Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Nature is always lovely, invincible, glad, whatever is done and suffered by her creatures. All scars she heals, whether in rocks or water or sky or hearts.

- John Muir

A true conservationist is a man who knows
that the world is not given by his father but borrowed from his children.

- James Audubon

Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I;
But when the trees bow down their heads,
the wind is passing by.

- Christina Rossetti

Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.

- Wordsworth

Andy Rabin led a family bird walk at Bles Park in eastern Loudoun Co on Saturday morning. Most of the warblers we saw were close and gave us great views. 

The following is the report that we also posted on eBird:
Location:     Bles Park
Observation date:     10/4/08
Notes:     Andy Rabin led a Family Bird walk at Bles Park in eastern Loudoun Co this morning.  The highlights were some well-seen warblers including a NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, and a PALM WARBLER.  Besides good numbers of CHIMNEY SWIFTS and TREE SWALLOWS we also found a few INDIGO BUNTINGS.
Number of species:     40

Canada Goose, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

We also saw a few butterflies including Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Common Buckeye, Eastern Comma, Monarchs

Joe Coleman

note: Photo shown is a flycatcher

Rain barrels are a great way to capture the fresh rain as it runs off your roof (and you’d be amazed at how quickly a 50 gallon drum fills up!).  We have three of them set up at our house and I love using them for watering our plants and rinsing my hands after digging in the dirt.

On Oct 9 and 20th, Loudoun Soil and Water will be holding workshops to put these cool water conservation tools together.

You can read more, see what a rain barrel looks like and download the  sign up form by visiting here:

http://greenerloudoun.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/assemble-your-own-rain-barrel-in-october/

I only went for a walk and finally concluded to stay out til sundown,
for going out, I found, was really going in.

- John Muir