Tag Archives: rare

Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting

Seen in Maryland. The Painted Bunting is a rare visitor to the Northern Virginia/Maryland area. This one was found at Great Falls National Park. Hanging out in an area full of late season berries, the bird hardly paid any attention to all the birders and photographers across the canal.

A rare visitor to Northern Virginia

Grey Shrike, Woodlands, Centreville, Virginia, evening, rare, bird, song bird, Northern Shrike,

Northern Shrike

This rare visitor to Northern Virginia has been quite an attraction. The Northern Shrike or also known as the Grey Shrike does not normally come as far south as Virginia. This bird has been hanging around the Woodlands park for a few weeks and is easy to spot. Getting good pictures can be a problem because it perches high up in the trees for a good look around for food. Over a period of a few hours though, I noticed there were a few favorite spots where he returned to often. I took advantage and got a few good shots using a 600mm lens with a 1.4 extender. Next time I go, I’ll bring along a crop sensor camera and maybe get a little larger image.