Great Blue Heron
Strong overnight storms moved out of the area leaving a mix of cloudy and sunny skies, and, gale force winds! I knew that small birds would be hunkered down, but I wanted to return to Newport News Park to try to view the Virginia Rail that I had heard, and perhaps the strong winds might have ushered in some new avian species. And after spending all of yesterday in my hotel room, I needed to get out and get some exercise.
Once again, the logistics of birding was working against me today. My car GPS hiccupped, and took me past the correct exit on I-64 for the park, and I finally remembered another way there, and ended up driving 20 miles instead of 9 miles to get to the park. Once there, I hiked first to the Swamp Bridge. Low points in the trail were under water, and the rest of the trail was littered with small branches and other vegetative debris. As I expected, there weren't many birds out in this wind, but I did manage to see 15 avian species, including a distant view of a juvenile Bald Eagle, and my 46th trip species - Red-tailed Hawk.
Great Blue Heron
Gadwalls
Gadwalls
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Great Black-backed Gull
I then decided to drive to Jamestown Island to see what might have moved into the waters there. Along the way, I saw three Bald Eagles. I got all the way to the Jamestown Island entrance to see that the island was closed. I don't know if the roads were flooded or if trees were down and blocking the road. Bummers!
I chose to take some smaller roads back to the hotel rather than take the interstate or other major highways. I got about 3 or 4 miles from Jamestown Island only to have to find another way back as that road was closed because of a downed tree. Sigh . . . And of course, I didn't know the best way to get to the hotel from there, but finally made it back. As I first wrote in this trip blog, some birding trips are great, some are good, and some just don't end up being very productive.
February 8
I had a little bit of time this morning before leaving for home, so I went over to Newport News Park. It wasn't very "birdy," but I saw a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos (trip #47). On the way home on I-64 between Williamsburg and Richmond, I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk perched along the highway, giving me 48 avian species for this trip.
Trip List:
Common Loon
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
White Ibis
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Gadwall
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Virginia Rail
Killdeer
Willet
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal
White-throated Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
House Finch
American Goldfinch