Raptors and More at Banshee Reeks

New FOS species included Dark-eyed Junco and Winter Wren.  Relatively close views of Cooper’s Hawks chasing in the tops of mostly bare trees provided much amusement and delight. Merlin, American Kestrel, Red-shouldered Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk fill out the raptor list

Large groups of cowbirds and blackbirds crossed the sky several times but we did not have much luck at identifying them in relatively dim light. By the end of the walk, the sun came out and the rain had stopped.  Several flocks of White-throated Sparrows and a handful of Chipping and Song Sparrows chipped and hid from our view.

The 2nd Saturday of the month Banshee Reeks walk is free and open to anyone. It is sponsored by the Friends of Banshee Reeks and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy.

Bryan Henson

 

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, Loudoun County, Virginia

Sat Oct 13, 2018 7:59 AM

Protocol: Traveling

Party Size: 9

Duration: 2 hours, 46 minutes

Distance: 2.0 miles

Canada Goose 4

Mallard 2

Mourning Dove 1

Great Blue Heron 1

Black Vulture 2

Turkey Vulture 13

Sharp-shinned Hawk 1

Cooper’s Hawk 2

Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk 1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2

Red-bellied Woodpecker 4

Downy Woodpecker 3

Pileated Woodpecker 2

Northern Flicker 12

American Kestrel 1

Merlin 1

Eastern Phoebe 1

Blue Jay 75

American Crow 12

Fish Crow 30

Crow sp. 40

Tree Swallow 2

Carolina Chickadee 3

Titmouse 1

Winter Wren 1

Carolina Wren 4

Golden-crowned Kinglet 1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1

Eastern Bluebird 3

American Robin 1

Gray Catbird 1

Northern Mockingbird 6

European Starling 2

Cedar Waxwing 30

House Finch 3

American Goldfinch 2

Chipping Sparrow 3

Field Sparrow 1

Dark-eyed Junco 1

White-throated Sparrow 22

Song Sparrow 2

Swamp Sparrow 2

Eastern Towhee 6

Brown-headed Cowbird 25

blackbird sp. 300

Nashville Warbler 1

Common Yellowthroat 1

Northern Cardinal 8

Indigo Bunting 2