The VA chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association had it's annual
Leadership Retreat at Seven Oaks Pathworks Center this past weekend so I got to
spend two glorious days in Madison Co. country. The center is on 120 acres
west of Rt. 29 off StRt 621 (Seville RD) that seems to be mostly growing up
farmland w/ some mixed habitat - a small pond surrounded by pines, a four acre
lawn
area around the buildings and a long hillside that leads down to the Rapidan
River with a mix of small pines and deciduos brush with lots of great edge -
the farm next door seems to be a working farm. I always get N. Bobwhite and
Chat when I visit and they were there this year also.
I found five warbler species - Chat at least 3, Prairie 2, Pine 2 and Common
Yellowthroat 1 heard singing were present and a surprise (?) pair of
Blackburnians put in an appearance. Did not see both birds but they appeared to
be
traveling together and was able to get my bins on the Males fiery throat before
they moved on.
Sparrows were slim w Towhee, Chippers and Field showing up. I tried for a
Grasshopper to no avail. Three YB Cuckoos were about - woodthrush,Kestrel, RT
Hawk, Killdeer, Brown Thrasher and WE Vireo were also around. Had three
breeders
= Phoebe on nest, RE Vireo w/ fledged young and Indigo Bunting w. fledged
young.
Bonus bird of the weekend was the Am Woodcock that blasted out of the woods
and over our heads at twilight just as we were lighting our campfire. I was
inspired to do my woodcock imitation (haven't got the wing whistle thing down
yet) much to the edification and entertainment of my fellow attendees...hey,
that's what it's all about...
On the trip down 29, just south of Culpepper (or as my friends from
Charlottsville say, Cullll-peppa) - i saw two Mute Swans in what is labeled
Lake Pelham
in the Delorme. The birds were visible from Rt 29...Rich Rieger
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