Wintergreen Area 11/8/12

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Stoney Creek

There has been a steady stream of birds at our back yard feeder for the past couple of weeks. The Pine Siskins are at the feeder several times per day, anywhere from a few birds to more than a dozen. It is interesting to notice the variable yellow coloring in the males, the lack of yellow in the females, and the aggressive males when their spot on the feeder is being challenged.


Male Pine Siskins


Male and female Pine Siskins


Male Pine Siskin

Rockfish Valley Trail

I arrived at the trail at 9:15 this morning, and it was fairly quiet at first. The sun was out, but there was a good breeze from the northwest. I saw two Red-tailed Hawks cruising the area, and then the F-15 Crows decided that the hawks were in restricted air space, and escorted them out of the area. Once the Red-tailed Hawks where gone, the little birds came out. One of the Red-tailed Hawks returned to the trail just before I left. In less than 1-1/2 hours I had 31 species on the trail.


Red-tailed Hawk


Red-tailed Hawk and escort


Red-tailed Hawk and escort


Red-tailed Hawk and escort


Red-tailed Hawk

I only saw five species of sparrows on the trail today: Song, Field, White-throated, Chipping, and Dark-eyed Junco.


Song Sparrow


Field Sparrow


Chipping Sparrow

Although I expected to see a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Palm Warbler is rare here in November.


Yellow-rumped Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler


Palm Warbler

There were several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers on the trail, as well as Flickers, Red-bellied, and Pileated Woodpeckers.


Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


Female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


Flicker


Immature Red-winged Blackbird


Black Vultures "So, how was your day? Find any good road kill?"


Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Ruby-crowned Kinglet

As I started back on the downstream trail toward my car, a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk did a low pass flyover just above my head - almost in the same location where a juvenile Northern Harrier flew overhead two days ago.


Red-shouldered Hawk


Red-shouldered Hawk


Red-shouldered Hawk


Red-shouldered Hawk


Red-shouldered Hawk

Wintergreen Mountain

I needed to run an errand up on the mountain, and decided to check out a few locations there. There was very little avian activity, and at the Raven's Roost overlook, a Common Raven came by to check me out.


Common Raven

Today's RV Trail list (31 species):

Song Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Phoebe
Starling
Eastern Bluebird
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Flicker
Blue Jay
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Crow
Carolina Wren

Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Goldfinch
Red-winged Blackbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Cardinal



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