Skies Clear for a Blue Ridge Birdwalk
Photo by Allison Gallo
Twelve birders met for the regular 4th Saturday of the month Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES) walk. After gathering at the visitors center, the group drove down to the Sawmill Road/Butterfly Alley area. At the start of the walk, a light drizzle and overcast skies threatened, but the rain stopped and the skies cleared slightly.
Highlights at the Visitor’s Center included Red-breasted Nuthatches and a murmuration of several hundred starlings.
Highlights from the Sawmill and Butterfly Alley included decent looks at Yellow-billed Cuckoos, seven warbler species including a hanky-less Black-throated Blue Warbler female that we spent quite a bit of time trying to identify and a very cooperative set of Ovenbirds, an early Sapsucker, and a group of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
In total between the two locations, the group saw 45 species.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy sponsors two regular (free and open to anyone) monthly walks in addition to other planned events. The event calendar can be found here. The Banshee Reeks walk is held on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 8a.m. The BRCES walk is held the 4th Saturday of the month also at 8am.
Thanks to all the leaders and participants.
Thanks,
Bryan Henson
BRCES–Visitor Center, Loudoun County, Virginia, US
Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:50 AM
- Protocol: Stationary
- Party Size: 12
- Duration: 15 minutes
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Photo by Bryan Henson
14 species total
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 9
Red-Bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 16
American Crow 1
Common Raven 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin 12
Cedar Waxwing 12
American Goldfinch 4
Indigo Bunting 3
BRCES–Sawmill and Butterfly Alley, Loudoun County, Virginia, US
Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:21 AM
- Protocol: Traveling
- Party Size: 12
- Duration: 3 hours, 24 minutes
- Distance: 3.3 miles
Ovenbird
Photo by Bryan Henson
Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Red-Shouldered Hawk 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Red-Bellied Woodpecker 7
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 5
Northern Flicker 4
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4
Great-crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 61
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 6
House Wren 1
Carolina Wren 9
Swainson’s Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 2
American Robin 4
Gray Catbird 3
American Goldfinch 16
Field Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 1
Ovenbird 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
American Redstart 1
Magnolia Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7
Indigo Bunting 3
The eBird checklists can be found here:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S48669335
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S48672559