Leesylvania State Park, May 9, 2005

Purple Martins, Leesylvania State Park, VA. We went for a hike to see the ruins of the Lee Mansion (Robert E. Lee's grandparents). These purple martins were on one of two martin houses near the Visitor's Center. On the hike we also saw two great blue herons, an osprey catching a fish, a white-throated sparrow (much to my surprise--I thought they were all gone!), a white-breasted nuthatch (who eluded my best efforts to photograph him), a downy woodpecker, a gray catbird, a mockingbird, a titmouse and a cardinal.

We also heard a great many birds that I can't identify yet. It's like learning a foreign language!