Twenty-two people showed up this very chilly morning for the regular monthly
(every 4th Sat) bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental
Stewardship. After starting at the end of Sawmill Road and taking the trail to
where Sweet Run intersects with Arnold, we split into two groups after about
two hours. Del Sargent took one of the groups & looped back to where we parked
& I took the other group to Gordon Pond and the old dry lakebed along Piney
Run. While it was a beautiful, sunny day it started out cold (25) and was
about 38 when the second group finished at 11:45 am. The highlight of the trip
was a BARRED OWL who silently flew over us at about 10:30 am and then briefly
perched in a tree. A few people caught a glimpse of a Turkey and an Osprey
flew directly overhead as we were returning to the cars. What was most notable
were the birds we did not seen such as swallows and mimids. And while there
were a lot of sparrows there weren't nearly as many dif species as I had
expected.
Number of species: 41
For a complete list of the birds seen see the eBird results below.
While the trails at BRCES are normally open to the public 7 days a week from
dawn to dusk there are controlled deer hunts there this time of year so check
the BRCES website for dates and times of when parts of BRCES are closed.
Information on the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship can be found
at http://www.blueridgecenter.org. Information on the Loudoun Wildlife ;
Conservancy and its many free activities can be found at
www.loudounwildlife.org.
Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co
Canada Goose X
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 1
Ring-necked Duck 3
Wild Turkey 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 16
Osprey 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 3
American Kestrel 3
Mourning Dove X
Barred Owl 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Pileated Woodpecker 6
Eastern Phoebe 6
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Eastern Bluebird X
American Robin X
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2
Eastern Towhee 3
Field Sparrow 6
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1
Song Sparrow 20
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 40
Northern Cardinal 8
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
