[va-bird] breeding birds, Franklin County

Early this morning the Red-winged Blackbirds around our ponds drew my attention 
to a young Broad-winged Hawk which was flying overhead. It was very pale, with 
an almost white head and the tail feathers were still fairly short, although 
the familiar pattern was present.

In the woods I came across at least a dozen baby Ovenbirds, a family of 
Carolina Wrens with 5 little short-tailed young ones, a fledged Towhee which 
was still mostly brown and covered with spots, a young Mourning Dove with not 
enough feathers on the neck and head, and 2 Downy Woodpeckers begging food from 
their parents on an old oak snag. One of our Bluebird pairs has produced 3 
spotted young who have been hanging about near the barn. There is another nest 
box with 4 bluebird eggs.

I saw a male Kentucky Warbler carrying caterpillars, the Phoebes in the 
cloister are carrying food to several hungry mouths, and the Phoebes in the 
garage and the ones in the barn are still sitting on eggs. One of the bluebird 
boxes which was taken by Tree Swallows is full of the chirping sounds of young, 
and the parents have been quite busy over the last few days. Last Wednesday, 
and again today I saw our pair of Meadowlarks carrying food.

Father John Sebastian
Syon Abbey
Blue Ridge Parkway
Franklin County

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