Central Virginia 11/16/12

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

I was just getting ready to walk out the door for a bird hike here in Stoney Creek when Tim. H. called to tell me that he had just seen a Tundra Swan on the pond at Critzer's farm on route 151 about nine miles to the north of where I live. He said that the swan had taken off and was heading south.

I first went to Sawmill Creek pond #3 and Lake Monocan here, but did not see any water birds, so I headed up to Critzer's farm to see if the swan had returned. All I saw there was a Pied-billed Grebe.

Pied-billed Grebe

As I was already half way to Crozet at this point, I decided to look for lake and shore birds there, going first to Lickinghole Creek trail and lake. I ended up with 26 species there, including a Belted Kingfisher, a few Killdeers, two Wilson's Snipes, Canada and a barnyard Geese, and some unidentifed ducks that I could hear but could not see on the other side of the north end marsh area.

Killdeer

Wilson's Snipe

Swamp Sparrow

Flicker

Red-shouldered Hawk

My next stop was the pond at Old Trail, where I saw Canada Geese along with Lesser Scaup, Ruddy, and Ring-necked Ducks.

Ring-necked Duck males; Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup females

Ring-necked Duck male and Lesser Scaup female

Ring-necked Duck male and Ruddy Duck female

Lesser Scaup female

Ring-necked Duck female

Ruddy Duck males

My last Crozet stop was at King Family Vineyards. All I saw there were some Canada Geese and Mallards.

Mallards

I stopped at Hidden Creek pond here in Stoney Creek on the way home, and saw a few Wood Ducks.

Wood Duck

Finally, I watched a few birds come to the feeder at my house: Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, American Goldfinches, and the grayest female Red-bellied Woodpecker that I have ever seen.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

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