FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] Warsaw and Wilna 9/16

["Lee Adams" <ladams42@xxxxxxx>]

I was visiting my parents in Warsaw and woke to a cool, crisp morning. 
I saw the following in their yard:
C. Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy 
Woodpecker, Black and White Warbler, Hooded Warbler, A. Goldfinch, 
House Finch, C. Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern 
Mockingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow, 
Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the entire Northern 
Neck's population of Brown-headed Cowbirds.
I learned to love birding with my father. He is a retired 
veterinarian. The weather was beautiful so we drove over to the Wilna 
Unit of the Rappahannock River Valley NWR. Driving in I was watching 
butterflies in the lane. A Red-tailed Hawk flew out of the trees when 
I stopped to try to take a picture. I parked my 4 wheel drive so my 
father could see over the pond. We saw a Great Blue Heron, lots of 
Eastern Bluebirds and a Scarlet Tanager. After a few fruitless casts 
of a new spinnerbait from the pier I drove back up the hill. There was 
a lot of "little bird" activity at the beginning of the trail beside 
the pond. My father has just had another back surgery and walks with 
canes. I asked if he could walk 30 steps. He said yes so I set up a 
canvas chair in the first shade of the trail. Warblers were 
everywhere. We saw American Redstarts, Black-throated Green Warblers, 
Northern Parulas, Common Yellow-throats, Black and White Warblers, 
Magnolia Warblers, and Red-eyed, White-eyed and Yellow-throated 
Vireos. We saw Blue Grosbeaks and one female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 
To finish our outing with a bang we spotted a Merlin sitting in the 
top of  a dead tree as we were leaving.

Lee Loudenslager Adams
Fredericksburg, VA
ladams42@xxxxxxx 

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