Sorry about the late post, but I wanted to report the birds seen while
birding this past week. On Tues, I birded the swamp at the intersection of
Woods Edge Rd and Ruffin Mill, near Colonial Heights, including the small
cemetery next door, and then I visited the northern section of Pocahontas
State Park off Courthouse Rd, on Loop Forest Rd (FR 120).
At Woods Edge-the usuals, but highlights were a deer in the open in broad
daylight, and a pair of Kingfishers. Species list:
Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Killdeer, Flicker, Orchard Oriole pair,
Red-winged Blackbirds, Cardinal, Summer tanager, Eastern Phoebe, an un-ID'd
flycatcher, Barn and Tree Swallows, Red-headed WP, Downy WP, Brown-headed
nuthatches, Towhee pair, Kingfishers, Mallard, Robin, Goldfinches, Rock
Dove, Carolina chickadee, and titmouse.
At Pocahontas-Highlight was a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO nest building (Click on
link below for photos)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/rlechols/Birds/Vireos/CanonS3IS2007-0
6-13_12.jpg (nest)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/rlechols/Birds/Vireos/CanonS3IS2007-0
6-13_4.jpg (bird)
Species list:
Goldfinch, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers feeding young, Carolina Chickadee, Titmouse, Blue Jay, Pine
Warbler, Ovenbird, Hooded Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Pileated WP, Downy WP,
Turkey Vulture, Wood Pewee.
And yesterday, Friday, I birded a little at Dutch Gap. Highlights were a
LEAST BITTERN flying low right above me, juvenile wood ducks, and an otter.
Species list:
Least Bittern (flyover on the entrance road just before the corner turn
which leads to the first observation point), Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting,
Blue Grosbeak pair, Great Blue Heron and Green Heron, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers
feeding young, Prothonotary warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler feeding
juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird that was much larger than itself, Bluebird,
Tree Swallow, Mockingbird, Gold Finch, Starling, Many juvenile Wood Ducks,
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee, Titmouse,
Red-winged blackbird, Carolina Wren, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Robin, Laughing
Gull, Black Vulture, Brown Thrasher, Mourning Dove, and 2 Groundhogs, 4
Cottontails, and an Otter in the Marsh!
Here is a link to a picture of a juvenile Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/rlechols/Birds/Gnatcatchers/CanonS3IS
2007-06-15_9.jpg
Rachel Echols
Chester, VA
