Blue-winged Teals
It was really windy today, with sustained winds in the low 20s (mph), and with gusts twice that, and even stronger winds in the Shenandoah Valley. Walt Childs and I decided to check out water bodies here in Albemarle County to see what waterfowl and other birds might have taken shelter from the winds. We started off at Lickinghole Creek and Reservoir where we logged 15 avian species. There were three Blue-winged Teals in the reservoir, and one of them had strong white lines along both sides of it crown and one down its nape. I had never see this feature before on a Blue-winged Teal.
Blue-winged Teals
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
We continued on to the Beaver Creek Reservoir, Sugar Hollow Reservoir, Lake Albemarle, King Family Vineyards, and the golf course pond here in Old Trail, but saw very few birds and ended up with 20 avian species for the day.
It was a beautiful day for birding - cool temperatures, light winds, and bright, sunny skies. I headed over to Warren Ferry to look for Yellow-throated Warblers before the trees leafed out, and one had been reported there four days ago. This is my "go-to" site for this species, and I have seen them, as well as other warblers, at Warren Ferry every year for the past few years. I did see 16 avian species there, but not a single warbler. I may have heard a Yellow-throated Warbler on the other side of the James River, but was not confident enough to be certain. Three or four female Rusty Blackbirds were high up in one of the trees, but took off soon after I arrived.
Rusty Blackbird
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-throated Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
Carolina Chickadee
I then went to Totier Park just south of Scottsville. I saw a single Yellow-rumped Warbler there, and three Double-crested Cormorants were in the lake.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Double-crested Cormorants
Golden-crowned Kinglet
I hiked a bit along the trail, and saw a pair of Louisiana Waterthrushes. They had a few throat spots like those of Northern Waterthrushes, but about 10 precent of Louisianas also have throat spots. The wide supercilliums on these two birds and their song indicated they were Louisianas.
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
I heard a Pine Warbler there, but could not see it. Just as I was getting ready to leave, a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk and an adult Red-tailed Hawk flew in low, and then climbed together in a thermal before they flew out of sight.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk
Soon after leaving the park, I stopped when I heard a couple of Pine Warblers singing. One of them flew down to say hello, and perched just a few feet away from me. I'm fairly certain that it wanted to have its picture taken. :-)
Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler
I saw a few more species on the way home, and ended the day with close to 30 avian species.