While we saw only 37 species yesterday morning at the Blue Ridge Center for
Environmental Stewardship (BRCES), we did run into several mixed flocks of
migrants and resident birds. While it was a beautiful, comfortable morning
to be outside birding, the fog and mist enveloping the mountains and
goldenrod-covered meadows in northwestern Loudoun County, the low light
conditions made it difficult to identify many of the birds that were darting
through the canopy chasing insects. And while these walks normally end
around 10:30 am, this one stretched out to noon as the participants strained
to identify the darting warblers and wouldn't leave the field.
The highlights of the walk included the constant chorus of Spring Peepers
which never let up during the walk, two FOS (for many of us) Yellow-bellied
Sapsuckers, a male Wood Duck in eclipse plumage that so thoroughly blended
into the vegetation that it was difficult to find, 4 Swainson's Thrushes, 4
Yellow-billed Cuckoos, 3 very indignant House Wrens in one of the goldenrod
meadows, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. For a complete list of the birds
observed yesterday morning see below.
The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy schedules three regular bird walks most
months, one at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship on the
4th Saturday of the month, one at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve on the
second Saturday of the month, and one at Bles Park on the third Sunday of
the month. Because of Covid-19 registration is required and limited for
these walks at this time.
For more information on the Blue Ridge Center see
<http://www.blueridgecenter.org> http://www.blueridgecenter.org. ;
Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and its many activities can
be found at <http://www.loudounwildlife.org> www.loudounwildlife.org.
Joe Coleman, Mike Sciortino, and Mary Ann Good for the Loudoun Wildlife
Conservancy
To more effectively identify the birds in the mixed flocks and to maintain
social distancing we frequently split into two groups so the list of birds
below is a combination of two eBird lists:
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship Sep 26, 2020
7:59 AM
Traveling
3.45 miles
242 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.2.0 Build 2.2.4
50 Canada Goose
1 Wood Duck
4 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1 Great Blue Heron
3 Black Vulture
5 Turkey Vulture
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
9 Red-bellied Woodpecker
4 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
4 Northern Flicker
3 Eastern Wood-Pewee
5 Eastern Phoebe
10 Blue Jay
5 American Crow
2 Common Raven
6 Carolina Chickadee
5 Tufted Titmouse
6 White-breasted Nuthatch
3 House Wren
11 Carolina Wren
5 Gray Catbird
1 Brown Thrasher
1 Northern Mockingbird
6 Eastern Bluebird
3 Swainson's Thrush
6 Wood Thrush
5 American Robin
6 Cedar Waxwing
6 American Goldfinch
3 Black-and-white Warbler
8 Common Yellowthroat
1 Magnolia Warbler
4 Black-throated Blue Warbler
8 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
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