Northern Harrier
Walt Childs and I did some birding in northern Augusta and southern Rockingham Counties. We were looking for raptors and migrating bird species, and ended up with 43 avian species. We looked for waterfowl in small farm ponds, and focused on Leonard's Pond, Oakwood Pond, the pond across from the Green Valley Book Fair, and Nazarenne Wetlands. Soon after starting out, we saw a female Northern Harrier, followed by an American Kestrel, and one of six Red-tailed Hawks for the day. We also saw two Sharp-shinned Hawks.
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Ring-necked Ducks
Mallards
White-crowned Sparrows
Eastern Meadowlark
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Tree Swallow
Each time we drive along one of the farm roads in Augusta County, we check a tree where we saw a Great Horned Owl with an owlet in April 2016, but we hadn't seen an owl there since then. The exact location is not shown here to protect the owl nest.
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As we approached the nest this morning, we saw a Great Horned Owl in it!
Great Horned Owl
And then we saw some movement. It was an owlet to the left of mama.
Great Horned Owl and owlet
Great Horned Owl and owlet
Great Horned Owl and owlet
And then we saw a second owlet to the right of mama.
Great Horned Owl and owlet
The first owlet moved over to join the second owlet, and mama looked like she had had a hard night with the little ones, and wanted to sleep.
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
But there was too much actvity for mama too sleep.
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl and owlets
The owlets then buried themselves under mama's feathers, and sleep was possible.
Great Horned Owl and owlets
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl
Today's list:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
American Robin
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
House Sparrow
