I birded Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve for several hours this morning and found
64 species. The total comes to 70 if I include additional species found at the
adjacent Dulles Wetlands yesterday morning. Highlights were 5 calling
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, 4 Acadian Flycatchers, 3 singing Willow Flycatchers (plus
3 more at the Wetlands), 9 Yellow-Breasted Chat (plus at least 1 at the
Wetlands), 4 Yellow Warblers (plus 1 at the Wetlands), 5 Prairie Warbler (plus
2 at the Wetlands), Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Wilson's
Warbler, Ovenbirds, Yellowthroats, 3 Scarlet Tanagers, 5 Orchard Oriole males,
4 Baltimore Oriole males (and a Partridge in a pear tree). The Chat count is
low because I didn't even cover the trail where they and Orchard Orioles are
generally most numerous.
In the cathedral-like woods nearby, not far from where construction clearing is
beginning for an unwelcome development, I heard what I believe may have been a
Long-Eared Owl early, at 6:00.
17-year locusts, and their discarded shells still clutching twigs and stems,
were everywhere. They were still silent and unmoving. This afternoon, working
in my yard, I kept hearing what sounded like a Blue-Winged Warbler (the "buzz"
of "bee-buzz"). I went to investigate, and found it was a locust--the first
one, warming up his buzzsaw. Let the buzzing begin!
3 cheers for spring!
Mary Ann Good
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
