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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