Central Virginia 8/31-/9/4/17

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

August 31

There were reports of 10 Hudsonian Godwits at the Oakwood farm pond in the Shenandoah Valley the day before, and that this rare species had left, but Walt Childs and I decided to see if they might have returned. We stopped first at King Family Vineyards to see if they might have stopped there on the way to the south and east, but didn't see any birds, and there were very few birds at Oakwood as well. We then drove to the nearby Nazarene Wetlands, and once again, saw very few birds.

Photo Unavailable
Solitary Sandpiper

Photo Unavailable
Eastern Kingbird

We drove through farm areas in Rockingham and Augusta counties, but the birds were few and far between. We decided to look for warblers along the first 12 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but once again saw very few birds. Best birds of the day were a pair of Red-tailed Hawks migrating over the parkway.

Photo Unavailable
Red-tailed Hawk

Photo Unavailable
Red-tailed Hawk

September 1

Remnants from Hurricane Harvey were forecasted for late morning and through the night and next day, so I did a short hike here in Old Trail (Crozet). Most of the birds stayed out if sight. Perhaps they sensed the upcoming rain.

Photo Unavailable
Eastern Kingbird and three Orchard Orioles

Click here to continue to post-storm birding

E-mail comments on this report

Return to blog page home