Crozet, VA 4/23/2020

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Old Trail

The sky was completely overcast this morning, but with rain forecasted for later today and the next three days, I wanted to get some birding in while I could. That turned out to be a good decision. I hiked here in Old Trail, and ended up with 41 avian species, and some good photos.

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Eastern Kingbird

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Common Yellowthroat

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Common Yellowthroat

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Eastern Bluebird

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Savannah Sparrow

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Swamp Sparrow

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House Sparrow

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Do you think that this Chipping Sparrow has enough nesting material?

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Wood Duck

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Northern Cardinal

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Killdeer

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Spotted Sandpipers

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Mourning Dove

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Northern Rough-winged Swallow going after a meal

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Barn Swallow gathering nesting material

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Immature Tree Swallow

But the highlight of the morning was watching an Osprey fishing at the golf course pond. It would circle multiple times as it looked for a fish.

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

It had a few misses and came up without a catch.

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

And then, success!

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

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Osprey

Near the end of my hike, I got two non-avian species. The first one was the largest mouse [Update: Hispid Cotton Rat] I have ever seen - a bit larger than a chipmunk!

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Hispid Cotton Rat

And then I heard a weird buzzy noise. Someone was flying a drone.

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Drone

This morning's list:

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Common Yellowthroat
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
House Finch
House Sparrow


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