It started off sunny, muggy, and hot, and quickly changed to cloudy, muggy, and even hotter. I went first to the parkway to look for warblers. It seemed fairly quiet up there. I think that a lot of the birds are now on nest and the males are not singing for mates. Most of the warblers I saw were high up in the trees and blocked by dense leaves. I heard Ovenbirds and Hooded Warblers, and saw Cerulean Warblers and Americcan Redstarts.
Cerulean Warbler
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
I ended up with 20 to 25 species on the parkway this morning.
Indigo Bunting
I took Route 664 down into the Rockfish Valley, and hiked a bit on the trail there. I added a handful of new species giving me about 30 for the day. I heard one American Redstart and saw a Common Yellowthroat.
Common Yellowthroat
A White-eyed Vireo was collecting nesting materials.
White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
I saw my second Black Ratsnake in as many days. One of the fun things I like to do with ratsnakes is take a self-portrait in the reflection from its eye. You can see me crouching down for the photo in the eye detail.
Black Ratsnake
Black Ratsnake