Vesper Sparrow
It was a beautiful morning to be on the trail. I met Walt Childs at the Rockfish River kiosk, and we birded the downstream trail and Glenthorne Loop to the bog area. There were so many sparrows to see that we walked slowly, and in about two hours had 34 avian species, including 9 of the 15 sparrow species that have been recorded on the trail.
As soon as we crossed under the route 151 bridge, we got some good looks at an uncommon Vesper Sparrow that had fresh adult plumage - buffier than any other birds of this species that I had ever seen before. It spent a lot of time puffing up it feathers and preening, and at one point displayed a large opening to its dark body under its breast feathers.
We saw a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Cooper's Hawk made a low and close fly away from us before I could get my camera on it.
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow - Gas-X needed here :-)
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow - note the rufous lesser coverts
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Chipping and Vesper Sparrows - note the size diffence
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Swamp Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Today's RV Trail list:
Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Cooper's Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Eastern Phoebe Blue Jay American Crow Tufted Titmouse Carolina Wren Eastern Bluebird Carolina Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird American Robin Gray Catbird European Starling Yellow-rumped Warbler Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal American Goldfinch |