Some of my birding trips turn out great, some are just okay, and sometimes, and rarely, a birding trip doesn't end up very productive. Alice had a duplicate bridge tournament in Williamsburg, and I went along to do some wildlife photography in the area. This was the third time I had gone with her to that tournament, but I had been to nearby birding sites in the area multiple times. So I wasn't looking to explore new birding sites, but rather decide which ones I wanted to re-visit. I spent a good deal of time researching what species I had seen at these sites on previous visits during the winter months, and what species had been recently reported. We were making the 139 mile, a little more than 2 hour drive from Crozet to Williamsburg on Monday morning, and returning on the following Saturday. So I had 1/2 day on Monday, and four full days the rest of the week. And then, a week before the trip, I saw the weather forecast. Good weather on Monday, cloudy on Tuesday, and rain for Wednesday through Friday, including strong thunderstorms on Thursday. So I had to replan where and when to go birding.
February 3We arrived in Williamsburg around 11 a.m., and as soon as I got out of our car, I heard a Pine Warbler in the trees. I didn't see it, but had heard and seen one in the same location when we were there two years ago - trip species #1. After getting settled in the hotel and having an early and quick lunch, I opted to go over to Jamestown Island which was 12 miles from the hotel. My other choice for the afternoon was Newport News Park, only 9 miles from the hotel.
Just after entering the island park, I pulled off onto the road shoulder along the causeway when I saw a juvenile Bald Eagle perched in a tree, and I walked down to the water's edge to take some photos. The eagle flew a few minutes later when a subadult (Basic I) Bald Eagle flew by. The juvenile was molting into its subadult Basic I phase.
Juvenile Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic I) Bald Eagle
Both of these eagle left when a subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle appeared, and this third eagle made a dive towards the water, but backed off from going after the fish it had seen, circled a few times, and then flew off.
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
Subadult (Basic III) Bald Eagle
I then took a few photos of nearby woodland birds, when I heard a loud, "Sir!" I turned around and saw a park ranger up on the road by his car, with lights flashing, behind my car. I walked up to him, and he told me that there was no parking on road shoulders in the park, and I could only park on asphalt surfaces. I thanked him for the warning and information, and continued on my way. I didn't see many birds on the island, and only two ducks - a pair of American Black Ducks that looked up when Turkey Vultures flew overhead. I wonder if they were keeping an eye out for eagles?
American Black Ducks
American Black Ducks
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gulls
I located a Bald Eagle nest when a screaming juvenile flew to it. The nest was well concealed, but I was able to get a photo with an adult next to it.
Juvenile Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle
A short time later, I saw another adult Bald Eagle.
Adult Bald Eagle
Adult Bald Eagle
I saw a few more species back at the hotel, and by the end of the afternoon, had 21 avian species on my trip list.
Click here to continue to birding on February 4