Around 18 novice and experienced birders joined leaders Mary Ann Good and
Laura Weidner for the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's monthly birdwalk at
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve Saturday morning. The lovely weather didn't
translate into increased bird activity. It was a fairly quiet morning, with
flycatchers providing most of the interest. Pewees were continually heard
and frequently seen, as were several Phoebes, Willow Flycatchers in two
different locations (uncommon on the preserve itself until this
year-although regular nesters at the nearby Dulles Wetlands), at least one
Acadian Flycatcher, a family pair of Great Crested Flycatchers, and an
Eastern Kingbird.
I stopped for an hour's survey of shorebirds and others at the Dulles
Wetlands before the walk and found a large congregation of herons: 12 Great
Blue Herons, 10 Great Egrets, and 9 Green Herons, together in the shrinking
main pond. Shorebirds included 20+ Killdeer, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 or 3
Solitary SP, 4 Spotted SP, and 2 Semipalmated SP. Also present were
families of juv. Wood Duck and Mallard and 2 adult Bald Eagles.
Birds seen by the group at Banshee follow:
Black Vulture - 1
Turkey Vulture - 3
Canada Goose - 30
Accipiter sp - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
Pigeon - 1
Mourning Dove - 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 3
Chimney Swift - 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
Downy Woodpecker - 4
No. Flicker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 2
E. Wood-Pewee - 15
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 2
E. Phoebe - 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2
E. Kingbird - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 1
Blue Jay - 3
Am. Crow - 6
Tree Swallow - 2
Barn Swallow - 6
Car. Chickadee - 6
Tufted Titmouse - 4
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 6
E. Bluebird - 20
Am. Robin - 15
Gray Catbird - 6
No. Mockingbird - 12
Brown Thrasher - 4
Starling - 2
Am. Redstart - 1
Yellow-breasted Chat - 1
Scarlet Tanager - 1
E. Towhee - 3
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Field Sparrow - 30
Song Sparrow - 2
No. Cardinal - 8
Indigo Bunting - 8
Baltimore Oriole - 1
Orchard Oriole - 3
House Finch - 2
Am. Goldfinch - 20
House Sparrow - 1
