Hi all,
 My wife and kids (and fiancee) spent the weekend in Shenandoah NP,  arriving 
on Friday afternoon in heavy rains. Rather than camping we rented a  large 
cabin and had a pleasant weekend in relative comfort (with heat!).
 
Saturday morning the Shenandoah valley was completely socked in with clouds  
and it made an awesome site to see it from above. Then the winds picked up and 
 everything cleared up by noon. About 1:30 PM we hiked to Stonyman summit 
where  we spent the afternoon hours watching at least 2 dozen Common Ravens 
playing in  the winds along the cliff face.
 
Because of the approaching cold front, hawk activity was brisk. We got  great 
looks at 
multiple Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks, which  
flew down low along the treetops, avoiding the winds up high. Also seen were a  
single Merlin as it flew over us right above the rocks, a single Peregrine  
flying right out in front of us, a single Northern Harrier high over the  ridge, 
and a single juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE, being harassed by a flock of  Ravens as it 
flew past just below eye level. Most of these birds were visible  with the 
naked eye as they flew past very close. The eagle was so close that my  wife and 
daughter both got photos (my daughter with her point-and-shoot Canon  and my 
wife with her Canon 30).
 
We also saw both vulture species, and a few unidentified raptors as they  
slipped by and into the sun before I could ID them. It was a beautiful afternoon  
on the mountain!

In MD waters as we crossed the Potomac River on Whites Ferry, we saw 2  
Pied-billed Grebes on the MD side ( to make this posting "legal").
 
I know these sightings are in VA but am posting as a heads-up to lookout  for 
early Goldens and perhaps Goshawks too.
 
Rick Sussman
Woodbine, MD
 (mailto:[log in to unmask]) 



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