Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Just received this great note from Joe Coleman about Screechies in his neighborhood. We wanted to share:

Towards the end of April, Karen & I found Screech Owls using a cavity in a tree on my neighbor’s property – we couldn’t believe how narrow the hole to the cavity was but observed one fly in & out of it a couple of times and also call from it a couple of times.  And guess what kind of tree the cavity is in?  A Black Locust.
 
A few days ago we noticed a downy owlet cautiously sticking his head up in the very narrow cavity; two days ago we found two there – one at the entrance peering down at us (not so cautiously this time), the other, in the background, bobbing up & down to get a look at us over its sibling’s head.
 
Because I firmly believe that young birds are threatened by intrusive human behavior we’re being very cautious in our observation of this nest.  Screech Owls very conscientiously do not regurgitate their pellets at their nesting cavities so as to not attract predators (such as raccoons and larger owls).
 
And I can’t ever remember ever finding a Screech Owl using a cavity in any other tree than a black locust – I’m sure they do, but I’ve never seen one and have been fortunate enough to see Screech Owls in trees several times.  If I was to vote for a favorite wildlife habitat tree – it would be black locust!  The number of cavity-nesting birds that utilize it is very impressive.
 
Good atlasing! Joe

Approx. 15 birders joined Laura Weidner and Mary Ann Good for the monthly (2nd Sat.) bird walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy.  Prior to the 8:00 walk, Mary Ann and Gerry Hawkins spent 45 minutes surveying the nearby Dulles Wetlands for LWC’s Loudoun Co. Bird Atlas. 

We were pleased and surprised to find a breeding plumaged LITTLE BLUE HERON on the spit of the island in the middle of the water, next to a Green Heron, a rare find in Loudoun Co., especially prior to breeding dispersal.  A pair of Willow Flycatchers sang and interacted, as did at least 3 male Yellow Warblers, and a Northern Parula was heard nearby.

The second-most-exciting find of the morning was an adult Red-headed Woodpecker perched at the top of a tall tree in the field by the visitor center of Banshee Reeks.  It raised hopes that they will re-inhabit their abandoned colony at the Beaver Pond. 

Other highlights well seen by all were an Osprey, adult Bald Eagle, not 2 but 3 Am. Kestrels in the field they frequent, more Willow Flycatchers, Prairie Warbler (this one heard only), and two pairs of Blue Grosbeaks!  We were also delighted to spot a young Raccoon looking back at us from his resting spot in a tree. 

At the banding station, the young birder in our group who had expressed his hope of getting a look at a Wood Thrush got one better – he got to hold and release one after it had been banded!

Following is the list of 65 species for the morning (Dulles Wetlands sightings, where applicable, are second):

Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron – 0/1, Green Heron – 1/1, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Canada Goose, Wood Duck – 0/2, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Am. Kestrel – 3, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 1, Chimney Swift, Red-headed Woodpecker – 1, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, E. Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher – 2/2, E. Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, E. Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Am. Crow, Fish Crow, Raven – 1, Tree Swallow, No. Rough-Winged Swallow – 0/1, Barn Swallow, Car. Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, E. Bluebird, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, No. Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Eur. Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler – 1/3, Prairie Warbler – 1, Ovenbird – 3, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager – 4, Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, No. Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak – 3, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird. Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch