It was crisp and sunny today, but brisk winds kept many of the smaller birds hunkered dwon. Walt Childs and I birded along our normal route in northern Augusta and southern Rockingham counties, and took a few minor detours because of both roadwork and seeking some other species. We ended up with 26 avian species, seeing all of them except for Great Horned Owl. In previous years, we had seen a Great Horned Owl and owlets in a nest along Cline River Road, but the tree holding the nest came down last year. This morning, we heard a Great Horned Owl in the woods across from where the nest had been located, but did not enter private property to look for this owl.
We started off seeing 5 American Kestrels, and a few Red-tailed Hawks, and by the end of the day, we saw 13 Red-tailed Hawks.
Female and Male American Kestrels
Male American Kestrels
Male American Kestrels
Male American Kestrels
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk with bulging crop
Red-tailed Hawk with bulging crop
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
I saw my second Merlin in three days. The first one was a male and was close to home here in Crozet, and today, Walt and I saw a female (or possibly, a juvenile) Merlin along Western View Road in Rockingham County.
Merlin
Merlin
Merlin
Merlin
We ended the outing by birding along Bell's Lane in Staunton where a Short-eared Owl has been recently seen. We did not find the owl, but got some good views of a male, "Gray Ghost" Northern Harrier.
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier
Male Northern Harrier