Walt Childs and I headed west over the Blue Ridge Mountains and into the Shenandoah Valley to see what birds might have been brought in by the cooler weather and northerly winds. We spent most of the day in Augusta County, did a little more birding in Rockingham County, and ended the trip with 38 avian species, including my FOS Swamp Sparrow and a whopping 13 Red-tailed Hawks. At one point, a single crow chased a flock of 5 Red-tailed Hawks from its territory.
Eastern Meadowlark
FOS Swamp Sparrow
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Immature male Eastern Towhee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
When we stopped at the Shendoah Valley Regional Airport, we learned that some WWII airplanes were heading there for a show. As we were leaving the airport, one of the bombers arrived.
WWII bomber