April 9, 2009 [LINK / comment]

More vireos and cormorants

Last week I saw a Blue-headed vireo and a Double-crested cormorant -- but just one of each -- whereas this week I saw multiples of both those migratory species. I saw two of the former today at the Peaks of Otter, along with a Ruby-crowned kinglet. Further along the Blue Ridge Parkway a Pine warbler was singing, and yet another Wild turkey was foraging along the road.

On Tuesday, I noticed a group of 20 or so big black birds riding out the rain on a small rocky island in the middle of the James River west of Big Island, and I quickly realized what the were. Highlights:

My first Barn swallows of the season were last Sunday, a few miles east of Staunton. Pine siskins are still frequenting our feeder in back, and I've seen as many as five at once. In other nature-related developments, a Red fox ran right in front of me as I was driving south on I-81 between Greenville and Raphine. That was a scary near miss, and I hope it learned its lesson about jay-walking.