Michelle, Chazzy, and I spent the past three days enjoying the autumn colors of the New River Valley in Virginia. It felt great to be able to take a few days off from pharmacy school and spend some time hiking and birding.

On Friday, our first stop was a hike up to the Cascades at Pembroke, Virginia. Along the way we found a couple of Winter Wrens and several other species. During the afternoon we got to bird Glen Alton for the first time. We found both kinglets, Swamp Sparrows, a Brown Creeper, and a Palm Warbler among other birds. This place looks like it would be a magnet for spring migrants and we plan on making a return trip.

Saturday we drove south into Floyd County and up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After visiting Mabry Mill we tasted the wines at the Chateau Morrisette Winery. After lunch in Floyd, Virginia, we hiked part of the Rock Castle Gorge Trail.

Sunday we made a quick stop at Riverview Park in Radford - best bird was a late N. Rough-winged Swallow. We then made our way up to Mountain Lake Resort on Salt Pond Mountain. The lake level is low due to the drought but the area was ablaze in fall colors. Along the War Spur Loop Trail we found Yellow-rumped Warblers, both kinglets, Juncos, and Ravens. It was a great weekend to be hiking the mountains of Southwest Virginia.