Rockfish Valley Trail 6/19/13

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

I arrived at the trail at 9:00 this morning. Although the temperature was in the low to mid-70s, the humidity was rather high, and hiking in the muggy air wasn't very comfortable. I only stayed until 10:15, but still logged 30 confirmed avian species plus a possible Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

The field on the east side of Reids Creek at the south end of the Glenthorne Loop trail and the second wooden bridge has been mowed close to the ground (red hashed area in photo). Although there is now easy access to both sides of the tree lines that border the path along Reids Creek and the small stream that runs to route 627, there has been some loss of habitat. I don't think that this will pose a major problem for birding unless additional clearing is done.


Mowed area

The Yellow-breasted Chat and Common Yellowthroat continue to sing in the field at the end of the downstream trail and start of the Glenthorne Loop trail (upper right corner in photo above).


Yellow-breasted Chat

All of the birds I saw on the trail this morning were common summer residents on the trail. There was a large kettle of 30 to 50 Black and Turkey Vultures, and an adult Broad-winged Hawk was soaring with an immature hawk showing heavy molting.


Broad-winged Hawks


Female Indigo Bunting


Female Belted Kingfisher


Female Belted Kingfisher


Eastern Meadowlark


Eastern Kingbird


Eastern Kingbird


Tree Swallow


Flicker


Gray Catbird



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