The 18 people on the regular monthly walk at the Blue Ridge Center in the northwestern park of Loudoun County managed to tally 41 species on Saturday. The highlights of the walk on the Farmstead Loop were two very vocal Broad-winged Hawks who were also seen in the heavy forest along Piney Run. Also of interest were what appeared to be several family units including a fledgling crow begging for food and several orioles and very low warbler diversity. And like many high-summer walks some of the most int’g sightings were not birds; in today’s case it was a live & healthy Luna Moth, a Monarch Butterfly laying eggs, and several other butterflies.
Also, don’t forget that next Saturday is Loudoun Wildlife’s annual butterfly count and the Blue Ridge Center is one of several locations that will be visited that day in the county. Beginners and experienced butterfliers are welcome for all or part of the day.
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, Virginia, US Jul 25, 2015 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
44 species
Green Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 21
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 4
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4
Acadian Flycatcher 7
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 5
American Crow 8
Common Raven 1
Tree Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 10
Tufted Titmouse 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
House Wren 4
Carolina Wren 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10
Eastern Bluebird 8
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 1
Cedar Waxwing 6
Common Yellowthroat 6
Eastern Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Field Sparrow 4
Scarlet Tanager 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 5
Orchard Oriole 3
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 10