I've enjoyed working on the Loudoun Country breeding bird atlas this summer
immensely. I checked Round Hill 6 today, though the high season is over. Many
noticeable absences, no robins, towhees, brown-headed cowbirds, grackles, and
very few goldfinch or phoebes. There's are many (14+) Red-headed Woodpeckers
though. The RHWO and Yellow-billed Cuckoo seem to have a good summer here. The
RHWO are active in the vicinity of Williams Gap rd at geocoords 39° 7'47.52"N
77°48'39.43"W (Google Earth) in Round Hill 6 block, and most abundant at
Scotland Heights and Flint Farm rds, GE coords 39° 8'9.12"N 77°47'53.76"W
where I saw at least 4 juveniles. I found more RHWO at Cherry Grove Ln which is
private road, though the residents have been generous and seem interested in
the atlas. I've found a flock of White-eyed Vireo here on every visit so far,
though the Scarlet Tanagers and Yellow-throated Vireos seem to have moved on. I
found
a silent Yellow-billed Cuckoo pair on the western end of Allder Rd along with
the lone phoebe pair and an Acadian Flycatcher.
A good 2 hours of 'fall' atlasing.
Teri Holland
Berryville, Va
