Warm April day at Rocky Gap

Sometime in 2020 we went to Rocky Gap state park, and it was gorgeous!  So on a warm spring day, we decided to give it another go.  It was just as gorgeous this time, with an added plus - the bathrooms were open!  Yay!!!!!

Here's the ebird checklist:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S132699116

We basically parked by the building with the bathrooms, and walked along the edge of the lake, and followed the lake loop trail for a while.  The trail is 5-6 miles long, and we are building back up to that, but today we just went as far as felt good and then turned around.

First off, scanning the lake I was a little sad there wasn't anything to see, but then a loon popped up quite nearby!  It was underwater when I started my scan!  Definitely my best sighting of a loon ever, and I think the first time in breeding plumage.  Talk about fancy!  

Then I noticed a group of 4 cormorants on the lake, so that was nice.

Going towards the trail start (the bridge) there were some other ducks, one that I figured out later was a ruddy duck, and the others, well, my best guess is greater scaup.  Hard to know if they are greater or lesser, I looked at the guides, and that's my best guess.

On the trail, we heard plenty, and saw a little!  Not much in the way of spring migrants, mostly resident birds.  But right by the bridge Jack spotted a groundhog, and on our way back he found a snake!  It looked like a garter snake about 2 feet long to me, but let's be honest, I am far from a snake expert.  It was so cool!  

This was a really nice place, with really nice people on the trails etc.  I would guess it gets crowded as it gets warmer, so I don't know if it will be for us during busy season, but for right now it's pretty ideal.

 

Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve

 Took a walk on the little-bit-wild side at Abrams Creek, a very nice walk by a little wetlands on the edge of Winchester.  So nice!  I was hoping to get some migrants, but I didn't really, except for one little ruby-crowned kinglet.  But it was a wonderful walk!

It started with a kingfisher!  I love kingfishers, and I was thrilled to see this one.  It was on power lines and backlit, so I'm not putting a pic here, but trust me, it was as cute as it could be!  

Further along, a lot of activity, mostly hearing red-winged blackbirds, wrens, hearing much more than I was seeing.  Saw a pair of wood ducks at one spot, it's surprising how hard they are to see at the edge of the water!  Like most people, I love a wood duck.  

Further along, lots of little cuties, the expected ones, sparrows and juncos and such.  Then I saw a weird branch that I thought might be a bird hiding, but it was at such an odd angle, I thought, probably not.  But obviously I looked, and it was a red-shouldered hawk!  My first time seeing one perched.  It was so hard to get a picture of!  It flew off but only maybe 15 further down the path, and sat up straighter, for this shot.  

At the end of the path you can see across to a golf course, and there were geese there.  Several Canada geese, and 2 greylag geese, I guess escapees from somewhere.  And one that I still can't ID, I'm guessing some sort of swan, I didn't get a good pic.  I'll see if it's there next time!

Here's the ebird checklist, I'm going to start including these hopefully on the regular:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S132234577