FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] : A rainy & foggy day in Highland County

["Patricia" <larnersky@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all

Yesterday( Feb. 4th ) I led 12 very hearty souls on a field trip to Highland 
County . Despite the rain & fog we managed to total up 35 species of birds . As 
I sit & type out this report I can see sun shine coming thru my windows . ( 
RATS ) Anyway we all enjoyed the birding in between the down pours of rain 
yesterday . The higher the elevation we got the more fog . So you can guess 
that we lucked out on the Crossbills at the top of Shenandoah Mountain as well 
as the hair pin turn . Snowy Mountain was fogged in too but as we were getting 
near the top I noticed a large bird flying out of the fog . We all stopped & 
this bird turned out to be one of the Golden Eagles stated in earlier posts . 
Luckily the fog stayed on the mountain tops & it made the valley clear but at 
times with heavy rain . 

The feeders in McDowell had a good variety of bird life . Here we had in the 
morning about 50+ Goldfinch , 3+ Black - capped Chickadee , Titmouse , 20+ 
Purple Finch , Downy Woodpecker , Junco , & Song Sparrow . As we were returning 
home about 3pm at the same feeders we added Brown Creeper , Red - bellied 
Woodpecker & Yellow -- bellied Sapsucker . At the Beverages feeders we had 
House Finch , Black - capped  Chickadee , Blue Jay . Below is a complete list 
of birds seen yesterday .

Canada Goose --1 --McDowell area
Mallard 
Great Blue Heron -- 1  -- Rt.642
Red -tailed Hawk -- 7 +  thru out Blue Grass Valley area
Rough - legged Hawk   1 light morph Rt 642
Golden Eagle -- 2  one near Snowy Mt. & one on Rt 640  Imm.
Am . Kestrel -- 13+  One male displaying to female 
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove 
Kingfisher
Red - bellied Woodpecker
Yelow - bellied Sapsucker
Downy
Hairy
Blue Jay
Am. Crow
Raven  -- 10+
Horned Lark  -- 20
Black -capped Chickadee -- 7+
Titmouse
White -- breasted Nuthatch -- seen at both feeders 
Brown creeper
Eastern Bluebird -- 5
Robin 
Mockingbird 
Starling   -- 300+
Song Sparrow
Junco 
Eastern Medowlark -- 1 heard by Jo King 
Rusty Blackbird  -- 2  mixed in with Starling & Cowbirds
Brown -headed Cowbird -- 20+
Purple Finch -- 20 +
House Finch
Goldfinch
House Sparrow -- seen a male displaying to a female 

For all who decided not to go on this field trip yesterday in the rain & fog  
Brenda Tekin will be leading a trip to Highland County next weekend (Feb 12th ) 
so if you want to go contact Brenda at bt8@xxxxxxxxxxxx & make arrangements for 
a meeting place & time . Hopefully the weather will be nice & sunny . Happy 
birding to all.

Allen & Pat Larner
Staunton