We found 68 species during the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's International
Migratory Bird Day walk at the Blue Ridge Center on Saturday, May 12. The
highlights of the walk included 3 Red-headed WPs, 14 warbler species including
three different Ceruleans (two in the same area as they were on the 5th), a
Northern Waterthrush, a Blue-winged, at least 4 Kentucky Warblers, a Cape May,
a Worm-eating, two Ovenbirds doing a distraction display, a Swainson's Thrush,
White-eye & Yellow-throated Vireos, several Grasshopper Sparrows, a Blue
Grosbeak about a mile away from the one we found on May 5, and two Wild Turkeys.
One of the Red-headed WP landing on a snag next to the Education Annex and the
other two were declaring territory around the field at the end of Sawmill (the
same place we had one on May 5), about a mile away from the first. While
Red-headed WPs are common in southwestern Loudoun County we rarely find them on
the Blue Ridge Center. The distraction display was fascinating as we were
walking along a trail when an Ovenbird hopped up from the ground onto a branch
on the opposite side of the trail. It was right next to the trail and only
feet away from us, its orange crown up raised up & excitedly chipping at us.
It was joined by a much duller Ovenbird on also chipped at us. Both of them
tried to lead us away from the area. To avoid disturbing what we figured was a
nest we followed them down the trail. At another location two Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers, one bluer than any gnatcatcher I have ever seen, came out of
nowhere and did the same same.
One of the other interesting sightings occurred after the walk when I heard two
excited crows mobbing something in a large oak. They had found a large Black
Snake climbing high in the tree and one was on each side of the snake.
Whenever the snake would strike at one of the crows, the one behind it would
dart in & peck the snake. At that point the snake would reposition itself and
go after the one pecking it. This was still going on when I left.
Information on the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship can be found
at http://www.blueridgecenter.org. Information on the Loudoun Wildlife ;
Conservancy and its many free activities can be found at
www.loudounwildlife.org.
Joe Coleman
The complete list follows:
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship - MFF01, Loudoun, US-VA
May 12, 2012 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments: 2 miles walking, 3 miles driving
68 species
Wild Turkey 2
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Killdeer 1
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker X
Downy Woodpecker X
Pileated Woodpecker 4
Eastern Wood-Pewee X
Acadian Flycatcher X
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher X
Eastern Kingbird X
White-eyed Vireo 3
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Fish Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Carolina Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Carolina Wren X
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 4
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
Brown Thrasher X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 23
Ovenbird 3
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 3
Northern Waterthrush 1
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Tennessee Warbler 1
Kentucky Warbler 4
Common Yellowthroat X
Cape May Warbler 1
Cerulean Warbler 3
Northern Parula 7
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 3
Eastern Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow X
Field Sparrow X
Grasshopper Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow X
Scarlet Tanager X
Northern Cardinal X
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Orchard Oriole 1
House Finch X
American Goldfinch X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/VA)
