Central Virginia, 9/24-10/5/15

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

September 24; Rockfish Valley Trail

I took a short hike on the trail, but didn't see many birds there.


Common Yellowthroat

September 25; Shenandoah Valley

There had been reports of a few American Golden Plovers at the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction near Ottobine, so Walt Childs and I went looking for them as it would have been a life bird for me. We didn't see any, although there were reports of them at the site the next day, and we only saw a few birds as we drove around the Shenandoah Yalley.


Palm Warbler


Great Blue Heron


Wood Ducks

Alice and I were in Philadelphia the following Monday through Wednesday (9/28-9/30). On that Tuesday, it started to rain in Virginia, and the rain didn't stop, except for a few isolated periods through the following Sunday (10/4), and we had 10 inches of rain during that period.

October 1; Rockfish Valley Trail

There was a slight break in the rain this morning, but it was cloudy and threatening to rain again. I did a short hike on the trail, and saw a few birds, including a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker - a species we see here only during migration.


Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker


Magnolia Warbler


Black-throated Green Warbler


Carolina Chickadee

October 2; Stoney Creek

I was getting cabin fever, so I put rain gear on my camera and hiked down to Lake Monocan in some drizzle. There was a good-sized flock of migrating Tree Swallows foraging over the lake.


Tree Swallow


Tree Swallow

October 5; Rockfish Valley Trail

It finally stopped raining, and everyone was asking what was that yellow ball in the sky. I had a morning appointment in Charlottesville, and wasn't able to get over to the trail until early afternoon. There weren't a lot of birds out at that time of day, but I did see a small flock of Palm Warblers.


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler

October 5; Stoney Creek

Upon my return from the trail, Alice and I took a 2-1/2 mile walk here in Stoney Creek. I took my camera along, just in case. As we approached Lake Monocan on our return, I spotted an Osprey circling over the lake.


Osprey


Osprey


Osprey

About 100 yards from our house, there was some avian activity in one of the trees - two Carolina Chickadees and a Black-throated Green Warbler.


Black-throated Green Warbler


Black-throated Green Warbler



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