For the past month, finding warblers in our area has been like pulling meat from a hound's mouth. It's been tough. Perhaps the hot weather, and dense vegetation from the rainy spring and summer have been major factors. A cold front has moved throug the area now, and perhaps the next few weeks will be better.
Walt Childs and I started out this morning at Lickinghole Creek, but there wasn't much to see, so we headed over to Mint Springs park that was fairly quiet as well. I did manage to see a single Black and White Warbler, and we saw a few other avian species. We decided to try birding a bit on Route 610 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the way there we saw two cats playing on railroad tracks.
Black and White Warbler
Cats
We stopped at one spot on Route 610 where there were a few warblers: American Redstart, Northern Parula, Tennessee Warbler, and Magnolia Warbler.
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler and Tennessee Warbler
White-breasted Nuthatch
The parkway was also fairly quiet. We saw one Black-throated Green Warbler, a Red-tailed Hawk, and some interesting tree fungus.
Black-throated Green Warbler
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Tree fungus
I had some errands to in Nellysford, so I did a late morning hike on the Rockfish Valley Trail. I ended up with 22 avian species including one Common Yellowthroat and one American Redstart.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
Field Sparrow
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
I went back to Mint Springs Park where I saw a few birds including a Magnolia Warbler and a male and a female Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a Scarlet Tanager.
Female Black-throated Blue Warbler
Male Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black Ratsnake
I then went back to Lickinghole Creek where it wasn't very "birdy."
Northern Cardinal