Gray Catbird
It was fairly overcast this morning, and the mountains were completely covered by the clouds. I decided to hike here in Old Trail rather than drive somewhere to go birding. It turned out to be a very good decision. By the time I ended my 3 hour, 5 mile hike, I had seen 38 avian species, including 8 warbler species, and that didn't include three of the regularly seen species, as well as a species seen by another birder this morning.
I started off on the Lindy Bain loop trail along the creek that is near my house. I headed to the eastern end of the trail, headed north, and then hiked through the wetlands trail in Western Park (within Old Trail). I hadn't been down in the wetlands all summer as it has been so wet and overgrown. The wetlands trail was muddier than I had expected, and the numerous burrs on my clothes and spider webs in my face were not fun. But I was starting to see a few species.
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Common Raven
Blue Jay
Song Sparrow
Indigo Bunting (?)
Immature American Robin
Immature Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
House Wren
Northern Mockingbird
At the north end of the soccer field, I got my first warbler species of the day - a few Palm Warblers.
Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
I then hiked south, and when I was hiking by the golf course pond, I ran into David Shoch, a Charlottesville birder whom I know. David told me that he had seen a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers, a small flock of Palm Warblers, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (the reported species that I did not see today). I had seen a few Yellow-rumped Warblers already this autumn, but none yet here in Old Trail. I headed up past the pond and up the hill towards the golf course. There were several Yellow-rumped Warblers there.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
And then my first real highlight of the hike appeared. There were two Common Yellowthroats in the brush near to the Yellow-rumped Warblers. One of them stayed in the brush, but the other one popped up right in front of me, and stayed put on a branch for several minutes. This very cooperative warbler, an immature male, let me take more than 100 close-up photos, and didn't mind my being there at all. Here are just a few of them.
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Well, that was neat! I continued on my hike, and when I completed the 4 mile loop, I was already tired, but decided to re-hike the first section of the loop trail that I started on this morning. There is a short stretch of this trail in this area where warblers are sometimes found. Another good decision this morning. When I got to that area, I had 7 warbler species: Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, more Yellow-rumped, another Common Yellowthroat, a male American Redstart, and quick looks at a Northern Parula and a female Black-throated Blue.
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat