Fawn
Walt Childs and I did some birding in the Shenandoah Valley today. I'm recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery five days ago, and needed to go to locations where I could either bird from the car, or walk short distances on level ground. On our way out of Stoney Creek, we saw a newly born fawn that was so small that it barely reached above the bottom board of a fence.
Fawn
Walt and I started off a few miles south of Elkton, Virginia, where we walked a short distance along the river. We saw some good woodland birds, including three woodpecker species: Red-bellied, Downy, and Northern Flicker.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
We then drove north along the river where we saw only a few birds. A Red-tailed Hawk sat perched a good distance from the road, and an American Kestrel flew from a power line.
Red-tailed Hawk
American Goldfinch
We then headed to Swoope, and stopped along the way at Leonard's Pond. All we saw there were a few Mallards, a single Killdeer, and a few Barn and Tree Swallows.
Mallard and Killdeer
Tree Swallow
Birding in the Swoope area was much better. We stopped the car along Hewitt Road where a Grasshopper Sparrow didn't mind my taking some photos from the car a few feet away from it.
Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
We saw a few more species at Smith Lake, including a probable Dickcissel, and one of the resident Bald Eagles was soaring far to the south of the lake.
Bald Eagle
As we drove around the Swoope area, we saw another Kestrel, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, heard a Bobwhite, saw a Bobolink flying, and Eastern Meadowlarks seemed to be everywhere we looked.
Eastern Meadowlark
Bobolink
Gray Catbird
Eastern Kingbird
We stopped one more time in Swoope when two Barn Swallows were preening on a fence, and didn't mind close-up photos from the car.
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
We ended the day trip with 35 avian species. It was good to get out and go birding.