
Tree Swallow
Photo by Lisa McKew
On a warm and clear-sky Saturday April 14 where the forest was blanketed by Spring Beauties, a dozen folks participated in the monthly Banshee Reeks walk. We found the park full of Tree Swallows, White-throated Sparrows and very active Eastern Towhees (sitting in the open singing!).
We found several first of season birds – Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Broad-winged Hawks and a very cooperative Green Heron. Another highlight included a Great Horned Owl that flew in as I was dissecting an owl pellet we found on the trail.
Notable misses: Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, Northern Parula (heard the day before and by another birder today), Swamp sparrow, Mallard, Barn swallow and gulls.
Non-avian sightings:

Falcate Orangtip
Photo by Lisa McKew
Coyote! running across the field on the other side of Goose Creek
Butterflies – Spring/Summer Azure, Falcate Orangetip, Polygonia (Question Mark probably), Cabbage White, and a possible Red Admiral (which would be early I believe)
Dragonflies: Common Green Darner
Garter snake.
Herps: American Toad, Green frog, pickerel frog
Thanks to Mary Anne Good and Hawkeye Andy Rabin for helping on the walk.
The regular monthly free bird walk (every 2nd Saturday) at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Friends Of Banshee Reeks.
Bryan Henson
52 species (+2 other taxa) total

Green Heron
Photo by Lisa McKew
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Wild Turkey
Green Heron
Black Vulturee
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
hawk sp.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
crow sp.
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Louisiana Waterthrush (heard)
Common Yellowthroat (heard)
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch
The full list is on eBird at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S44556872