This seasons Central Loudoun CBC (Dec. 28), our 21st, was a tremendous
success. While the number of participants was down a bit (about 95), we had
a really good year for species (98) and individuals (46,703).
The colder than normal temperatures (a low of 10 and a high of 24) appeared
to encourage more birds to keep feeding and visible than is usual. And while
most waterbodies, even the Goose Creek, were completely frozen, those that
were open attracted large numbers of waterfowl.
We added three species weve never had before, an Osprey along Goose Creek,
two Iceland Gulls at the County Landfill , and a Count Week Rosss Goose on
a pond a little southwest of Purcellville.
Other unusual sightings were:
- A Greater White-fronted Goose, only the second time weve had one.
Interestingly enough there was a second one during Count Week (the three
days before and after the count, itself).
- A Blue-winged Teal (found only twice before) found during Count
Week
- Three Snow Geese (found on about ½ our counts)
- Two Wood Ducks (found on about ½ our counts)
- Two Northern Shovelers (found on about ½ our counts)
- Three Common Goldeneye (found on a 1/3 of our counts)
- Fourteen Red-breasted Mergansers (found on only three previous
counts)
- One Rough-legged Hawk (found on only five previous counts)
- Two American Woodcocks (found on seven previous counts)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (found on only three previous counts)
- Great Black-backed Gull (found on about ½ our counts)
- 132 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (more than any previous year and, in
fact, the first time we have exceeded 100)
- Ten Eastern Phoebes, a high count
- Over 7,000 American Robins. While several of the sector leaders
commented on how abundant this species was, two sectors had very few.
- A Gray Catbird (found on about ½ our counts)
- Four Brown Thrashers, the most weve ever had on this count and
found on about ½ our counts
- Forty Chipping Sparrows, while usually found in small numbers, this
species appears to be lingering further into winter every year in small
flocks.
While the five American Kestrels were not the fewest weve ever had (that
was three in 2015), this low number continues to document the sad decline of
this species in the mid-Atlantic. Also, for the first time ever, we did not
find a single Eastern Meadowlark. While this species, as is true of most
grassland birds, has been declining for years, it is one more indicator of
how difficult it has become for birds that rely on grasslands for their
habitat.
Joe Coleman Compiler
Central Loudoun CBC
Sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy
