I did a bit of hiking here in Old Trail, and ended up with 20+ avian species. Many of the birds were singing, possbly calling for mates.
Field Sparrow
Male House Finch
Female House Finch; male and female Downy Woodpeckers
Northern Cardinal
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Adult White-crowned Sparrow
Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow
The trail was much drier than it has been for several months, with only a few really muddy sections. Although I logged 24 avian species there, it wasn't very "birdy."
Killdeer
Bald Eagle
Even though a lot of habitat had been destroyed or disturbed by all the new housing development, I still logged 28 avian species this morning, bringing my three day Crozet list to 34 avian species. Many of the birds were singing.
Red-winged Blackbird
Great Blue Heron
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Carolina Wren
Pine Warbler
Male House Finches usually have red on their face, crown, breast, and rump, but sometimes the red pigment is replaced with yellow or orange, presumably due to diet. Over the past two years, I have seen a few with orange coloring, but I saw one this morning with all three colors. I assume that the colors are a result of molting and replacement with different feather color. The orange color may have been a result of blending of yellow and red feathers.
House Finch
House Finch
House Finch
Near the end of my hike, I saw the bark of a tree moving, and immediately thought, "Brown Creeper." When this species has its back to you, it's almost impossible to see against the tree bark. I saw it again about 15 minutes later - presumably the same bird in a slightly different location along the trail.
Brown Creeper
Brown Creeper
Brown Creeper
Brown Creeper