Red-tailed Hawks
There was mostly to complete cloud cover today, but with no rain in the forecast, Walt Childs and I decided to try one of our southerly birding routes through the Shenandoah Valley. We drove down Route 340 through Stuart's Draft, with a detour onto Guthrie Road, and then Route 11 to Route 606 to McCormick's Mill. Along the way, we saw two Red-tailed Hawks, and got a quick look at an immature Bald Eagle.
Red-tailed Hawks
As soon as we drove into McCormick's Mill, we saw 2 American Kestrels, 30 to 40 Eastern Meadowlarks, a few Red-winged Blackbirds, and a small flock of Starlings.
Eastern Meadowlark
As we started along the hiking trail, we saw barnyard geese and ducks, and then saw a few good avian species.
Barnyard geese and duck
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadee
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
We stopped at Willow Lake in Raphine, where we saw Ruddy Ducks, a couple of American Coots, Canada Geese, Tree Swallows, and a Pied-billed Grebe.
Ruddy Ducks, Tree Swallow, and a Pied-billed Grebe
We continued west, and turned south on New Providence Road and then north on Dutch Hollow Road, where we saw some woodland species, two more Red-tailed Hawks, and two more American Kestrels.
Savannah Sparrow
Palm Warbler
Northern Mockingbird
Red-tailed Hawks
American Kestrels
We saw our second Bald Eagle of the day; a juvenile.
Juvenile Bald Eagle
A little farther north on Dutch Hollow Road, we saw out third Bald Eagle of the day. This one was a Basic II sub-adult. Note the few remaining juvenile flight feathers and yellowish beak.
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
Basic II sub-adult Bald Eagle
On our way north, we saw a darker breasted hawk flying in the woods near a creek. It was most likely a Red-shouldered Hawk. We stopped at Smith Lake in Swoope, where we saw a few Mallards and a large flock of Canada Geese. As we drove around Swoope, we saw our fifth Red-tailed Hawk and our fifth American Kestrel of the day, and ended the outing with 44 avian species.
Mallards
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Kestrel