I got a late start and didn't begin my hike until a little after 10:00 a.m., but still ended up with 31 avian species in a little more than two hours. The Common Yellowthroat and Swamp Sparrows were in the same location where I saw them yesterday.
Ring-necked Duck
Mallards
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Osprey
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Swamp Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Pileated Woodpecker
The highlight of the morning was a male Blue Grosbeak. I saw it in the same area where this species has been breeding for the past few years. The Virginia "Goldbook" states an early arrival date of April 30 for the Virginia Piedmont, with an extreme early arrival date of April 21, so this one was really early!
Blue Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
I saw "Nessie" in the golf course pond for the first time this year. This snapping turtle is 3+ feet long from nose to tail tip.
Snapping turtle
Snapping turtle
This morning's list:
Ring-necked Duck
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Pine Warbler
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Mallard
Chipping Sparrow