VA Birders:
Twenty-three Northern Virginia Bird Club members led by Jean Tatalias and I
birded Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County this morning. We found 41
bird species despite the below freezing temperature. I thought it was a fairly
decent list despite the lack of waterfowl along the Potomac River. Notable
sightings included about a dozen Golden-crowned Kinglets, about six Brown
Creepers, excellent views of a male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker and three Pileated
Woodpeckers. We also found an Eastern Phoebe, a Rusty Blackbird and about 30
Chipping Sparrows in the south east corner of the soccer field that is to the
east of the boat launch parking lot. The only notable waterfowl we found were
Hooded Mergansers and a quick flyby of a female Common Merganser.
After the walk at Algonkian, I went in search of water birds in other parts of
Loudoun County. The best location was Beaverdam Reservoir to the north west of
Dulles Airport. The best access location was the boat launch at the end of
Mount Hope Road off of Belmont Ridge Road (Rt. 659). From here I scoped a
Common Loon, a Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebes, Buffleheads, Ring-necked
Ducks, American Black Ducks, and 30+ Hooded Mergansers. From the shore at
Edgar Tillet Memorial Park (also off of Belmont Ridge Road) I added five Common
Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks.
Elton Morel
Arlington, VA
Algonkian Regional Park - MFF05, Loudoun, US-VA
Nov 30, 2013 7:30 AM - 10:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: NVBC Bird Walk.
41 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 100 All flyovers, multiple flocks.
Mallard 10
Hooded Merganser 5
Common Merganser 1
Great Blue Heron 3
Bald Eagle 2
Ring-billed Gull 3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 5 Early flyover.
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 8
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 10
Fish Crow 15
crow sp. 12
Carolina Chickadee 15
Tufted Titmouse 12
White-breasted Nuthatch 7
Brown Creeper 6
Carolina Wren 8
Golden-crowned Kinglet 12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Eastern Bluebird 6
American Robin 10
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 40
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Chipping Sparrow 30 Flock feeding on SE edge of soccer field to the east of the
boat launch parking lot.
Field Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 25
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 30
Dark-eyed Junco 25
Northern Cardinal 20
Rusty Blackbird 1 Single bird at SW corner of soccer field to the east of the
boat launch parking lot.
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 8
