Central VA 10/31/14

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Walt Childs and I headed north of Crozet, Virginia, this morning to try some birding in the White Hall area. Our first stop was at Lake Albemarle, and other than a few Blue Jays, it was quiet there. We then headed down Sugar Hollow Road to the reservoir, but except for one stop where we saw a dozen species, it was also quiet.


Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Walt hadn't been to the Old Trail area along Lickinghole Creek where I saw lots of sparrows yesterday, so we hiked about the same path that I followed yesterday. Once again, it was loaded with birds - mostly sparrows: Song, Chipping, Field, Swamp, Lincoln's, White-throated, and White-crowned.


White-crowned Sparrow


Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow


Swamp Sparrow


Lincoln's Sparrow


Song Sparrow


Chipping Sparrow


House Finch

There were other species there as well, and we were surprised to see a boldly colored, female Red-winged Blackbird.


Red-winged Blackbird


Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Red-shouldered Hawk


Belted Kingfisher


Carolina Wren

When I arrived home here in Stoney Creek (Wintergreen), I was happy to see birds at my back yard feeder that I set up a couple of days ago. The birds had not found it this fall prior to this afternoon. There were at least 10 species around the feeder. The highlight was a flock of a dozen or more Purple Finches.


White-breasted Nuthatch


Purple Finch


Purple Finch


Purple Finch


Purple Finch


Purple Finch


Purple Finches


Eleven Purple Finches



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