Central Virginia 8/26-28/2020

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Old Trail; Crozet; August 26

It was hot and muggy. I only had time for a short hike, and ended up with 15 avian species. I saw a Least Flycatcher, and think that it was only the second time I had seen one here in Old Trail.

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Least Flycatcher

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Blue Grosbeak

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Carolina Wren

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Juvenile Northern Mockingbird

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House Sparrows

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Molting Blue Jay

Blue Ridge Parkway/Route 610; August 27

I started off on Route 610 between mm.2 and mm. 4 of the parkway. It wasn't very birdy, but I thought that I had logged 19 avian species on that stretch. When I started processing photos, it turned out to be 20. I got a quick glimpse of a yellow bird at the old tower, and thought that it was an American Goldfinch, but it was a migrating Canada Warbler. I spent a lot of time photographing hummingbirds, as all of the other birds were scarce.

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Canada Warbler

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird

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American Goldfinch

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Eastern Wood-Pewee

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Wild Turkey

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Great Spangled Fritillary

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Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar

I then got back onto the parkway, and took it all the way to 3 Ridges Overlook. In that 10 miles each way trip, all I saw were a handful of American Goldfinches. Road crews had just sealed the road, either the day before or during the night, and the birds were gone. Afterwards, I stopped off at the Rockfish Gap Hawk watch for a while, and added an Osprey and a Black Vulture to my day list.

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Osprey

I had a late afternoon appointment at the DMV in Waynesboro, and had time to kill, so I tried Route 610 again. I added four more avian species, including two Hooded Warblers. I got a better look at one of them, and it appeared to be a first fall male.

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Hooded Warbler

Rivanna Trail; August 28

I needed to hang around the UVA medical complex at Fontaine between 12:30 and 2:00 this afternoon. Part of the Rivanna Trail runs along there, so I hiked for about an hour before the heat and humidity got to me. I logged 10 avian species there, but nothing special.

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American Goldfinch

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Carolina Wren

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird


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