Walt Childs and I took advantage of the nice weather and headed over the Blue Ridge and into the Shenandoah Valley. We started north of Waynesboro and made our way towards the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport. Along the way, we saw birds that ranged from very small to very large, a good number of American Kestrels, a nesting Red-tailed Hawk along Cline River Road, and some very colorful Red-winged Blackbirds.
Horned Lark
Common Raven
Common Raven
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Bluebird
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
We went north into Rockingham County and saw some Green-winged Teals in the Oakwood pond, and two Blue-winged Teals at Leonard's pond.
Blue-winged Teals
At Silver Lake in Dayton, we saw Tree, Northern Rough-winged, and Barn Swallows; Mallards; American Coots; and a Bonaparte's Gull.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows
Tree and Barn Swallows
Bonaparte's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
We continued driving around in Rockingham County where we saw a few new species for the day, and ended up with 43 avian species. Not too bad for early April.
Purple Martins
Hooded Mergansers
Wood Duck