All - Lucy, my daughter, and I headed out yesterday morning to look for
warblers. We birded along the Parkway from RT 60 to RT 56 and then at
McCormick's Farm and Willow Lake. It was a very birdy day.
Along the Parkway way we found a number of mixed feeding groups: Swainson's
Thrush (several large groups at the tops of trees), Red-breasted Nutchatch (at
least 2), Pine Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Chestnut-sided
Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. In addition we
found Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, Red-tailed Hawks, lots of Chimney Swifts,
Ravens (8), Wood Thrush (2), and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
For the day, we found all expected woodpeckers (Pileated, Downy, Hairy, YS
Flicker, Red-bellied), and the usual suspects: CA Chickadees, Titmice, WB
Nuthatches, a few Song Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows.
McCormick's Farm was very active. We had Common Yellowthroats, Magnolia
Warblers, Cape May Warblers (many), Palm Warbler, American Redstart, White-eyed
Vireo, Phoebes, Pewee, Tree Swallow and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Willow Lake - Great Egret (it's been there for a week), 2 Great Blue Herons,
Northern Harrier, some epid flycatcher that we could never get close looks at,
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and perhaps the bird of the day, Lucy found a
Dickcissel (I think the 4th county record).
I've posted some photos on Flickr from the day
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmibiology/
Dick Rowe
VMI Biology Dept
