22 people participated in the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's regular monthly
(every 4th Saturday) bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental
Stewardship in northwestern Loudoun County this morning. Because of the size
of the group we split into two groups, one led by Kurt Gaskill and one by Joe
Coleman. A few people visited the preserve before the walk started and
checked-out the power cut area at the end of Sawmill Road.
The highlights of the 72 bird species seen were a NORTHERN HARRIER, seen by
Kurt early in the morning, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 3 TURKEYS and 3 or 4 recently
hatched-out Turkey eggs, at least 40 CEDAR WAXWINGS in flocks & pairs, a
BALTIMORE ORIOLE building its nest right over the parking area next to the farm
area (this was 1 of 4 Baltimore Orioles and a dozen ORCHARD ORIOLES), BLUE
GROSBEAKS at the visitor center and the parking lot on Sawmill Rd, and a
singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW near the visitor center. The highlights of the 11
warblers seen included 9 well-seen and/or well-heard BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, 1
PRAIRIE WARBLER, 2 CERULEAN WARBLERS, 2 WORM-EATING WARBLERS, 3 KENTUCKY
WARBLERS, 1 HOODED WARBLER, and 8 YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS.
Visitors are welcome at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship and
info. on it can be found at http://www.blueridgecenter.org/directions.html. ;
Information on the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy can be found at
www.loudounwildlife.org.
Joe Coleman