Vol. 21 Issue 3, Fall 2016 by Nicole Hamilton This past summer, I got a text on my phone. It was from Belinda Burwell, local wildlife rehabilitator and director of Wildlife Veterinary Care. The text read, “Are you available to rescue a baby Barn Owl in Purcellville?” Of course I was. Life matters. So, I […]

Vol. 21 Issue 3, Fall 2016 By Bill Brown The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, one of the smallest songbirds of North America, is now starting its yearly southward migration to, and through, Virginia. In fact, the bird’s numbers in Loudoun County regularly peak in October, so now is prime time to fnd them fitting around in trees […]

On an extremely hot morning eight birders came for the monthly birdwalk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Loudoun County. The walk, sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks, is held on the second Saturday of each month and is open to all. Highlights of this walk included a young RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, so young that its call […]

Vol. 21 Issue 2, Summer 2016 By Emily B. Cook When out for an early morning walk, there is nothing quite like the sense of serenity and peace that results from observing a wading bird gliding gracefully along the shoreline of a pond. It is often mesmerizing to watch as the bird places each foot […]

Vol. 21 Issue 1, Spring 2016 By Emily Cook Reclusive and highly skilled in the art of camouflage, it is a true gift to see an American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) while out walking the marshes of Loudoun County. A member of the heron family, the bittern is a bird of medium, stocky build with an […]

You may have heard or seen a bird hitting your window as it flies from feeders to escape a predator or colliding with your patio door when it sees the reflection of trees and thinks it can fly to them. With luck, the bird has only lightly glanced off the glass or is only briefly […]

Twenty-two people gathered for the regular (every 4th Sat.) bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center on a rather chilly (30 degrees) but still & sunny beautiful spring morning. While we met at the Education Center, where we saw a Chipping Sparrow along the driveway near the entrance and a couple of Eastern Phoebes, we […]

Vol. 20 Issue 4, Winter 2015 By Emily Cook It’s hard to believe that the now common Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) was once endangered. Today, it’s not uncommon to see a single bird, or even an entire flock– also known as a rafter, gobble, or gang among other things – when out on a morning […]

Vol. 20 Issue 3, Fall 2015 By Larry Meade Woodpeckers are some of the most charismatic birds that we often see in our area. In any season of the year, if you are near a wooded area, you are likely to hear the ostentatious call or the vigorous drumming of a woodpecker. Red-bellied Woodpeckers and […]