This morning 5 of us visited the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and afterwards
four of us went on to Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project (DGWMP) which
is finally starting to re-fill. Both are in central Loudoun Co, near Oatlands
Plantation. Most of the 46 species observed were at Banshee between the
Visitor Center and the eastern side of the preserve.
The highlights at Banshee were a RAVEN, 10 sparrow species including
First-of-Season FOX SPARROW for most of us, two NORTHERN HARRIERS, and well
over 200 CEDAR WAXWINGS. Besides a couple of FOX SPARROWS, the 10- sparrow
species included a CHIPPING SPARROW, several SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and a
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.
Information on Banshee Reeks which is now open on weekends from 8 am to 4 pm
can be found at http://www.bansheereeks.org. Information on the Loudoun ;
Wildlife Conservancy can be found at www.loudounwildlife.org.
Birds seen (where there is a second check mark/number, it is for the Dulles
Wetlands):
Turkey Vulture 3/2
Wood Duck 0/10
Green-winged Teal 0/100+
Northern Harrier 1/1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1/1
Red-tailed Hawk 2/1
American Kestrel 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 0/1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy WP 3/2
Hairy WP 0/1
Northern Flicker 3/2
Pileated WP 3/1
Blue Jay 25+/10
American Crow 25+/10
Fish Crow 0/2
COMMON RAVEN 1
Carolina Chickadee 3/2
Tufted Titmouse 5/2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2/1
Carolina Wren 3/1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 20+/10+
American Robin 50+
Northern Mockingbird 3/1
European Starling 25+
Cedar Waxwing 200+
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2/8
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 0/1
Field Sparrow 6/3
Savannah Sparrow 3/4
FOX SPARROW 2
Song Sparrow 6/10
Swamp Sparrow 2/6
White-throated Sparrow 20+
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 12
Northern Cardinal 8/7
Red-winged Blackbird 0/1
Common Grackle 20
House Finch 2/4
Am Goldfinch 20+/15+
Joe Coleman, near Bluemont VA
