A new pair of boots arrived yesterday, and I was eager to try them out, so I went for a late morning hike at the Rockfish Valley Trail. It wasn't very "birdy," but I did manage to log 20 avian species.
Most birders train their eyes and brain to pick out a shape or movement that seems out of place, even if it's only a quick glance. Sometimes, we get fooled by shadows and sunlit areas that create bird-like shapes, and it's not uncommon to see a tree branch bird, leaf bird, or rock bird. But I got fooled three times in the first 20 minutes on the trail. Look at the following three photos with a quick glance and you might see what I thought I saw.
Tree birds
I did see my first Palm Warbler for this spring migration season.
Palm Warbler
Field Sparrow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Thrasher
Female Eastern Towhee
Male Eastern Towhee