yellow-breasted Chat


White-eyed Vireo


Orchard Oriole


Broad-winged Hawks


Adult Broad-winged Hawk


Juvenile Broad-winged Hawks

I had an errand to run in Waynesboro this afternoon, so I stopped first at spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then along route 610, but the only warblers I saw there were American Redstarts.


American Redstart

After my errand, I drove to several ponds in the Stuart's Draft area to look for any coastal birds that might still be this far inland, but a Mallard seemed to think that I was on a "wild goose chase."


Mallard



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