Rockfish Valley Trail 8/18/12

All photos are © Marshall Faintich


I headed over to the trail this afternoon, and took the same path as I did three days ago when I logged 40 species. I didn't expect to see as many birds from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. as I did in the previous morning trip, and ended up with 26 species this afternoon. Highlights included a small flock of Wild Turkeys, a Starling with mid-plumage change that had a light spotted body and a dark head, and three hawk species: a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk with the lightest head I have ever seen that greeted my arrival, a low flying Red-tailed Hawk that flew over my head and into the trees, and a quick look at a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk that took off from low in a tree and flew through the tree line and quickly out of sight.


Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk


Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk


Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk


Wild Turkeys


Starling


Carolina Wren


Female Blue Grosbeak

This afternoon's RV Trail list (26 species):

Eastern Bluebird
Carolina Wren
American Goldfinch
Indigo Bunting
Carolina Chickadee
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Blue Grosbeak
Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Mockingbird
Starling
American Crow
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Phoebe
Wild Turkey
Belted Kingfisher
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Rock Pigeon
Red-tailed Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk



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