Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Walt Childs stopped by and we hiked here in Old Trail. Most of the warblers seem to have left the area, as we only saw one - a Magnolia Warbler. Highlight was watching the two Yellow-billed Cuckoos that I have been seeing for several days now. One of them flew to within about five feet from us. There were several Northern Mockingbirds as well.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Northern Mockingbird
In the afternoon, I made the 10-minute drive to Lickinghole Creek Reservoir. There were very few birds along the reservoir. I heard and then saw a Willow Flycatcher, and one of the resident Bald Eagles was perched above its nest.
Bald Eagle
There were a good number of ducks in the reservoir - quite a few Mallards, a small flock of Blue-winged Teals with two Green-winged Teals, and a single Northern Shoveler. The escaped Black Swan was still there.
Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals
Blue-winged Teal
Mallards and Black Swan
Mallard and Northern Shoveler
I went for a short hike here this morning, and saw a few good birds, including a female Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a pair of Black-throated Green Warblers.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
While I hiking on the large meadow near the golf course pond, a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk flew overhead. It was probably the same one I saw here a few days ago. I then hiked along the creek on the east side of Old Trail Drive, and followed the path into the woods at the far end. I saw a large, gray hawk fly into some trees in the woods, and when I hiked in for a better look, it flew again and perched deeper in the woods. My first reaction was a possible Northern Goshawk, but I heard it calling, and it sounded more like a Red-shouldered or Red-tailed Hawk. Perhaps the gray coloring I saw was just a lighting effect.
We had rain all night long and into the early morning. There was a break in the rain mid-morning with heavily overcast skies, and I ventured out to see what birds I might find. I saw three warbler species: Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green, and Blackpoll. I saw my FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and thought I had my FOS Purple Finch, but the finch in the photo appears to be a House Finch instead. I had 23 avian species, and was at the farthest point on the trail (of course) from my house, when it started to drizzle, and I ended the hike.
Blackpoll Warbler
House Finches
Great Blue Heron