Sparrows, Meadowlarks and More Highlight Blue Ridge Bird Walk

By Joe Coleman

The highlights of a brisk (32 degrees, rising to 38) and windy morning at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship were 7 sparrow species, Tree Swallows, a Winter Wren, Eastern Meadowlarks, and 3 Brown Creepers. The 7 sparrow species included great looks at two Fox Sparrows, counter-singing Field Sparrows, Eastern Towhees, and lots of juncos and white-throats.

A total of 38 species were seen on the first part of the walk in the vicinity of the Education Center and along the Farmstead Loop down to the Goose Creek while the second part was along Arnold Lane and the Old Bridge Trail on the south side of the center. The complete lists can be seen below.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy schedules two regular bird walks every month, one at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship every 4^th Saturday of the month, and one at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve every second Saturday of the month. Everyone is welcome.

For more information on the Blue Ridge Center see http://www.blueridgecenter.org; for Banshee Reeks see https://bansheereeksnp.org/ .

Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, Loudoun, Virginia, US Mar 23, 2019 7:50 AM – 10:35 AM

Protocol: Traveling

2.3 mile(s)

34 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  4

Black Vulture  10

Turkey Vulture  14

Red-shouldered Hawk  1

Buteo sp.  1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  2

Downy Woodpecker  6

Hairy Woodpecker  1

Pileated Woodpecker  2

Northern Flicker  1

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  6

Common Raven  2

Tree Swallow  4

Carolina Chickadee  6

Tufted Titmouse  4

White-breasted Nuthatch  3

Brown Creeper  3

Carolina Wren  4

Golden-crowned Kinglet  2

Eastern Bluebird  10

Northern Mockingbird  3

House Finch  2

American Goldfinch  2

Field Sparrow  3

Fox Sparrow  2

Dark-eyed Junco  20

White-throated Sparrow  12

Savannah Sparrow  1

Song Sparrow  8

Eastern Towhee  4

Red-winged Blackbird  2

Brown-headed Cowbird  3

Northern Cardinal  6

BRCES–Arnold Lane, Loudoun, Virginia, US Mar 23, 2019 10:46 AM – 11:40 AM

Protocol: Traveling

1.0 mile(s)

14 species

Black Vulture  6

Turkey Vulture  6

Red-shouldered Hawk  1

Eastern Phoebe  1

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  2

Carolina Chickadee  1

Winter Wren  1

Carolina Wren  1

Eastern Bluebird  1

White-throated Sparrow  2

Song Sparrow  1

Eastern Meadowlark  3

Northern Cardinal  1