Windy Day at Banshee Reeks
The five people on the regular monthly (every 2nd Saturday) bird walk at the Banshee Reeks only found 23 species, probably because of the high winds, but did get great views of a posing Hermit Thrush, and heard virtually every call and song that White-throated Sparrows do. We also got good looks at a Fox Sparrow.
Hermit Thrush
Photo by Bryan Henson
The regular monthly free bird walk (every 2nd Sat) at the Banshee Reeks Nature preserve is sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (www.loudounwildlife.org) & the Friends of Banshee Reeks (www.bansheereeks.org ); information on both and their upcoming events can be found on their websites.
Joe Coleman & Bryan Henson
The eBird checklist can be found at: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49871448
| Species | Count |
| Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) | 6 |
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | 7 |
| Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | 1 |
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | 2 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) | 4 |
| Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) | 3 |
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | 7 |
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) | 8 |
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | 4 |
| Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) | 4 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) | 1 |
| Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) | 3 |
| Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) | 2 |
| Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) | 1 |
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | 6 |
| Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | 2 |
| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | 1 |
| Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) | 2 |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | 4 |
| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) | 42 |
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | 13 |
| Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | 8 |