Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area

It’s been a couple of years since we went to Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area near Leesburg. There’s a drive that goes through the area that’s only open mid-February thru mid-May. The exit to the drive is the road into the boat launch area that’s open year round. Several friends have taken great photos here recently so we decided to go. What we didn’t realize was this was duck hunting season. There were a lot of duck hunters there early and the birds were spooked by the gunfire. Once the hunting slowed down we saw a bunch of smaller birds, including the Vermillion Flycatcher!

Swamp Sparrow

Orange-crowned Warbler

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Black and White Warbler

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Some of the duck hunter trucks

Vermillion Flycatcher

Vermillion Flycatcher

Vermillion Flycatcher in flight

Red-shouldered Hawk with a lot to say

Red-shouldered Hawk flying away

Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area is a cool place that not many people (other than hunters in season) know about. We’ll head back there again after hunting season and the drive is open.