Rockfish Valley Trail 8/17/11

All photos are © Marshall Faintich


It was supposed to be sunny all day, but I awoke to heavy cloud cover. When I got to the trail at 8:50, it was starting to clear, but the trail seemed quiet. In less than 10 minutes, I had crossed under the route 151 bridge, started on the downstream trail, the sun came out, and the birds got active. I had 11 species by the time I got to the picnic table, and 6 more by the end of the downstream trail. As soon as I turned onto Glenthorne Loop I added 2 more species, and another 3 near Yellow Bird Thicket. I now had 22 species in less than 30 minutes.

I crossed the first wooden bridge and hiked on the east side of Reids Creek, adding 2 vireos, a Carolina Wren, and a Worm-eating Warbler. I then crossed the second wooden bridge, came back along the west side of Reids Creek and added a Turkey Vulture and a Willow Flycatcher on the downstream trail return. A total of 28 species in a little more than 1-1/2 hours was a pretty good morning on the trail.

This morning's list:

Eastern Bluebird
Indigo Bunting
American Crow
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Kingbird
Willow Flycatcher
Cedar Waxwing
Catbird
Rock Pigeon
Northern Cardinal
Turkey Vulture
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Green Heron
small (Downy?) Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Canada Goose
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Worm-eating Warbler
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Red-shouldered Hawk
Ruby-throated Hummingbird


White-eyed Vireo


Red-eyed Vireo


Worm-eating Warbler


Red-shouldered Hawk


Pileated Woodpecker


Green Heron


Willow Flycatcher



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