This past Saturday, 
before the monthly Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy birdwalk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 3 folks spent an hour+ at the Dulles Wetlands and found that the 3 juvenile WHITE IBIS remain. They were feeding actively in near, open shallow water, easily observed, along with the same companions as on Monday.
At Banshee Reeks, 12 people came out to look for birds. The highlights of the lovely, still-cool morning were singing Blue Grosbeak (also one at the wetlands), Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and groups of Cedar Waxwings. Mike Friedman, arriving as our bird walk broke up, reported finding (hearing then seeing) a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO near the entrance to the preserve.
The list follows, with birds at the Dulles Wetlands second where applicable.
Canada Goose – x/x, Wood Duck – x/x (many young), Mallard – 0/x, Great Blue Heron – 0/3, Great Egret – 0/12, Green Heron – 0/2, WHITE IBIS – 0/3, Turkey Vulture – 2, Accipiter – 0/1, Red-shouldered Hawk – 1, Red-tailed Hawk – 1, Am. Kestrel – 1, Killdeer – 0/12, Solitary Sandpiper – 0/6, Semipalmated Sandpiper – 0/6, Pectoral Sandpiper – 0/1, Mourning Dove – x, Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 2, Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1, Belted Kingfisher – 1/1, Red-bellied Woodpecker – x, Downy Woodpecker – x, No. Flicker – 2, Pileated Woodpecker – 2, E. Wood-Pewee – x, E. Phoebe – x, Great Crested Flycatcher – 1, E. Kingbird – x/x, Red-eyed Vireo – x, Blue Jay – x, Crow sp. – x/x, Barn Swallow – x/x, Car. Chickadee – x, Tufted Titmouse – x, Car. Wren – x/x, House Wren – 0/x, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher – 1, E. Bluebird – x/x, Am Robin – x/x, Gray Catbird – x/x, No. Mockingbird – x/x, Brown Thrasher – 1, Cedar Waxwing – many, C. Yellowthroat – x/x, Scarlet Tanager – 1, E. Towhee – x, Field Sparrow – x/x, Song Sparrow – x/x, No. Cardinal – x/x, Blue Grosbeak – 1/1, Indigo Bunting – x/x, Red-winged Blackbird – x/x, C. Grackle – x/x, Am. Goldfinch – x/x
Many thanks to Mary Ann Good and Del Sargent who led this walk and to David Crooks for getting photos of the White Ibis. We’re adding it to our Bird Atlas data!
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and the Dulles Wetlands are located in Leesburg, Virginia – a great place to explore Loudoun nature and wildlife.