Waynesboro, VA 3/25/2021

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Ridgeview Park

I haven't been to Ridgeview Park since last October. It's a good birding location for early spring, as the ground vegetation seems to get green much quicker than nearby areas, and sometimes attracts early migranting species. Just after starting my hike, I heard a hawk, and then saw two of them. One flew away quickly, but the other one perched for about a minute, and I was able to get off a few photos - immature Cooper's Hawk.

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Cooper's Hawk

I continued toward the river, and as soon as I got down to the small creek that runs along the river, I saw my first of season Louisana Waterthrush.

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Louisana Waterthrush

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Louisana Waterthrush

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Louisana Waterthrush

As I continued along the trail, I saw a few more avian species.

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Downy Woodpecker

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White-breasted Nuthatch

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White-throated Sparrow

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Eastern Towhee

I looked up and saw five Great Blue Herons perched in the trees. They took off quickly to the west, perhaps on their way to the rookery just east of Staunton.

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Great Blue Heron

Some crows started making a lot of noise, and I saw a Bald Eagle take off.

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Bald Eagle

I continued the hike along the south side of the river and east of the bridge, and added a few more species before heading back towards my car.

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Carolina Wren

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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

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Ruby-crowned Kinglet

I ended the hike with 26 avian species. I might have heard a Red-shouldered Hawk a few times, but without seeing it, don't know if it was a hawk or a Blue Jay making the hawk call.

This morning's list:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Louisiana Waterthrush
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


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