Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

The results from our Central Loudoun Christmas Bird Count, conducted last Sunday, are still being tallied but here’s a preliminary report from Joe Coleman who organizes this amazing event for us each year:

The Twelfth Annual Central Loudoun Christmas Bird Count

The 12th annual Central Loudoun Christmas Bird Count was held on Sunday, December 28.  While the number of participants, 110, was much higher than ever, the number of bird species seen, about 95 including the count week, was average. 

While all the reports aren’t in yet, there were some especially nice count week birds on Saturday including a GLAUCOUS GULL that Bob Abrams found at the county landfill and a dozen REDHEADS at Beaverdam Reservoir. A SHORT-EARED OWL was hunting at dusk at Mountain View Elementary School near Purcellville. 

The Glaucous Gull is especially rare as they do not normally come this far south and only one or two are reported annually in Virginia. A photo of this rare bird sighting is provided here, thanks to Bob Abrams.

During the count, itself, there were surprisingly few waterfowl and not many blackbirds, and this always impacts the overall count numbers

On the day of the count a MERLIN was found between Aldie and Philomont, a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was on private land off of rte 15 a little south of the Goose Creek, and HORNED LARKS were seen in several sectors.  A surprising first for the count because it hasn’t been found before were DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS which were found in two different sectors.  Also unusual were the high numbers of PINE SISKINS.  Most years we don’t find any Pine Siskins; this year there are a tremendous number of them around.

In spite of the extensive coverage of the circle the unseasonably warm weather is probably one of the more important reasons for the average nature of the count.  As many of us observe at our feeders, birds are both more active and visible when it is colder.

Thanks to all the birders for making the count another great success and to Rhonda Chocha and her team for coordinating the Tally Rally.  And a special thanks to the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and to the Bird Feeder in Reston for underwriting the Tally Rally.

You don’t remember that sunless late December morning.  Temperatures and wind gusts lingered in the 20’s, pushing the wind chill well into the “stay in bed” range. Even my long johns shivered. The last time I had pulled on long johns was to interview some crazy Pennsylvania ice fishermen. This time we teamed up to join some crazy Virginia ice birders. A strong link exists between long johns and insanity.

I held a deep fear of experienced birders. Who was I, an untested birding amateur, to dare to walk the woods and roads with a team of varsity birders and to presume to name and count birds for the official Christmas Bird Count?

I had one ace up my sleeve. A rufous hummingbird, the first reported in Loudoun, had chosen to spend Christmas in our yard. She was lured to a hummingbird feeder that I had forgotten to take down after our regular crew of ruby-throated hummingbirds had flown south.

It was beginner’s luck, like drawing to an inside straight on your first hand of poker. I had drawn a rare rufous hummingbird that may have spent the summer raising a family 2,500 miles away in the Pacific Northwest. Or so guessed Mary Gustafson, the professional bird bander who hung a trap over the hummingbird feeder and lured in the wandering hummer. Within minutes, she had caught, weighed and banded the little bird with the frequent flyer miles. Mary also plucked a trophy tail feather to confirm the identity of “Y42321.”  Then she carefully laid Y4 on her back in my mother’s hand. Hummingbirds never lie on their backs and don’t know what to do or how to get up. When we turned her over, she quickly flew off, and despite the indignity, stayed with us until mid-January.

Y4 made me a short term hero on the Christmas bird count, but I quickly regained my amateur status. I spotted a hawk. To me it was just a hawk, but one of the real birders immediately called out “red-shouldered hawk.” He showed me a picture in the bird book. I had so much to learn.

As we walked back through the woods, a large bird with a red head and black and white barred back flash past. “What’s that?” asked the real birder at my side.  Without thinking, I called out “Red-bellied woodpecker.” My fellow real birder nodded and the woodpecker was logged. My first call. Maybe I could do this. Yesterday I couldn’t spell “crazy frozen birder,” now I was one.

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Join us on our Christmas Bird Count at http://www.loudounwildlife.org/CBC.htm. All experience levels are welcome and you can come out for a full day or just part of the day.

Donovan and his long johns write from Hamilton, VA (http://donovanwrites.com/). You can read this and other articles by Donovan on Loudoun nature and our environment in the Elan magazine.

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Ten of us joined Joe Coleman and Gerry Hawkins on Saturday for the monthly walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Loudoun County. We had a total of 38 species (including 7 different sparrow species). The walk included nice looks at American Kestrel, both kinglets, numerous Eastern Bluebirds and a Fox Sparrow. Missing from our sightings today was the Dark-eyed Junco.

Five of us made a quick stop at the Dulles Wetlands after the walk, where we saw over 200 dabbling ducks, including American Black Ducks, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal and an odd black-and-white mutt hybrid among the many Mallards, as well as a perched Red-shouldered Hawk, a couple of soaring Red-tailed Hawks and only our second Turkey Vulture of the day.

Banshee Reeks and other areas in Loudoun County will be the subject of a Christmas Bird Count on December 28, 2008.

Here’s the listing of the birds we saw:

Canada Goose (20), Mallard (1), Black Bulture (5), Turkey Vulture (1), Red-shouldered Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2), American Kestrel (2), Mourning Dove (2), Red-bellied Woodpecker (5), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1), Downy Woodpecker (5), Northern Flicker (2), Pileated Woodpecker (4), Blue Jay (10), American Crow (10), Fish Crow (1), Carolina Chickadee (5), Tufted Titmouse (5), White-breasted Nuthatch (3), Brown Creeper (1), Carolina Wren (8), Golden-crowned Kinglet (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Eastern Bluebird (38), American Robin (6), Northern Mockingbird (5), European Starling (12), Eastern Towhee (6), Chipping Sparrow (1), Field Sparrow (10), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (25), Swamp Sparrow (2). White-throated Sparrow (50), White-crowned Sparrow (1), Northern Cardinal (7), Rusty Blackbird (2), American Goldfinch (25)

I’m posting this late but still wanted to share with you the field trip report from last weekend. The photo here is of an immature Red-Shouldered Hawk, coping with the cold windy day:

On Sunday, Dec. 7, Laura Weidner & Joe Coleman, assisted by Liam McGranaghan in the morning, led an all-day ANS/LWC 17-person field trip to Clarke Co.  The group met at Snicker’s Gap at 9 am and returned there about 4:30 pm.  Since the winds were as horrible as Joan Boudreau & Bob Abrams said in their hawkwatch post we got off the mountain as quickly as possible and spent much of the day in relatively-sheltered places.  As a result we did miss some of the more int’g birds Joan & Bob reported as well as some of the ones we found while scouting on Friday & Sat.
 
Our best bird was a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE spotted by Laura in a farm field a little south & east of Blandy.  It was on the north side of Rte 622 right after we turned off of  Ed Lee Rd (Rte 626?).  We watched it hunt and perch until we were ready to move on.  We also found all seven woodpecker species including a small group (four or five) of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS behind Blandy in a woodlot north of Rte 628 where it intersects with Ed Lee Rd (Rte 626?). There was also a BROWN CREEPER in the same area. 
 
We also found at least four NORTHERN HARRIERS, one on Blandy and three south & east of Blandy.  Three of the Harriers were Gray Ghosts and one was a hatch-year bird.  On Friday there were 7 AMERICAN KESTRELS, on Sat. 2, and on Sunday four.  We saw at least a dozen RED-TAILED HAWKS; interestingly enough they were frequently in groups of two or even three (twice we saw three birds perched close together).
 
While scouting on Saturday morning (a much nicer day because of the lack of wind) there were 8 NORTHERN BOBWHITES, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and a couple of SWAMP & WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS as well as a number of Field and Song Sparrows in the wetlands and restored meadow that is right in front of Blandy’s observation tower.  There was almost nothing in that area on Sunday (maybe because of the winds …).  On Sat. behind Blandy along Rte 628 there was a COOPER’S HAWK as well as a very mangy Red Fox in pretty bad shape (I had to stop the car to let it cross the road).  Its irritated skin showed through its wispy fur in several places.
 
On Sunday with the exception of Blandy most of our birding was done from the cars or in places well-sheltered from the wind.  Not surprisingly the birds were also in the sheltered locations.  The two BALD EAGLES we saw over the river on Sunday both rocked like Turkey Vultures in the wind.  Two COMMON RAVENS playfully flew over the river in the same area.  And shortly after that we saw a flock of at least 50 BLUEBIRDS.
 
There were a fair number of geese, mallards, Great Blue Herons, and Belted Kingfishers on the Shenandoah River but nothing else in the way of waterfowl with the exception of one PIED-BILLED GREBE who kept slipping all but his head below the water.
 
We did not see any SNOWY OWLS though many of the fields looked promising; nor did we find any RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES (there were at least four of them at Blandy back in Nov.), PURPLE FINCHES, or PINE SISKINS.
 
We had a total of 45 species of birds for the day.

Ten of us went out yesterday morning in search of ducks at the Dulles Wetlands.  As it turned out (in the 20 degree chill) the water was frozen so except for a lone goose that is likely recovering from a wound, the ducks had departed to open waters.  We had a wonderful walk nonetheless since there was no wind and Phil Daley and Paul Miller led us through the trails.  The ice crystals on the grasses made for such a beautiful landscape. We watched a flock of Yellow-Rumped Warblers gobble up Poison Ivy berries, had great views of bluebirds foraging through the sumac and inspected the work of the beaver which has been busy bringing down a few trees. Phil also pointed out small burrows where you could see that the breath of the animals down below had risen and crystallized around the entry. Pretty neat. After our walk at the wetlands, we headed over to Beaverdam Reservoir and found our ducks.  As we stood there, a flock of Common Mergansers flew right past us - it was great to see them up close in flight.

Here’s a list of what we saw at the two locations (many thanks to Martha Vandervoort for keeping our list and posting to eBird)! In all, we had 26 species of birds at the Dulles Wetlands and 10 species at the reservoir.

Dulles Wetlands: Canada Goose, Mallard (flew by), Green-winged Teal (several flew by), Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird (may have been common grackles), House Finch, American Goldfinch

Beaverdam Reservoir: Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Ring-billed Gull, American Crow

From Saturday, Nov 22….Only four of us showed up for the BRCES walk this rather cold morning (it was 24 when we started and 32 when we finished).  The four of us first walked about a mile on the edge of the woods at the end of Sawmill and then did a mile loop in the fields and woods around the Visitor Center.  The highlights included a single SNOW GOOSE flying as the last bird in a v of about 25 Canada Geese, a few HERMIT THRUSHES, seven sparrow species including a lingering CHIPPING SPARROW and at least six FOX SPARROWS and 2 SWAMP SPARROWS; several PURPLE FINCHES(9), and nine EASTERN MEADOWLARKS in the Boy Scout meadow at the end of Sawmill.  We also briefly heard a CATBIRD but because we never saw it and there was a Northern Mockingbird in the immediate area we decided to not list it. We also greatly enjoyed the playful antics of at least 2 COMMON RAVENS in multiple locations and a very cooperative hatch-year COOPER’S HAWK who perched within 50′ of us twice.

While the trails at BRCES are normally open to the public 7 days a week from dawn to dusk there are controlled deer hunts there this time of year so check the BRCES website for dates and times of when parts of BRCES are closed.

Information on the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship can be found at http://www.blueridgecenter.org.   It’s a beautiful place to visit.

Joe Coleman, near Bluemont, Loudoun Co
Location:     Blue Ridge Center
Observation date:     11/22/08
Number of species:     39

Snow Goose(1), Canada Goose(50), Turkey Vulture(3), Cooper’s Hawk(1), Red-tailed Hawk(1), Mourning Dove(1), Red-bellied Woodpecker(6), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(3), Downy Woodpecker(3), Northern Flicker(3), Pileated Woodpecker(3), Blue Jay(6), American Crow(12), Common Raven(2), Carolina Chickadee(4), Tufted Titmouse(2), White-breasted Nuthatch(5), Carolina Wren(6), Golden-crowned Kinglet(2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet(2), Eastern Bluebird(10), Hermit Thrush(3), American Robin(2), Northern Mockingbird(4), European Starling(15), Cedar Waxwing(20), Yellow-rumped Warbler(2), Chipping Sparrow(1), Field Sparrow(5), Fox Sparrow(6), Song Sparrow(40), Swamp Sparrow(2), White-throated Sparrow(20), Dark-eyed Junco(40), Northern Cardinal(8), Eastern Meadowlark(9), Purple Finch(9), House Finch(2), American Goldfinch(10)

On November 8, we had our monthly bird walk at Bashee Reeks.  Mary Ann Good led the walk and the group had some great sightings - especially that of a Golden Eagle! (very cool!)  Here is Mary Ann’s field trip report from that day as well as a photo of a kinglet:

About 15 birders enjoyed a picture-perfect morning with unexpected sunshine on brilliant, rain-washed fall foliage Saturday morning at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, after which 6 or 7 visited the nearby Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project.  Certainly a most unexpected highlight was a juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE soaring over the nearby landfill among a kettle of 100–150 vultures (mostly Black), a Raven, and a few hawks; its distinctive markings were well-seen by all (a couple people got distant photos).  We enjoyed the sight of 3 Purple Finches and a flock of Cedar Waxwings swarming around us feasting on autumn olive and Virginia creeper berries, and a glimpse of a Fox Sparrow.  Bruce Hill, the co-leader, took a group into the Wetlands afterward where they added 5 species of waterfowl to the Wood Ducks we saw at Banshee, as well as a pair of adult Bald Eagles.

The numbers below are for Banshee followed by the Dulles Wetlands, where applicable.

Canada Goose (6), Wood Duck (10), Am. Black Duck (0/6), Mallard (0/75+), No. Pintail (0/2), Green-winged Teal (0/55), Pied-billed Grebe (0/2), Great Blue Heron (0/2), Black Vulture (75+), Turkey Vulture (25), Bald Eagle (0/2), GOLDEN EAGLE (1 imm.), Sharp-shinned Hawk (3), Red-shouldered Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (2/2), Am. Kestrel (1), Rock Pigeon (2), Mourning Dove (20), Barred Owl (1), Red-bellied Woodpecker (10), Downy Woodpecker (1/2), Hairy Woodpecker (1), No. Flicker (15), Pileated Woodpecker (3), Blue Jay (30), Am. Crow (15), Fish Crow (3), C. Raven (1), Car. Chickadee (8), Tufted Titmouse (6), Wh-Breasted Nuthatch (4), Carolina Wren (2), Golden-crowned Kinglet (4), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (4), E. Bluebird (25/6), Am. Robin (20), No. Mockingbird (10), Eur. Starling (10), Cedar Waxwing (25), Yellow-rumped Warbler (4/2), E. Towhee (5), Field Sparrow (6/10), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (25), Swamp Sparrow (6), wh-Throated Sparrow (25), Dark-Eyed Junco (5), No. Cardinal (15), Red-winged Blackbird (1/150), Purple Finch (3), Am. Goldfinch (15)

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

The highlights of this past Saturday’s morning walk, co-sponsored by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy & the Friends of Banshee Reeks, and attended by 18 birders, was a flyover flock of 7 vocal COMMON RAVENS, a couple of different groups of migrants, including warblers & vireos busily feeding, a couple of SCARLET TANAGERS, and numerous BALTIMORE ORIOLES.  A few of us also got to see an adult BALD EAGLE flying low over the Goose Creek. 
 
However, the most int’g part of the morning was the Black Rat Snake that joined us for the tally at the end of the walk on the Visitor Center’s front porch.  The four to five foot snake was slithering along the stone wall right above a couple of benches and when some of us decided to go ahead and sit on the benches anyway it lost its grasp on the wall and fell onto the bench.  After carefully watching us for a couple of minutes, it did slither away under some steps that Sandy Farkas and Linda Millington were sitting on.

Mary Ann Good and I briefly and separately visited the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project before the walk.
 
For more information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, including a listing of their future activities, see (www.loudounwildlife.org); for the Friends of Banshee Reeks see www.bansheereeks.org.
 
Thanks, Joe Coleman
Loudoun Co

Birds seen at Banshee:
Number of species:     55

Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron(1), Green Heron(1), Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk(1), Red-shouldered Hawk(1), Red-tailed Hawk(2), Rock Pigeon(3), Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo(3), Chimney Swift(10), Ruby-throated Hummingbird(2), Belted Kingfisher(1), Red-bellied Woodpecker(12), Downy Woodpecker(8), Northern Flicker(5), Pileated Woodpecker(5), Eastern Wood-Pewee (6), Eastern Phoebe(8), Great Crested Flycatcher(1), White-eyed Vireo(2), Red-eyed Vireo(4), Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow(1), Common Raven(7), Tree Swallow(1), Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch(5), Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher(2), Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush(4), American Robin(2), Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher(3), European Starling, Cedar Waxwing(6), Northern Parula(1), Magnolia Warbler(1), American Redstart(4), Ovenbird(1), Common Yellowthroat(3), Scarlet Tanager(2), Eastern Towhee(3), Chipping Sparrow(2), Field Sparrow(10), Song Sparrow(2), Northern Cardinal, Baltimore Oriole(8), American Goldfinch
 
Observation date:     9/13/08
Notes:     Both Mary Ann Good & Joe briefly birded the Dulles Wetlands prior to the Banshee Reeks walk.  Mary Ann walked on to the Wetlands while Joe birded the shrubs and trees along Oatlands Mill Rd. This report is a composite of both of our sightings.
Number of species:     34
Canada Goose(100), Mallard(3), Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle(1), Red-shouldered Hawk(2), Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird(2), Downy Woodpecker(2), Pileated Woodpecker(1), Eastern Wood-Pewee(2), Eastern Phoebe(2), Blue Jay, American Crow, Barn Swallow(3), Carolina Chickadee(5), Tufted Titmouse(2), Carolina Wren(2), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher(1), Eastern Bluebird(1), Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird(1), European Starling, Yellow Warbler(1), Palm Warbler(2), Black-and-white Warbler(2), Common Yellowthroat(4), Field Sparrow(2), Song Sparrow(4), Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting(1), Baltimore Oriole(1), House Finch(3), American Goldfinch

Here’s a great one ….. this is straight from the field from our bird walk at BRCES last Saturday.  Ray Smith sent this over and we’re interested in knowing what insect this is.  Many thanks to Marcia for standing still while Ray got the shot. If you can help id this insect, please do post a comment. Here’s his note:

I was on a bird walk Saturday with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and came across an unusual (at least for me) situation and was wondering if one of you could help me with an ID.  Attached is a picture of a scary looking critter clasping, and either sucking the insides out of or laying eggs in another scary looking critter.  The claspee appears to be a Bald-face Hornet and the claspor I do not know.  Although it kind of looks like a very large fly.  Can you ID the claspor?  All of you are my best insect ID friends.
Also, if you know it, do you know anything about it’s natural history and what it is probably doing in the picture? Thank you.

Ray Smith