PWF was a bit slower today, 47 spp. total with 15 warbler spp. After a few
brief, unproductive stops along the Scenic Drive, I started at the Oak Ridge
campground and headed out on the South Valley Trail. I was about a mile down
the trail at the beaver ponds as the sun finally broke through at 9AM. I was
immediately surrounded by a variety of different spp. all singing at once. I'd
heard only various flycatchers, Ovenbird and Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers
prior to this. Most of the warbler species listed below were seen/heard during
this brief flurry of activity. Highlight was a great close-up view of a pair of
male Blackburnian Warblers working the low cover (for once).
Headed back continued over to the Farms to Forest trail and extension (about
10AM). I walked the outer loop, but by this the wind kicked up, and the birds
were few and far between. Highlight was an orange variant Scarlet Tanager and
Baltimore Oriole at the same spot about half-way along the beaver area.
After lunch, I hiked the South Valley Trail heading upstream from Parking Lot
I. Not much activity other than a few Red-eyed Vireos and the occasional Hooded
and Worm-eating Warbler. About a 3/4-mile in, I ran into a group of at least
four Magnolia Warblers singing a slow song I'd not heard before, along with
their more usual song.
The most unusual aspect of the morning was despite driving the entire Scenic
Drive and hiking about 6-8 mile of trails, I did not see or hear a single N.
Cardinal.
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
Scott Priebe
Springfield, VA
