Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Walt Childs and I headed west into the Shenandoah Valley, stopping first at Augusta Springs Wetlands where we saw 16 species of mostly woodland birds.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
From there, we headed over to Swoope where we added another 34 species. At our first stop we were treated to a pair of American Kestrels, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a pair of Bald Eagles.
American Kestrels
Red-tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
We saw a lot of lake and shore birds: Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Wood Ducks, and four species of Sandpiper: Spotted, Solitary, Semi-palmated, and Lesser Yellowlegs. [Update - from Allen L. (VA): Your Lesser Yellowlegs & Semipalmated Sandpipers are in fact a Solitary & Least Sandpipers. I have been watching those mud flats for a week now & the same birds have always been there.]
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Wood Duck
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpipers
Solitary Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Sandpipers
Semi-palmated and Solitary Sandpipers
There were a variety of woodland birds as well. We saw lots of Tree and Barn Swallows. Some of the Tree Swallows were molting into adult plumage.
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Savannah Sparrow
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Tree Swallow
We ended today's trip seeing about two dozen Bobolinks, and female Dickcissels bringing food to their fledglings.
Bobolinks
Dickcissel
Dickcissel
Not a bad outing for an early August birding trip here in Virginia!