Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Photo by Diane Nastase
Seventeen people gathered for a surprisingly pleasant mid-summer bird walk at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve on Saturday morning, July 13, led by Jane Yocom, Dori Rhodes and Joe Coleman. In addition to observing 45 bird species and getting great looks at Yellow-billed Cuckoos, a Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chats, and more, our walk included a visit to the MAPS bird banding station, which has been in operation at Banshee for over 15 years.
Liz Sellers was kind enough to explain to us what they do when they capture birds in their mist nets as her colleagues processed an Acadian Flycatcher and a Carolina Wren, both of which were recaptures. While at the banding station two of the several cuckoos we’d been hearing in a variety of locations started interacting and all of us got great looks at them.
Additionally we were fortunate enough to watch a very vocal Blue Grosbeak singing on top of a tree next to the maintenance yard and different Yellow-breasted Chats posing and loudly “chatting” on top of perches. We also got to see several butterflies and dragonflies.
For a complete list of the birds observed at Banshee Reeks yesterday check out the eBird report at: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58142181 .
The regular monthly free bird walk takes place every second Saturday at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and is sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks.
You can also join us for our regular walk, every 4th Saturday, at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northwestern Loudoun County near Harper’s Ferry.
Joe Coleman