VisitingNature Outing October 8-9, 2011

I visited Knott's Island, North Carolina on the 8th and James River State Park, Virginia on the 9th. While rail numbers were good at Knott's Island with many King, Virginia and Sora being heard, land birds were few and far between. The highlight of the trip was observing approximately 30,000 Tree Swallow over the marsh both perching and foraging early in the morning.

At James River State Park, the bird highlight was a single Rusty Blackbird foraging along the river. While odes were not plentiful seven Blue-faced Meadowhawks, many Powdered Dancers, American Rubyspots and a single Blue-ringed Dancer were observed. Butterflies were not in good numbers but Common Buckeyes, Pearl Crescents, Eastern-tailed Blues and a single angle wing species were observed.

A few photographs of the activity are below.