Eastern Cicada Killer
I had been contacted by a northern Virginia birder who has been following my postings and was in the area, and asked to go birding with me. Always good to make new birding friends! We met at my house and went up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Before heading off, I got a few photos of ground hornets (Eastern Cicada Killers). They have come to my neighborhood every summer and swarm as they look and listen for cicada larvae, and then dig holes in the ground to go after the larvae. They are big and look nasty, but they don't seem to mind people and have no interest in bothering us.
Eastern Cicada Killer
The parkway was a bit windy and loaded with Sunday tourists, and most of the birds were hunkered down. But we did manage 6 warbler species - 5 seen (American Redstart, Hooded, Worm-eating, Black and White, Ovenbird) and 1 heard (Cerulean). Some of the views were very quick. We also had a pair of Scarlet Tanagers, and watched a Broad-winged Hawk doing dive bombs after prey.
Male American Redstart
Male American Redstart
First year male American Redstart
Worm-eating and Hooded Warblers
Broad-winged Hawk
Scarlet Tanager
We saw a small flock of Cedar Waxwings gathering nesting materials.
Cedar Waxwings