Allegheny Mountains, VA 5/19/14

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

With reports of a continuing Northern Goshawk and migrating warblers still moving through Highland County, Walt Childs and I went birding there. Although we saw a total of 48 avian species, it was not a very "birdy" trip. We also lost at least one half-hour waiting to get through three road construction projects on the way there.

Our first stop was in the Blue Grass Valley north of Monterey, and the only warblers we saw were a Chestnut-sided and a couple of American Redstarts. A Chimney Swift made a low and close approach to us. Other highlights there included some quick views of two Bobolinks and a distant view of a Red-headed Woodpecker.


Chimney Swift


Red-headed Woodpecker


Bobolink


Orchard Oriole


Baltimore Oriole

We then headed over to a friend of mine's place along the Cowpasture River. This has been a good place for breeding warblers in previous years. On the way there we saw a bright red Wild Turkey. After parking at my friend's house, we walked a short distance along Cowpasture Road, and were treated to the best birds of the day - a pair of Blue-winged Warblers, in addition to a few American Redstarts and some other woodland birds.


Wild Turkey


Brown Thrasher


American Redstart


American Redstart


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler


Blue-winged Warbler



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