All things share the same breath -
the beast, the tree, the man…
the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.

- Chief Seattle

In the woods, too, a man casts off his years,
as the snake his slough,
and at what period soever of life is always a child.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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)

Underlying the beauty of the spectacle of nature
there is meaning and significance
that sends us again and again into the natural world.

- Rachel Carson

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

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