Photographs of Wildlife in Virginia: Spring Has Officially Arrived!

Location info & Larger Photo available Here, (click the photo at the site)

With back & forth weather over the past few weeks it's been hard to tell what season it is anymore. However, today I can finally say it's spring because while hiking at First Landing State Park I saw my first snake of the year. When the reptiles come out of hibernation, in my eyes it must be springtime. I did my usual route today (10 miles) from the 64th Street entrance, following the Long Creek Trail to the Fox Run Trail, then taking some secondaries back, and following the bike trail towards the Narrows. Great Egrets were in the same places they'd been the past few times out, and like last week the wind was roaring so songbirds were hard to come by. One Belted Kingfisher was hanging out in the western marshes of White Hill Lake, and some Redwing Blackbirds flew over in that same area. Buffleheads were all over Long Creek, yet again staying just out of my cameras high quality range. Near the Narrows, at the boardwalk a Raccoon came cruising through, and I was able to take some photos of him as he grazed the shallows for his lunch. The was probably the first time this season that I didn't see any woodpeckers, and no Hooded Mergansers as well. Here's the best of the shots I was able to get today, and last week as well: