Red-shouldered Hawk
Here are a few photos from the past 10 days that I have not included in other reports during this period.
We had warm weather and sunshine, and I hiked a close to home.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Redheads
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Eastern Bluebird
Bizarre weather today. It had rained during the night, and most of the area lakes were still partially frozen. We had dark, broken clouds, and whenever the sunlight broke through and hit the ice, the top ice layer evaporated directly into fog, and then when the sun went behind the clouds again, the fog settled low on top of the ice giving an eerie feeling to the reservoir. The birds must have been uneasy as well, as I only saw a few birds there.
Ice fog
White-throated Sparrow
It was in the mid-40s this morning with moderate winds. I started off on Strickley Road where I saw a good-sized flock of Horned Larks, but didn't see any other species mixed in with them.
Horned Larks
Horned Lark
Horned Lark
Horned Lark
I made my way towards the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, and saw a few smaller birds, including a few American Kestrels.
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
White-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
As I approached the airport, I thought that I saw the back of a gray feral cat sitting in the grasses.
???
But then it turned its head, and I saw that it was a male, "Gray Ghost," Northern Harrier, and it soon took to flight.
Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier
I continued north into Rockingham County, got a quick view of my only Red-tailed Hawk of the day, and then saw some Green-winged Teals at the Oakwood pond.
Red-tailed Hawk
Green-winged Teals