The BirdCast radar showed good migration overnight through central Virginia, and I suspected that there might be some migrating ducks in the ponds. When I left my house at 9:00 this morning, there was bright, cloudless sunshine, but the temperature was in the upper 30s. I went first to the golf course pond to look for ducks, but all I saw was a Great Blue Heron flying across the pond.
Great Blue Heron
I turned the corner and headed up towards fairway #1. There were Song, Swamp, White-throated, White-crowned, and Field Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and I got a quick look at a Lincoln's Sparrow.
Lincolns' Sparrow
A Red-shouldered Hawk was perched in a tree along the fairway, and I saw a Palm Warbler.
Palm Warbler
All of a sudden there was a commotion, and I saw a small hawk being chased. My first reaction was a Sharp-shinned, but I now think that it was a small (male?) Cooper's Hawk.
Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
And then I saw another warbler. I've been seeing Tennessee Warblers every day for the past couple of weeks here in Old Trail, and thought that was what I was seeing this time. And then it flew into a tree and I saw its yellow undertail coverts and immediately knew - a rare Orange-crowned Warbler! I've seen this species in South Carolina, Florida, Arizona, and Alaska, but this is only the third one I have ever seen in Virginia, and it is my Old Trail species # 146.
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
The Orange-crowned Warbler spent a lot of time foraging and preening, and I took lots of photos. A few of the photos show a hint of the concealed orange crown patch.
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
I then went over to the Western Park wetlands. As I hiked near the plateau, a Tennessee Warbler flew across the path and disappeared before I could get a photo. This was in the same location where I have been photographing them during the past week or so. The Red-shouldered Hawk, the Great Blue Heron, and the Cooper's Hawk flew overhead within a span of a minute or two.
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
I ended up hiking along Slabtown Brach Creek where I saw more Yellow-rumped Warblers, another Palm Warbler, the Red-shouldered Hawk, and more sparrows.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
The following photos were taken at various places on this morning's hike, and I ended up with 35 avian species.
White-crowned Sparrow
Field Sparrows
White-throated Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Phoebe
American Goldfinch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Today's list:
Great Blue Heron
Red-shouldered Hawk
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Mockingbird
Palm Warbler
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Swamp Sparrow
Orange-crowned Warbler
Canada Goose
American Goldfinch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Black Vulture
American Robin
House Finch
House Sparrow
Tennessee Warbler
Northern Flicker
Turkey Vulture
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
Dark-eyed Junco
Cooper's Hawk