Rockfish Valley Trail, VA, 4/14/16

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

A new pair of boots arrived yesterday, and I was eager to try them out, so I went for a late morning hike at the Rockfish Valley Trail. It wasn't very "birdy," but I did manage to log 20 avian species.

Most birders train their eyes and brain to pick out a shape or movement that seems out of place, even if it's only a quick glance. Sometimes, we get fooled by shadows and sunlit areas that create bird-like shapes, and it's not uncommon to see a tree branch bird, leaf bird, or rock bird. But I got fooled three times in the first 20 minutes on the trail. Look at the following three photos with a quick glance and you might see what I thought I saw.


Tree birds

I did see my first Palm Warbler for this spring migration season.


Palm Warbler


Field Sparrow


Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Brown Thrasher


Female Eastern Towhee


Male Eastern Towhee



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