A light covering of snow covering the trails and trees at Banshee Reeks greeted 10 birders Saturday morning on the regular monthly Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve bird walk. During the first part of the walk the melting snow on the trees frequently dripped on our binoculars and cameras on the trails on the western edge […]
The highlights of a relatively quiet bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship February 21 were a Spotted Salamander, a pair of Black Vultures at their nest site, good looks at both Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglets, and a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks sitting together and hunting together. While it wasn’t that […]
Ten hardy birders showed up at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve Saturday morning for the regular bird walk that takes place the second Saturday of every month. While all of us expected it to be cold the brisk winds out of the north made the 25 degrees much more uncomfortable than we had anticipated. It […]
The morning of Saturday, January 26, Liam McGranaghan introduced 25 enthusiastic people to the many birds of prey that call Loudoun home and several others that over-winter here. After a short break for lunch, the group people met the trip leaders, Liam and Laura McGranaghan, Bryan Henson and Allison Gallo, Gerco Hoogeweg, and Liz Dennison, […]
Four people participated in Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s monthly bird walk January 26 at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship on a rather cold (19 degrees) but nice morning as there was little wind until the end of the walk. Even before the walk started we got to not only watch a nearby Cooper’s Hawk […]
While cold (about 20 degrees) when we began Saturday morning’s bird walk, it was a pleasant winter morning for birding as there was no wind and good light. The 12 birders on the regular monthly Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve bird walk observed 33 species and a flock of unidentified blackbirds. The highlights of the walk […]
Thirteen people came out for an all-day field trip this past Sunday in Clarke County and close-by Lake Frederick meeting at Snicker’s Gap a little before 9 a.m. and returning there at about 4:40 p.m. While the Gap was thoroughly socked in with heavy fog, the Shenandoah Valley was bright and sunny especially when the […]
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. The […]
On a cold and rainy morning, 4 of us (a big thank you to our dedicated walk leaders!) ventured about the area by the visitor’s center at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES) while trying to stay somewhat dry and keep out of the way of the Boy Scout leader training that was […]
New FOS species included Dark-eyed Junco and Winter Wren. Relatively close views of Cooper’s Hawks chasing in the tops of mostly bare trees provided much amusement and delight. Merlin, American Kestrel, Red-shouldered Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk fill out the raptor list Large groups of cowbirds and blackbirds crossed the sky several times but we did not have much luck at […]