Old Trail; Crozet, VA; 2/17/19

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

With temperatures in the upper 30s, it was rather cold and quite cloudy this morning, but I wanted to get out and look for birds before the forecasted 12:30 afternoon rain moved into the area. I started off along the Lindy Bain Trail at the Western Park area, and saw several sparrow species, some Northern Cardinals, and one of our resident Red-shouldered Hawks. A good-sized flock of Canada geese flew overhead.

Photo Unavailable
Song Sparrow

Photo Unavailable
House Sparrow

Photo Unavailable
Swamp Sparrow

Photo Unavailable
Red-shouldered Hawk

I moved over to the pond along the golf course. There were two Mallards, three Common Goldeneyes, and one Ring-necked Duck in the pond. One of the Goldeneyes took to flight soon after I got there.

Photo Unavailable
Common Goldeneyes and Ring-necked Duck

Photo Unavailable
Ring-necked Duck

Photo Unavailable
Common Goldeneye

A Great Blue Heron was fishing at the opposite corner of the pond, and a Belted Kingfisher was flying back and forth across the water.

Photo Unavailable
Great Blue Heron

Photo Unavailable
Belted Kingfisher

I then went to the loop trail south of Rowcross Street. In the small pond between the creek and the schools, there were two more Mallards and four Wood Ducks. Two of the Wood Ducks immediately took off, and there may have been a third one on the photo. The other two Wood Ducks stayed in or near the pond.

Photo Unavailable
Mallards

Photo Unavailable
Wood Ducks

Photo Unavailable
Wood Ducks

Photo Unavailable
Wood Duck

Photo Unavailable
Wood Duck

I continued down the trail, and added a Pileated Woodpecker to my day's list of species. I was up to 27 so far, and was hoping for at least 30 as I had not yet seen five or more of the usual winter species here, but it started raining at 11:45 and I had to end the hike.

Photo Unavailable
Pileated Woodpecker

Today's avian list:

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Common Goldeneye
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
House Finch
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch


E-mail comments on this report

Return to blog page home