House Finch
I had morning errands, so I could only do a short hike this afternoon. It was quite chilly out, but I managed to log 22 avian species.
House Finch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yes, I know that it is cold out here!
I saw one bird flying overhead right at me, but couldn't get it into focus until after it had flown passed me. It looked to have blue undersides with dark undertail bands, and white/gray underwings. It was about the size of a Bluebird. The only species that even comes close would be an Indigo Bunting, but it would be six weeks early, and Indigo Buntings are smaller. Perhaps it was a Starling?
Mystery bird species
The forecast was for light snow, but I got a short hike in before the flurries got to be too much. I ended up with 24 avian species. Near the golf course pond, I heard the fitz-hugh call of a Willow Flycatcher four times, but could not find the bird. This would be two months early for this species, and I suspect that it might have been a Carolina Chickadee making an unusual call.
Multi-colored House Finch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-shouldered Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
I needed to be in Charlottesville early afternoon, so I only had time for a short hike in the morning. Birds were out foraging after yesterday's snow, and I logged 23 avian species during this hike. I started out by the golf course pond. There was some commotion in the brush along the pond just to the right of my shoulder. A Great Blue Heron emerged, flew down the trail path, and settled in farther down the pond.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Song Sparrow
A very windy cold front moved into the area. With temperatures in the mid-30s, and sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph, and 30 to 40 mph wind gusts, most of the smaller birds were hunkered down, and I didn't last very long on my hike. I only logged 14 avian species before ending my hike.
Old Trail; March 15It seemed to be even windier this morning, and the temperatures were still in the mid-30s. But the birds were hungry from being hunkered down yesterday, so I stayed out a bit longer and ended up with 21 avian species. I skipped some of my usual birding locations in Old Trail to stay out of the wind, and planned to spend a lot of time along Slabtown Branch Creek, where many birds should have been foraging in a somewhat sheltered area. But when I got there, I saw lots of noisy school children, several adults, and several tables set up along the trail. The kids were getting lessons in water quality monitoring, so I moved on to a less sheltered area along the creek.
Red-shouldered Hawk
White-throated Sparrow
House Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
What a difference a day makes. It was warmer and much less windier. Although my list of 25 avian species wasn't much greater than yesterday's list, smaller birds were out in much greater numbers. More kids were getting lessons in water quality monitoring, so once again, I missed birding along that section of Slabtown Branch Creek.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Old Trail six day bird list:
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Blue Jay
Canada Goose
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Common Grackle
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
European Starling
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Great Blue Heron
Hermit Thrush
House Finch
House Sparrow
Killdeer
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Mockingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-rumped Warbler