Old Trail; Crozet, VA; 12/26/18

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

The Old Trail community in Crozet can be a good birding location, and I have lived here for more than two years now, and have birded here for several years. 183 avian species have been reported here, and I have seen 131 of these species in Old Trail. The community completely surrounds the Albemarle County Western Park, and the Lindy Bain loop trail winds through Western Park and wooded areas, and by a few man-made ponds and retention ponds. The trail is about four miles long, depending which routes are taken. Western Park has a great wetlands area, and is currently undeveloped except for a small community garden and a soccer field, although the county plans to start developing some of this park with playgrounds and other amenities that will reduce the birding opportunities.

It was a frosty morning, but the bright sun made for good birding. I started off behind the lodge, and hiked along Western Park and the plateau loop. I often hike (dotted yellow line) around the soccer field and past the community garden, and then through the wetlands, but the trail through the wetlands has been waterlogged and muddy for a few months now, and I wanted to save my hiking for some other sections of the trail, so I skipped the soccer field. By the time I finished this hike segment, I had logged 19 avian species, and saw three deer that were hunkered down in the brush.

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First leg of today's hike (solid yellow line)

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White-crowned Sparrow

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Female Red-winged Blackbird

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Swamp Sparrow

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Field Sparrow

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House Sparrow

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One of our two resident Red-shouldered Hawks

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Deer

The next part of my hike was along the golf course pond. As soon as I got there, I saw a Great Blue Heron and a Belted Kingfisher. A male Pileated Woodpecker was on one side of the pond, and the female on the other side. I added nine more avian species to my day's list.

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Second leg of today's hike (solid yellow line)

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Great Blue Heron

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Belted Kingfisher

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Male Pileated Woodpecker

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Female Pileated Woodpecker

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Ruby-crowned Kinglet

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Eastern Bluebird

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White-breasted Nuthatch

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Carolina Wrens

The last part of my hike was along Slabtown Branch Creek, where I added four more species to my day's list.

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Third leg of today's hike (solid yellow line)

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Northern Flicker

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White-throated Sparrow

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Song Sparrow

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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Golden-crowned Kinglet

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Female Downy Woodpecker

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Male Downy Woodpecker

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Dark-eyed Junco

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More Deer

When I got back to my house, there was a Mourning Dove on the ground below my bird feeder, making it 33 avain species for the day, and I missed 4 or 5 of my usually seen winter species.

Today's list:

Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Belted Kingfisher
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow


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