The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy sponsored one of its many free birds walks at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in central Loudoun on Saturday, May 11. Because 21 people showed up for the walk we split into groups, one led by Jane Yocom and Dori Rhodes assisted by Bryan Henson and one led by Mary Ann Good and Joe Coleman. The combined totals from the two groups included 62 species.
Yellow-breasted Chat
Photo by Diane Nastase
The highlights were a Blue Grosbeak, 10 different warbler species including a Chestnut-sided Warbler, a Magnolia Warbler, several Prairie Warblers and several Yellow-breasted Chats (no longer a warbler), dynamite looks of a male and female Scarlet Tanager at eye level and copulating, a Swainson’s Thrush, an American Kestrel, and a couple of Red-headed Woodpeckers.
While many of the trails were very muddy and some were covered in a couple inches of water, it was a great day for a spring bird walk.
For a complete list of the birds observed at Banshee Reeks yesterday check out the eBird reports for both at https://ebird.org/view/checkli
We are holding a Big Sit on Saturday, May 18th all day at Morven Park. Please drop by and visit us for a little while. And if you have any friends
or neighbors who are interested in birds, but can’t make some of the regular walks or have limited mobility or they just are intimidated by the
concept of a group walk, this might be a good event for them.
Thanks,
Bryan Henson and Joe Coleman