Central Virginia 4/5-8/2022

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Old Trail; Crozet, VA; April 5

It was rather overcast this morning, but I wanted to get out and see if any more spring species had arrived. Although I saw about 25 avian species, none of them were new arrivals. I did see a late season Yellow-bellied Sapsucker with almost no yellow on it, and it looked a bit strange to me. Some of the Yellow-rumped Warblers are in their breeding plumage already.

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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

Warren Ferry, VA; April 7

Every year during the first week of April, I try to make the 45 minute drive each way to Warren Ferry (Albemarle County side of the James River) to look for Yellow-throated Warblers. The albilora subspecies, also called "Sycamore" Warbler nest every year in the sycamore trees next to the small wooden bridge at the defunct ferry crossing. They usually arrive the last week of March, and by the third week of April, the sycamore tree leaves are out and block a lot of the view. This is also a good location for Prothonotary Warblers and Common Yellowthroats, and migrating warbler species such as Palm, Yellow, Black and White, and Northern Parula. A few miles away from there, Totier Creek Park is a reliable site for Louisiana Watherthrushes and Pine Warblers.

I was scheduled to give one of my bird talks that evening to the Margaret Watson Bird Club in Farmville, and Warren Ferry was only a few miles from the halfway mark to Farmville from my home in Crozet. I had planned on going late morning, and spending several hours birding at Totier Creek Park, Warren Ferry, and if I had time, at a few good birding locations in the Farmville area.

But the weather gods had other plans. The forecast was for off and on rain, ranging from drizzle to heavy thunderstorms. There was a lot of rain in the morning, but it lessened a bit early afternoon, and I headed out around 1:30 p.m. I stopped first at Totier Creek Park, and there was only very light drizzle. I heard a few birds, but didn't see any of them. So I headed over to Warren Ferry. There was still light drizzle than soon turned into light rain. I did see six avian species there between the raindrops, including my 8th warbler species photographed in 2022. I left soon after that, and there were heavy storms all the way to Farmville.

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Yellow-throated Warbler

Old Trail; Crozet, VA; April 8

A cool front moved into the area overnight, and cleared out the moisture leaving sunny skies and very wet ground. I started off at the golf course pond along the Lindy Bain loop trail, and saw some good birds there. There were 5 American Wigeons, 2 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, and 2 Teals. One of the Teals was a bit larger than the other, and I was able to confirm the larger one as a Blue-winged Teal (yellow legs and larger bill), and the smaller one as a Green-winged Teal (my Old Trail avian species # 159), as the green wing patch, and buffy wing and tail bars were visible in some of my photos.

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Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals