Birds of prey numbers increase dramatically in the winter as our resident birds are joined by many others. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for a class by Liam McGranaghan on identifying birds of prey at 10:00 a.m. After a break for lunch the group will reconvene as we drive Loudoun County’s back roads to search for winter […]

Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy on a winter raptor search. We will drive the back roads of Loudoun County with frequent stops to find and identify the many hawks, and an owl or two, who winter here. Space is limited so please register early. Questions: Contact info@loudounwildlife.org.  

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. 18 Issue 4, Winter 2013 By Liz Dennison, Raptor Conservancy of Virginia During the spring and summer months in northern Virginia, we enjoy the calls of our resident owls: the resonant hoot of the Great Horned Owl, the familiar “who cooks for you” of the Barred Owl, the melodic whinnies and trills of the […]

Vol. 14 Issue 4, Winter 2009 By Liam McGranaghan In recent years there has been a marked increase in the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) population in the Mid-Atlantic States, the direct result of banning the insecticide DDT.  As a result, sightings of both adult and juvenile Bald Eagles throughout Loudoun County have become much more […]

Vol. 12 Issue 3, Fall 2007 By Gerry Hawkins The American Kestrel, a small, open-land falcon which often may be seen perched on a telephone pole or wire, is perhaps the most common diurnal raptor in North America. The population of the American Kestrel is thought to be stable overall, but it appears that there […]

Vol. 7 Issue 3, Summer 2002 By Liam McGranahan Have you ever wondered why you see so many hawks along the roadsides of Loudoun County during the winter months or wondered what type of species they are? Well, you are not alone. Many people have asked the same questions. One of the simplest explanations for […]

Vol. 7 Issue 3, Summer 2002 By Bruce Hopkins The Blue Ridge along Loudoun’s western border offers wonderful opportunities to observe fall migrations of hawks and other raptors. Hawks migrate along the Blue Ridge—and other Appalachian ranges to the north and south—because of thermals and deflection air currents associated with the ridges. The thermals and […]