On a beautiful crisp fall morning 16 people, led by Joe Coleman and Mike Scott, showed up for the October monthly bird walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. The highlights of the walk on the western edge of the preserve were a well-seen Tennessee Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warblers, a Black-throated Green Warbler, both kinglet species and a Brown Creeper. The group also enjoyed watching several Bald Eagles (both juveniles and adults), Common Ravens, and a Broad-winged Hawk, all soaring high in the sky. Other highlights for some of the group included a Gray-cheeked Thrush and a pair of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. It was also fun to watch the many Blue Jays carrying acorns as they flew back and forth.
Tennessee Warbler.
Photo by Laura McHugh
A total of 43 species was found, which can be seen below or viewed on eBird at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S120202763
This walk at Banshee Reeks on the second Saturday of every month is one of three monthly bird walks led by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. The others are at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship on the fourth Saturday of every month (except in December) and at Bles Park on the third Sunday of every month except December.
You can also join us for the Central Loudoun Christmas Bird Count on Tuesday, December 28.
Species List
Canada Goose 8
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 12
Killdeer 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 10
Bald Eagle 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 16
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 10
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 75
House Sparrow 1
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 5
White-throated Sparrow 8
Eastern Towhee 2
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 2
Common Raven 3
Carolina Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 7
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 8
European Starling 3
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 4
Eastern Bluebird 8
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
American Robin 20
Cedar Waxwing 12
Tennessee Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 20