Juvenile Downy Woodpecker
With all the weekend holiday traffic, I decided to go birding only along Route 610 between mm. 2 and mm. 4 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I ended up with 21 avian species, including 6 warbler species. Hooded and Cerulean Warblers were heard only, and I only got quick looks at a couple of Ovenbirds.
Juvenile Downy Woodpecker
Indigo Bunting
Wood Thrush
Eastern Towhee
Red-eyed Vireo
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Black and White Warbler
I saw several American Redstarts, and the most interesting one was a first summer male trying to figure out how to eat a larvae that it had just caught. Note its dark lores, dark uppertail coverts, and yellow wings bars and underside yellow wash; all features that distinguish it from a female of this species.
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
Tiger Swallowtail
I did an abbreviated hike here in Old Trail, and stopped when there were too many people out enjoying the holiday and sunny weather. I still ended up with 24 avian species, including two more warbler species: Common Yellowthroat and Yellow-breasted Chat (heard only, and I know this species has been moved out of the wood-warbler family).
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Cardinal
There were a couple of interesting birding sights here this morning. Early in my hike, I saw one of our newly fledged Red-shouldered Hawks, and then another one flew in a chased it from its perch.
Red-shouldered Hawks
Red-shouldered Hawks
Red-shouldered Hawks
Red-shouldered Hawk
Crews have drained most of the retention pond behind The Lodge, and are working on it. This set up easy pickings for a Great Blue Heron and two Green Herons.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Old Trail completely surrounds the Albemarle County Western Park. This park is one of the best birding areas around here. I have been trying for a couple of years now to get Albemarle County to change its development plan for the park, but haven't been too concerned as lack of funds has kept the park from being developed. Unfortunately, the county is now starting to develop the park, and I have stepped up my actions trying to get the Western Park development plan changed, including writing a position paper that can be downloaded from my web site. Click here to read my position paper on Western Park (www.faintich.net/My Concerns WRT Western Park Development.pdf)