While travelling through SW Loudoun Co. today, we came upon a surprisingly
great bird gathering.
Initially, BJ noted a single Indigo Bunting flying across the road. As I slowed
a bit, I immediately noticed a juvenile Red-headed WP fly into a tree nearby.
After stopping, we noticed a large array of birds in the area flycatching and
generally "pigging out" on the numerous bugs in the air. This went on for about
30 minutes. It's the best birding I've had of that sort, in such a small area,
that wasn't a true "fallout". Of interest too, is that this spot is where one
of our regular Red-tailed nests is, that we usually check in April (a rather
small woodlot). For all the birds we saw, we didn't have to move 10 ft - it was
basically alive with birds.
Best birds were the group of Red-headed Woopeckers - there is a large number of
them in that part of the county, a fair distance from the "Motherload" at Sky
Meadows SP.
List at this site:
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 calling in the distance
Red-tailed Hawk - same
Mourning Dove
Red-headed WP - 8-10 or so, mostly juveniles (constantly chasing about)
Red-bellied WP
YB Sapsucker - 1
Downy WP
E. Wood Pewee
Traill's FC (Willow?) - 4-6, mostly juveniles
E. Phoebe
Blue Jay
A. Crow
Raven - 2
Tufted Titmouse
WB Nuthatch
RB Kinglet - 1
E. Bluebird
Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing - many, mostly juveniles
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Palm Warbler - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 1 adult
Indigo Bunting - 1
Goldfinch - 2
All-in-all, a fun time - serendipity shrikes again!
Jon & BJ Little
Winchester
