Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Our January 9th, the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Northern Virginia Birding Club teamed up to lead a walk at Banshee Reeks. While chilly, they did get in some good birding. Here’s the report from our leaders, Andy and Gerco:

Surprisingly, it was nice weather until about 10am when the winds picked up. We found several locations where the birds were very active–mostly sunny spots that were out of the wind. Many sparrows were foraging in the shrubs and the various hawks were calling and flying over. We were rather startled to see many mallards and a single black duck flying up from the ponds. Some open water was there. Once the wind picked up, we decided to leave.

Highlights of the walk included an Eastern Phoebe, American Black Duck, Field Sparrow, Brown Creeper, and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

Our total tally was 39 species:

American Black Duck 1, Mallard 47, Great Blue Heron 1, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture 2, Bald Eagle 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 2, Red-tailed Hawk 4, Ring-billed Gull 3, Mourning Dove 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 3, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3, Downy Woodpecker 4, Hairy Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 7, Pileated Woodpecker 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Blue Jay 5, American Crow 11, Carolina Chickadee 2, Tufted Titmouse 4, White-breasted Nuthatch 3, Brown Creeper 1, Carolina Wren 2, Golden-crowned Kinglet 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Eastern Bluebird 9, American Robin 30, Northern Mockingbird 2, European Starling 27, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Eastern Towhee 3, Field Sparrow 2, Song Sparrow 4, White-throated Sparrow 25, Dark-eyed Junco 20, Northern Cardinal 4, Brown-headed Cowbird 5, American Goldfinch 2

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is definitely one of Loudoun’s Great Places for wildlife and nature explorations. Hike the trails, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the wild sights and sounds! More information can be found on our page highlighting Banshee Reeks.

On October 10th, 23 people found 41 species of birds during the monthly bird walk at Banshee Reeks.  The highlights of several different raptor species included a single Merlin. We were surprised by how few sparrows there were; we also didn’t find a single warbler in sprite of visiting several suitable locations for both.  

There were a lot of Northern Flickers, Blue Jays, and American Robins moving around throughout the preserve as well as at least six dif. Eastern Phoebes.  We did find two thrushes along a stream near the Goose Creek that we were unable to identify as we never got to see their faces.  Both were dull and appeared to be either Gray-cheeked or Swainson’s.

Here’s the full species list: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey (1), Bald Eagle (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin (1), Rock Pigeon (2), Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift (6), Belted Kingfisher (1), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe (6), Blue Jay, American Crow, Tree Swallow (1), Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2), Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Gray Catbird (1), Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Towhee (3), Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch

This past Saturday, before the monthly Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy birdwalk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 3 folks spent an hour+ at the Dulles Wetlands and found that the 3 juvenile WHITE IBIS remain.  They were feeding actively in near, open shallow water, easily observed, along with the same companions as on Monday. 

At Banshee Reeks, 12 people came out to look for birds. The highlights of the lovely, still-cool morning were singing Blue Grosbeak (also one at the wetlands), Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and groups of Cedar Waxwings.  Mike Friedman, arriving as our bird walk broke up, reported finding (hearing then seeing) a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO near the entrance to the preserve.

The list follows, with birds at the Dulles Wetlands second where applicable.

Canada Goose – x/x, Wood Duck – x/x (many young), Mallard – 0/x, Great Blue Heron – 0/3, Great Egret – 0/12, Green Heron – 0/2, WHITE IBIS – 0/3, Turkey Vulture – 2, Accipiter – 0/1, Red-shouldered Hawk – 1, Red-tailed Hawk – 1, Am. Kestrel – 1, Killdeer – 0/12, Solitary Sandpiper – 0/6, Semipalmated Sandpiper – 0/6, Pectoral Sandpiper – 0/1, Mourning Dove – x, Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 2, Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1, Belted Kingfisher – 1/1, Red-bellied Woodpecker – x, Downy Woodpecker – x, No. Flicker – 2, Pileated Woodpecker – 2, E. Wood-Pewee – x, E. Phoebe – x, Great Crested Flycatcher – 1, E. Kingbird – x/x, Red-eyed Vireo – x, Blue Jay – x, Crow sp. – x/x, Barn Swallow – x/x, Car. Chickadee – x, Tufted Titmouse – x, Car. Wren – x/x, House Wren – 0/x, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher – 1, E. Bluebird – x/x, Am Robin – x/x, Gray Catbird – x/x, No. Mockingbird – x/x, Brown Thrasher – 1, Cedar Waxwing – many, C. Yellowthroat – x/x, Scarlet Tanager – 1, E. Towhee – x, Field Sparrow – x/x, Song Sparrow – x/x, No. Cardinal – x/x, Blue Grosbeak – 1/1, Indigo Bunting – x/x, Red-winged Blackbird – x/x, C. Grackle – x/x, Am. Goldfinch – x/x

Many thanks to Mary Ann Good and Del Sargent who led this walk and to David Crooks for getting photos of the White Ibis. We’re adding it to our Bird Atlas data!

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and the Dulles Wetlands are located in Leesburg, Virginia – a great place to explore Loudoun nature and wildlife.

David McCarthy, President of the Friends of Banshee Reeks, sent over this email and I wanted to share it with you here. The Friends of Banshee Reeks is an important organization in making sure this incredible nature preserve is protected into the future.

The note from David:

Follow-up to the Public Meeting of July 29

I would like to thank all of you who were able to attend the public meeting Wednesday evening to address the issues related to The Woods Road.  It is unfortunate that an understandably frustrated group from Courtland dominated the question period, as the majority of people in the audience did not get to raise their questions about the status of a road that appears on the earliest maps of the county; that runs through an area that reflects the human ecology of man’s interaction with the natural habitat in Loudoun from 4,000 BC through the 1970’s; and is the only publicly owned collection of traditional Piedmont habitats that exists in the county on a scale which keeps them viable.

The good news is that Lewis Rauch, Director of the Office of Capital Construction attended the meeting and has offered to head up a Woods Road Stakeholders Group that would meet regularly this year and next to address the safety concerns of the road, the county’s solid waste disposal needs, and the need to protect irreplaceable natural resources and the conservation easements that protect them. Mr. Rauch has earned a reputation of bringing an open, positive and professional approach to problem solving, and he understands that all the issues related to The Woods Road need to be seen within the larger context. I believe that someone who can look at this situation with fresh eyes and knows how to listen can help take us beyond the stale rhetoric we have been subjected to before.

As always, Supervisor Sally Kurtz played the key role in seeing that the process of public participation promised in April 2008 was not allowed to die. The Woods Road presents a striking example of the constant pressure that the county’s diminishing resources are under from competing demands. The Friends of Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve will be pleased to enter into a transparent and participative process at the front end of the decision making, rather than having to react to the damage caused by decisions made without consideration of the consequences.

Loudoun County has been the victim of a risky and speculative development process that has been driven by the short term possibilities of monetary gain. It is recognized that the economic situation the county finds itself in now is the result of this kind of approach. We all know now that we need a new way forward based on an informed and engaged citizenry. The decisions made about The Woods Road will send a clear message of how Loudoun County will approach the future. We all agree that business as usual is not the answer. Let’s help shape a new one.

David McCarthy, President
Friends of Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve  

On Wednesday, July 29, Supervisor Sally Kurtz led a public meeting on the issue of The Woods Road relocation. Also speaking for the County were Lewis Rauch (Director of Capital Construction and Solid Waste Management), Rick Weber (Solid Waste Management Program Manager), Harry Walsh (Citizens Relations Manager from the Office of the County Administrator), and Diane Ryburn (Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services).

Over 100 citizens attended, coming from two primary interest areas: residents of Courtland Woods concerned about road safety and viewsheds, and residents from across Loudoun concerned about Banshee Reeks and the wildlife and habitat impacts of any road realignment.  I took notes throughout the meeting and wanted to share what I gathered with you here:

Supervisor Kurtz conveyed that the landfill will be expanded and the future phases have already been planned and prepared. At the current rate of trash collection, these future phase of the landfill will be opened and used over the next 10-15 years. In order to use these new phases of the landfill, there need to be ground water monitoring stations around the perimeter of the landfill to make sure toxins are not escaping from the landfill. The perimeter for the expanded landfill butts directly against The Woods Road in some places. Because it is a residential road, there needs to be a 300′buffer.

VDOT is responsible for The Woods Road. In 2009, however, budget cuts caused them to defund the relocation plans. In response to that, our Board of Supervisors put $750,000 of County money against doing a 30% design plan for relocating The Woods Road. Once that plan is in place, it will be the determining document for what is done to The Woods Road when the final phases of the landfill are opened up. [So -- What is decided in the next year about The Woods Road and Banshee Reeks will be what we have to live with in 15 years from now - regardless of how technology, environment and other factors change between now and then]

Mr. Rauch explained that “VDOT has washed their hands of the project,” and therefore the County is putting money in to make sure this project goes forward.  Sally explained that because County funds are being used, there will be more flexibility in what is done in relocating The Woods Road. 

Citizens raised questions around the impact of the landfill on Goose Creek, as well as wetland issues such as the impact of relocating The Woods Road on the rare Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp that is on Banshee Reeks and the Virginia Outdoor Foundation (VOF) conservation easement on the property. The response that we received from Sally was that in moving the road, the Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp would not be destroyed. Mr. Weber said “We don’t know where the road will be – we need to do the environmental analysis.”  Additionally, the county is in discussions with VOF because the current plans do violate the easement.

The next step is for the County to set up a Woods Road Stakeholder Group and signups were taken [yes, we signed up]. In addition to residents of Courtland, there were members and leaders from Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Friends of Banshee Reeks, Virginia Master Naturalist (Banshee Chapter), Audubon Naturalist Society (Rust Sanctuary), Piedmont Environmental Council, and the Loudoun Preservation Society present. Together, we will make sure the environmental and historic concerns around the relocation of The Woods Road are heard and considered as alternatives are identified and plans move forward. We will keep you informed throughout.

Please Take Action by Attending this Public Input Session: On Wednesday, July 29 at 7pm, Supervisor Kurtz, along with other members of the county, will hold a public meeting to hear the county’s plans to realign the Woods Road. This is a serious threat to the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. The location for the meeting is 215 Depot Court in Leesburg. Please come out to show your support for Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve!

Loudoun County claims that the landfill’s expansion requires that The Woods Road be shifted from its current location into the preserve itself. If this occurs it could seriously harm the preserve’s natural values and destroy a rare natural habitat.

First we need to ask if this relocation is necessary at all. The county claims it is necessary based on a special exception that was passed over 15 years ago.

Lots has changed since then and it is hard to believe that this still the case especially when one considers how valuable and special the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is.

1) Seriously degrade, if not destroy, a rare natural habitat, a Mountain/Piedmont Basic Seepage Swamp, of which there are only 12 examples known in Virginia.

2) Seriously impair the integrity of the entire natural preserve which is a mix various different kinds of habitats including the large, intact upland forest that The Woods Road would bisect. It will disrupt wildlife habitat, destroy wetlands and other sensitive areas.

3) Create a paved road with a minimum speed limit of 35/mph right next to a natural area and result in excessive and unnecessary amounts of roadkill.

4) Destroy an historic road that has existed for over two centuries and linked the Carolina Road to Oatlands Plantation.

5) Possibly destroy other archaeological treasures along this historic road.

6) Violate an existing Virginia Outdoor Foundation conservation easement.

At the March 2008 meeting on The Woods Road, in response to concerns raised by its citizens, the county indicated they would create a transparent process and involve various stakeholders in the development of their plans for The Woods Road. Inexcusably this has not happened. To our knowledge the public has not been involved in any of the deliberations that have occurred since March 2008. This is not a transparent process and is indicative of a county handling business as they always have and ignoring citizens and their concerns for the environment.

The Woods Road as it exists today is an historic dirt road steeped in both natural and cultural history that forces people who drive on it to slow down; to protect the treasure that is Banshee Reeks, it should stay the same.

Please attend this meeting! Let’s fill the room and show our support for Banshee Reeks! In addition, email your Supervisor bos@loudoun.gov and let them know how much you value Banshee Reeks and keeping it as it is!

Our two nature camp sessions have wrapped up for the season but a good time was had by all!  Our summer intern, Eleni Katsos, helped with the camp and sent over a nice write-up from the two, week-long camps:

The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Natural History Day Camp of 2009 took place once again at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Leesburg, Va. Banshee Reeks is a beautiful place to learn about nature in a variety of ecosystems, and gives a glimpse into both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.

The kids attended camp for a week, each day themed toward a different aspect of wildlife. A usual day at camp consisted of a morning talk about what we would be learning about that day, followed by a one to two hour hike, creative activities and games. Talking and learning about the subject before going out “into the field” helped to put what the campers saw out on the hikes into context, and really cemented an appreciation for what they saw.

For example, there was a day dedicated to trees, which entailed learning the names of the trees we encountered along our walk, using the senses such as smell and touch, as well as specific morphology to identify and remember them. The role of trees in the environment was also a focus for the day, their importance for soil quality and carbon control, as well creating habitat for a plethora of animals and insects.

We played a great game called Hug-a-Tree that encouraged fun with this aspect of the environment. During the game one partner leads the other blind folded around the forest, preferably in a disorienting path, to a tree. Once there, the blind folded player feels the tree for things that are memorable, such as the texture of the bark, the shape of its leaves, the number of branches, etc. They are then lead back to the starting point, unmasked, and must find their tree with the guidance of their partner telling them if they are getting warmer or colder. This game was as much fun to watch as it was to play.

Ellie Daley, one of our camp counselors and retired kindergarten teacher, planned excellent creative activities for the kids to do each day. She created nature journals for the kids to work on after lunch, creating a time and place to reflect through drawing, or writing. She also helped the campers decorate t-shirts with imprints of natural objects on tie dye-like backgrounds such as leaves and feathers using solar paint.

Aside from the scheduled activities for the day, campers were also encouraged to discover the nature that interested them. If they found an insect that couldn’t be identified for instance, they had time when back from the hike to look through the library of information and I.D. books. It creates a stronger connection to the experience when the answer has to be discovered rather than just given, and it also helps the kids get a feel for how to identify something that they find in the wild. To quote “Mr.Phil”, the camp’s founder and head counselor, “you can know a lot about wildlife and nature, learn about it for years, and still not know it all.”

The camp culminated with family day, where relatives were invited to eat homemade vanilla ice cream, and enjoy a pill bug race with campers. Pill bugs, also known as rollie pollies in the common vernacular, are insects that like to live in damp, covered places, like under a stump. Earlier in the week, we talked about where to find pill bugs for the race, and how to create a proper habitat for them. The race was conducted in a derby-style, and was a lot of fun all-around, hearing cheers for pill bugs with names such as, “Rags-to-Riches” or the sometimes slow “Speedy”.

The campers had a great time and learned a lot about the natural world around them. I know my memories from camp are some of my fondest and I hope the knowledge and experiences they gained from Natural History Day Camp will be remembered in the same manner.

Check out photos from nature camp on our Facebook page.

Saturday morning’s walk at Banshee Reeks was attended by 13 birders, led by Joe Coleman and Mary Ann Good. 

Before the walk, four of us also surveyed the nearby Dulles Wetlands for 2 hours.  The increasing exposed mud at the wetlands has attracted numbers of Killdeer but no other shorebirds yet. Large numbers of young Wood Duck of all sizes and fewer Mallards largely ignored the nest-year Bald Eagle who surveyed the scene from the large dead sycamore.  Many juvenile Green Herons were testing their wings and hunting skills, and a pair of Willow Flycatchers scolded our passage.  The four Great Egret seen there Monday did not put in an appearance today. 

At Banshee Reeks, we got several close looks at the resident male Blue Grosbeak and observed Purple Martins beginning to flock.  We also spent some time at the MAPS banding station where we watched a Yellow-breasted Chat, a young Indigo Bunting, and a Catbird get weighed, measured, inspected, and banded, then released. A great day for exploring Loudoun’s nature and wildlife.

Following is the combined list of the 62 species observed:

Wood Duck – including many fledglings, Mallard – including fledglings, Great Blue Heron – 4, Green Heron – est 10, mainly fledglings, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle – fledgling, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Kestrel – pair (a participant saw the entire family with 3 young earlier in the week), Killdeer – est 15, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 3, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher – 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker – including a very young fledgling, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher – est 10, Willow Flycatcher – 2, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Purple Martin – est 10, Tree Swallow, No. Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher – concerned parent on one side of the path, alarmed young on the other, Eur. Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, No. Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak – pair, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Orchard Oriole, American Goldfinch

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

Five people showed up for our Wednesday morning bird walks at the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project (7 am) and the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve (9 am).
 
There were several highlights among the 60+ species we observed.  It was a real pleasure to hear Virginia Rails almost as soon, about 6:30 am, as we parked our cars at the gate to the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project.  While they were pretty vocal all we were able to see was movement in the cattails.  However, in the same location Mary Ann Good, who got there earlier than the rest of us, did see two Green Herons, one of which carried a branch into a black willow.  There were numerous Willow Flycatchers and Yellow Warblers vocalizing.  On the back side of the wetlands we also found an Orchard Oriole nest.
 
As soon as we entered Banshee’s driveway at about 9 am we started hearing Wood Thrushes and Ovenbirds as well as some raucous Ravens.  As we parked at the Visitor Center two Yellow-breasted Chats flew by chasing each other & making all kinds of noise. While watching them and trying to figure out if they were a pair of males fighting over a female or two fighting males we noticed a male and female Blue Grosbeak.  Shortly later we watched two American Kestrels, a male and a female aggressively run off a couple of crows that got too close to a sycamore they appeared to be using as a base.  We also twice observed an Orchard Oriole carrying food though we couldn’t find its nest in spite of watching it for several minutes
 
Information on Banshee Reeks which is now open every weekends from 8 am to 4 pm can be found at http://www.bansheereeks.org.   Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy can be found at www.loudounwildlife.org.  There is an 8 am bird walk at Banshee Reeks this Saturday morning.
 
The complete eBird listings follow:
Location:     Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve
Number of species:     44
Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Northern Parula, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow , Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch
 
Location:     Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project
Number of species:     49
Canada GooseWood Duck, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Virginia Rail, Killdeer, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, American Goldfinch