Blue-winged Teals
I started off at Lickinghole Creek and Reservoir this morning where I logged 29 avian species. Six Blue-winged Teals were in the reservoir, as well as a few Canada Geese. One of the geese had a leucistic head.
Blue-winged Teals
Canada Goose
Canada Goose
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
Osprey
One of the resident Bald Eagles was partially visible as it sat in its nest.
Bald Eagle
The Louisiana Waterthrush that I saw the other day past the dam was still there.
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
I decided to try my luck at Mint Springs Park. Along the way, I stopped to get a few photos of a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
I added three more avian species at Mint Springs Park. Even though I was a bit tired after all my hiking at Lickinghole, I decided to hike the 800 foot elevation increase up the Fire Trail to where it somewhat leveled off. I had seen Kentucky Warblers along that trail at higher elevations in previous years, and hoped to get lucky. There weren't many birds along the way up, but I did get really lucky. Soon after hiking a short distance along the level part of the Fire Trail at 1400 foot elevation, I spotted a warbler, and had to eliminate all the other possibilites before deciding that it was an Orange-crowned Warbler. This species is rare here in the autumn, and even more rare in the spring, with a extreme early date of April 25 for the Piedmont area of Virginia. So this one beat the date by an entire week!
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Northern Cardinal