On July 9th, 18 or so birders at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve enjoyed a warm but pleasant morning and were pleased to find a rare summer Savannah Sparrow among other delights, such as Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Blue Grosbeak carrying food, a very agitated Prairie Warbler who popped up right beside us, and great looks at a couple Yellow-breasted Chats.
A couple of people also stopped by the private Dulles Wetlands beforehand to see if any shorebirds have arrived, and found a Solitary Solitary and at least two Least Sandpipers, along with an American Black Duck, Wood Duck with young chicks, many juvenile Green Herons, the adult Bald Eagle calling near us, a calling Willow Flycatcher.
A No. Bobwhite flushed from the treeline beside us, surprising us more than it did him since they are rarely found in these parts any more.
The list follows, with birds found only at Dulles Wetlands so indicated:
Great Blue Heron, Great Egret – DW, Green Heron – DW, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Wood Duck – DW, Am. Black Duck – DW, Mallard – DW, Bald Eagle – DW (adult), Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, No. Bobwhite – DW, Killdeer – DW, Solitary Sandpiper – 1 DW, Least Sandpiper – 2 DW, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher – DW, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, No. Flicker, E. Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher – DW, Great Crested Flycatcher, E. Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Am. Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, No. Rough-winged Swallow – DW, Barn Swallow, Car. Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, E. Bluebird, Wood Thrush, Am. Robin, Gray Catbird, No. Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler – DW (young bird trying out its song), Prairie Warbler, Ovenbird, Com. Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, E. Towhee, Field Sparrow, SAVANNAH SPARROW, No. Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Am. Goldfinch