Crozet, VA 9/28/2019

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Hiking here in Old Trail on a weekend or holiday morning is rarely worthwhile, as there are so many non-birders and dogs on the trails that birding is almost impossible. I started out on one of the gravel trails, and soon realized that I needed to get onto less traveled paths. I headed east along Slabtown Branch Creek, and then north along the rugged trail at the east end of Old Trail. Part way up the hill, I head a Pine Warbler singing from pine trees, but could not locate it. Farther along that trail, I saw two brownish warblers fly from some tall grasses into small coniferous trees. I got a few quick and slightly out-of-focus shots of one of them, and then thought that I heard the song of an Orange-crowned Warbler. But then one of the warblers re-appeared, and it was a juvenile male Common Yellowthroat, so I assume the first warbler was a Common Yellowthroat as well.

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Common Yellowthroat (first warbler)

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Common Yellowthroat

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Common Yellowthroat

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Common Yellowthroat

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Common Yellowthroat

I continued on, and hiked the trail through the wetlands in Western Park. This is the first time since the beginning of last spring that the trail has been dry enough for hiking, and some of the vegetation on and along the very narrow path was waist high. I hiked to the community garden, around the soccer field, and then back along the side of the wetlands. I saw at least three female/juvenile Blue Grosbeaks. Two of them had very flat heads.

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Blue Grosbeak

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Blue Grosbeak

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Blue Grosbeak

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Blue Grosbeak

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Blue Grosbeak

While I was photographing the Blue Grosbeaks, a sparrow popped up. In the field, it looked like a Song Sparrow to me, so I didn't try bery hard for good photos of it. When I looked at my photos at home, I saw that it was a Lincoln's Sparrow. I have seen Lincoln Sparrows in these wetlands before, but not for several years.

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Lincoln's Sparrow

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Lincoln's Sparrow

I ended the hike a little before noon, and had about 25 avian species this morning.

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House Finch

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House Sparrow


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