Fifteen people gathered for the regular (every 4th sat. except Dec.) bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center on a cold (15 degrees) but still and sunny morning.
The first couple of hours were spent around the Education Center and the Organic Farm while two people visited Arnold Rd afterwards and added a few more species.
We found lots of sparrows and other int’g birds in and along the edges of the overgrown fields around the Education Center, including at least 8 Fox Sparrows, a Savannah Sparrow, three Hermit Thrushes, and a single Purple Finch.
Several of the Fox Sparrows and a couple of the Hermit Thrushes posed in bright sunlight so the photographers could carefully take their photos.
We also enjoyed watching a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly right overhead so its diagnostic characteristics could be clearly and easily described.
We also saw a large flock of Cedar Waxwings, first perched along the edge of one of the fields looking like Christmas ornaments, and then doing darting maneuvers in the sky while sharply reflecting the sun off their waxy bodies.
While cutting through the mature forest which borders two of the fields we found three different Brown Creepers which we able to spend some time watching as they gleaned insects and spiders in the crevices of the tree bark.
When we visited Arnold Rd we added a male American Kestrel, two Red-tails, and a loud Raven who flew right over our heads.
Also int’g were the misses, both kinglet species (surprising because they have been common around our homes in western Lo Co this past week) and White-crowned Sparrows.
While there haven’t been a lot of sightings of the latter in western Lo Co so far this fall, three were seen during last month’s walk at the center.
For a complete list of the birds see the eBird list below.
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
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship – MFF01, Loudoun, US-VA Nov 22, 2014 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s) (one walking, two driving)
37 species
Canada Goose X, Black Vulture 10, Turkey Vulture 8, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 3, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 7, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1, Downy Woodpecker 3, Pileated Woodpecker 2, American Kestrel 1, Blue Jay X, American Crow X, Common Raven 1, Carolina Chickadee 11, Tufted Titmouse 2, Brown Creeper 3, Carolina Wren 2, Eastern Bluebird 8, Hermit Thrush 3, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling 1, Cedar Waxwing 40, Field Sparrow 5, Savannah Sparrow 1, Fox Sparrow 8, Song Sparrow 8, Swamp Sparrow 1, White-throated Sparrow 35, Dark-eyed Junco 15, Northern Cardinal 9, Brown-headed Cowbird 15, House Finch 6, Purple Finch 1, American Goldfinch 3, House Sparrow 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20648581
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/VA)