Hooded Mergansers
Louisa County, VA; 12/21/16
Walt Childs and I had helped with a section of the Gordonsville area Christmas Bird Count for the past few years, but were unable to go there on December 18th for the CBC this year. A Barn Owl had been seen at Old Raptor Farm in this CBC, and Walt and I were kindly granted permission to enter the private farm land to try to see and photograph the owl. Unfortunately, it wasn't there when we arrived, although we saw a fair number of owl pellets on the ground in the barn where it had been seen. Walt and I spent a couple of hours birding on this farm, hoping that the owl might return while we were there, but expected that the owl must have been in a day roost elsewhere.
We did see 30+ avian species on the farm, including 5 duck species in the pond: Ring-necked, Gadwall, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, and Hooded Merganser. A pair of Great Blue Herons flew in and landed in the field next to the pond.
Hooded Mergansers
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Herons
As we hiked around, we saw five sparrow species, and raptors such as a female American Kestrel, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Northern Harrier.
Female American Kestrel
Female American Kestrel
Female American Kestrel
Northern Harrier
Field Sparrow
I was happy to see a pair of Sandhill Cranes fly by in one direction, turn, and fly back from where I first saw them. I had seen two Sandhill Cranes during the CBC there (over Bracketts Farm) last year, and perhaps they just wanted to let me know that they were back again!
Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill Cranes
We left Old Raptor Farm and visited Bracketts Farm and some of the other nearby country roads, and saw a few new species for the day, as well as more American Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks, and Northern Harriers. We drove by one Northern Harrier that was on the ground eating a meal about 10 feet from the road, and when I stopped the car and backed up, it took off with its meal.
Belted Kingfisher
Male American Kestrel
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Albemarle County, VA; 12/21/16
On the way back to my house, we made a short detour to King Family Vineyards to see the leucistic Cackling Goose that had been seen at a few locations in Crozet, and had been reported there earlier in the day. The two Snow Geese were there as well.
Snow Geese
The Cackling Goose was easy to spot mixed in with the much larger Canada Geese. I can see dark primary feathers in my photos of the Cackling Goose, and wonder if perhaps its white feathers are not from leucism, but rather that this bird is a hybrid Cackling x Ross's Goose??
Cackling Goose
Cackling Goose
Cackling Goose and Canada Goose