Twenty-two people gathered for the regular (every 4th Sat.) bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center on a rather chilly (30 degrees) but still & sunny beautiful spring morning. While we met at the Education Center, where we saw a Chipping Sparrow along the driveway near the entrance and a couple of Eastern Phoebes, we drove to the southern side of center, where we walked part of the Sweet Run Loop and Butterfly Alley. After that a smaller group drove to Arnold Rd where we walked along the road & down to the ford on the Old Bridge Trail. The highlights of the walk were several vocal Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, some of which were bright, almost cerulean blue; several very vocal Field Sparrows; two Brown Thrashers, one of which was singing high on a tree; and a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets. By 11, when we were wrapping up the walk, the temperature had risen into the mid-40’s and a mixed kettle of Black & Turkey Vultures passed by overheard.
For a complete list of the birds see the eBird list below. The walk was led by Joe Coleman, Del Sargent, Mary Ann Good, & Donna Quinn.
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 Mar 26, 2016 7:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 mile(s): 2 miles driving & 1.5 miles walking
Comments: Loudoun Wildlife’s regular monthly bird walk. While we met at the Education Center, we drove to the southern side of center, where we walked part of the Sweet Run Loop and Butterfly Alley, and then a smaller group drove to Arnold Rd where we walked along the road & on the Old Bridge Trail. The highlights of the walk were several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, some of which were bright blue, and several Field Sparrows.
38 species
Canada Goose X
Wood Duck 2
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 15
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Mourning Dove 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 3
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 5
Blue Jay 7
American Crow 9
Common Raven 1
Carolina Chickadee 11
Tufted Titmouse 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5 Well-seen and vocal in several different different locations. Two were bright blue-gray (almost cerulean in color in the bright morning sun) and probably males while the others were a paler blue-gray, more gray than blue; all were pale & clear chested. All were small slender active birds busy fly catching in the brush & vines on the edges of the fields & power-cut (Butterfly Alley).
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 10
American Robin 4
Brown Thrasher 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco 4
White-throated Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 6
Eastern Towhee 5
Northern Cardinal 15
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 7
American Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28557581
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)