Yesterday morning 10 people gathered for Loudoun Wildlife's regular (every
4th Sat.) monthly bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center of Environmental
Stewardship in northwestern Loudoun County. We found 73 species of which the
highlights included 11 warbler species, including dynamite looks at both
Blue-winged and Kentucky Warblers, glimpses of a Cerulean, and very noisy
Yellow-breasted Chats. Except for a Blackburnian and 3 Blackpolls, all the
warblers were nesters at the center. Other highlights included two
Red-headed WPs crossing Arnold Rd in an area where they have been seen the
past two years, and good looks at a Swainson's Thrush, prob. a 1st year (but
heard only a couple of Wood Thrushes).
While it was quite comfortable with temps in the 60's we did get rained on
at about 10 am. At that time we took a break to tally adding a few more
species, including 3 fly-by Great Egrets, while doing so. Afterwards 7 of us
returned to the field at the end of Sawmill Rd at about 11:30 am for about
an hour to see what we could find in that habitat that we'd missed earlier.
Surprising misses were Red-shouldered and Red-tail Hawks (our only bird of
prey was an Osprey), American Robin, and Great Blue Heron. We constantly
heard and frequently observed in the right habitat, Acadian Flycatchers,
Eastern Wood-Pewees, and Indigo Buntings, both males and females of the
latter.
The walk was led by Gerry Hawkins, Mary Ann Good, and Joe Coleman ably
assisted by Bryan Henson, Allison Gallo, Jane Yocom, and the others. All in
all a great morning of birding with wonderful company!
Information on the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship can be
found at <http://www.blueridgecenter.org> http://www.blueridgecenter.org.
Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and its many free activities
can be found at <http://www.loudounwildlife.org> www.loudounwildlife.org.
Joe Coleman