Crozet, VA 3/23//4/2/2024

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

There was good weather and good birding activity here in Old Trail for the end of March. I logged 43 avian species during the first three outings during this reporting period, and then #44 the following day.

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper

Belted Kingfisher

Swamp Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Tree Swallow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Hermit Thrush

Wood Ducks continue to visit the small, secluded pond near my house, and are easily spooked and fly away as soon as they see me. One time, one of our resident Red-shouldered Hawks was perched on a branch at the pond, and then made a pass at the Wood Ducks, but decided they were too big to mess with. The ducks didn't even flinch. I saw the same thing happen last year, and at that time, two Wood Ducks actually dove under the water to escape the hawk's talons.

Wood Ducks

Wood Ducks

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawks

A migrating Osprey was circling above the golf course pond. And then, American Crows scrambled one of their F-15 attack fighter crows to escort the Osprey out of the area.

Osprey

Osprey and American Crow

Osprey and American Crow

We had a change in the weather as a cooler front is on the way, preceded by cloudy skies, off and on light drizzle, and morning fog. I didn't expect to see much avian activity. I did get better photos of the Pied-billed Grebes and the Sharp-shinned Hawk that I had seen at the end of March. On April 1st, the only avian species I added to this reporting period list was an Eastern Towhee.

Pied-billed Grebes

Sharp-shinned Hawk

American Goldfinch

Field Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Fish Crow

Fish Crow

Tree Swallow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Northern Flickers

Wood Ducks continue to visit the secluded pond, but this week only swam to the far end of the pond to hide, rather than fly away.

Wood Ducks

Wood Ducks

April 2 was surprisingly good for birding. I really had to dodge drizzle to keep my camera dry, and there were thunderstorms late afternoon. But after the morning fog had cleared, I hiked four miles here in Old Trail, and added 8 more avian species to this list, giving me 53 Old Trail avian species during this 10 day period. And I did not see close to 10 avian year round/wintering species that I often see here. First of season species were Brown Thrashers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and I saw a Hairy Woodpecker (only the second time I had seen one in Old Trail). A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was my 6th woodpecker species of this reporting period. Summer residents such as Common Yellowthroats, Louisiana Watherthrushes, Yellow Warblers, Barn Swallows, and Green Herons have not arrived yet.

Brown Thrasher

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Hairy Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

There were four duck species in the golf course pond.

Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, and Ring-necked Ducks

Ruddy Duck

Report list and date first seen:

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