Five birders came on a warm, clear and humid morning for the monthly birdwalk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Loudoun. The walk sponsored by The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and The Friends of Banshee Reeks is held on the second Saturday of the month and is open to all.
We had some great looks at Red-eyed Vireos, Acadian Flycatchers and Yellow-billed Cuckoos and observed a fair amount of breeding behavior including a recently-fledged Green Heron, agitated Indigo Buntings as well as a recently-fledged one, and a Red-eyed Vireo carrying food. After the walk three of the participants saw a family of five Great-crested Flycatchers with three fledglings patiently waiting for their parents to feed them.
A total of 44 species were recorded as follows:
Green Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Barred Owl
Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great-crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Jane Yocom and Del Sargent