Birding trip, driving and hiking. Best finds were an early Black-throated Green Warbler, a flock of six Ruby-crowned Kinglets (many singing,) and a drumming Ruffed Grouse. While there's still no Sunday hunting on public lands in Virginia, unfortunately we listened to VERY heavy gunfire for almost an hour. Fairly certain these were auto or semi-auto weapons, not just typical hunting firearms. The shooters were stationed in a stream-side camground beyond the slab bridge; several weapons were propped on trees as they fired others. All sound recordings are of gunfire. (One was an unsuccessful attempt at recording a bird.) There were several seconds of gunfire before each recording begins...part my reaction time, and part the recorder technology. This is not intended to object to target shooting...but wow what a way to wreck a Sunday outdoors for everyone else trying to enjoy the Forest. Utterly nerve-wracking.

Hiking/Backpacking

Shenandoah Mountain, George Washington, National Forest, bird, Virginia, nature, Lake, Switzer

Virginia, United States

time : Apr 12, 2015 9:44 AM

duration : 2h 47m 49s

distance : 7.4 mi

total_ascent : 1115 ft

highest_point : 2644 ft

avg_speed : 2.6 mi/h

user_id : DianeLep

user_firstname : Diane

user_lastname : Lepkowski

Birding trip, driving and hiking. Best finds were an early Black-throated Green Warbler, a flock of six Ruby-crowned Kinglets (many singing,) and a drumming Ruffed Grouse. While there's still no Sunday hunting on public lands in Virginia, unfortunately we listened to VERY heavy gunfire for almost an hour. Fairly certain these were auto or semi-auto weapons, not just typical hunting firearms. The shooters were stationed in a stream-side camground beyond the slab bridge; several weapons were propped on trees as they fired others. All sound recordings are of gunfire. (One was an unsuccessful attempt at recording a bird.) There were several seconds of gunfire before each recording begins...part my reaction time, and part the recorder technology. This is not intended to object to target shooting...but wow what a way to wreck a Sunday outdoors for everyone else trying to enjoy the Forest. Utterly nerve-wracking.