I’m posting this a bit late as I was out of town for this bird walk but still wanted to be sure to share the great sightings Joe had in spite of the rain!
Here’s Joe’s write-up from March 13th:
While it is the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s policy to hold its bird walks, rain or shine unless it is dangerous, we don’t expect a lot of people to show up when the weather is bad – this morning I was the only person to show up for the regular monthly (2nd Sat.) bird walk at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. While it was pretty slow at first when the hard rain changed to a mist about 8:40 am the birds became much more active and the birding much more enjoyable.
The highlights of the 34 species at Banshee (see complete list below) were my FOS EASTERN PHOEBE, great looks at a couple of BROWN CREEPERS, single RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, and a couple of FOX SPARROWS, all of which came in very close and let me have long, extended looks at them.
After Banshee Reeks I went over to the nearby Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project where the highlights included 13 TUNDRA SWANS coming out of the fog & drizzle to land on the water, lots of ducks including several GADWALL, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, an AMERICAN COOT, and a calling BARRED OWL. While I was disappointed to not see the Bald Eagle on the nest, prob. because it was well hunkered down to keep the eggs warm, there was a NORTHERN HARRIER.
In all there were 46 species, not bad for a very damp morning.
Good birding!
Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co
Location: Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve – MFF08
Observation date: 3/13/10
Notes: On this very wet morning only one person showed up for the regular monthly bird walk at Banshee. When the hard rain changed to a mist about 8:40 am the birds became much more active.
Number of species: 34
Canada Goose, Wood Duck 1, Turkey Vulture 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 1, Mourning Dove 2, Belted Kingfisher 1, Red-bellied Woodpecker 5, Downy Woodpecker 2, Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1, Pileated Woodpecker 3, Eastern Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 8, American Crow 7, Fish Crow 9, Carolina Chickadee 5, Tufted Titmouse 2, White-breasted Nuthatch 2, Brown Creeper 2, Carolina Wren 2, Golden-crowned Kinglet 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Eastern Bluebird 4, American Robin 40, Northern Mockingbird 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2, Eastern Towhee 1, Field Sparrow 1, Fox Sparrow (Red) 2, Song Sparrow 8, White-throated Sparrow 12, Dark-eyed Junco 6, Northern Cardinal 5, American Goldfinch X,
Location: Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project
Observation date: 3/13/10
Number of species: 26
Tundra Swan 13, Gadwall 8, American Wigeon 2, Mallard 16, Green-winged Teal 1, Ring-necked Duck 32, Pied-billed Grebe 1, Northern Harrier 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, American Coot 1, Killdeer 1, Barred Owl 1, Belted Kingfisher 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 2, Downy Woodpecker 1, Blue Jay 3, American Crow 6, Fish Crow 4, Carolina Chickadee 2, Eastern Bluebird 2, American Robin 4, Song Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 3, Red-winged Blackbird 20, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, American Goldfinch