[va-bird] Central Loudoun CBC Highlights

The Central Loudoun CBC took place on December 29, 2002.   Approx. 70 people 
participated in the count which is centered a little west and south of 
Leesburg, VA.  The day started out in the lower 20's but rose into the balmy 
upper forties.

Preliminary highlights include 5 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, a HORNED GREBE (both 
are firsts for this count) and other waterfowl at Beaverdam Reservoir. A single 
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on Friday, 12/27 at the Leesburg airport during a 
preview visit.   On the northwestern edge of the airport 18 Horned Larks and 
one LAPLAND LONGSPUR were observed by the same team on Sunday (the ROUGH-LEGGED 
HAWK was not relocated the day of the count).  A MERLIN was observed at the 
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve near the Visitor's Center in the middle of the 
day.  Two Tundra Swans were seen on a large pond west of Rt. 15 and a little 
north of Aldie.  There were two SNOW GEESE, one at the same pond as the Tundra 
Swans and one on the Dulles Wetlands.  One team watched a Bald Eagle (one of 
four seen) catch a domestic duck on the Glebe near Lincoln (this private pond 
is usually one of our better spots for waterfowl but not this year - guess the 
eagle has been hunting it regularly).  Overall it was a great day for raptors 
with over 110 Red-tailed Hawks, over 50 Red-shouldered Hawks, 15 Northern 
Harriers, 14 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 12 Cooper's Hawks, 33 A. Kestrels, 4 Screech 
Owls, 7 Great Horned Owls and 9 Barred Owls.

There were a total of three RAVENS, two on a communication tower west of 
Leesburg and one on the W&OD Path west of Ashburn.  Four different teams had 7 
woodpecker species days.  Two very late CATBIRDS and two late BROWN THRASHERS 
were seen.  While White-crowned Sparrows were scattered throughout several 
sectors, American Tree Sparrows were found in only three sectors though the 
sector north and west of Leesburg had a total of 47.

Overall, the species and individual count are down a little from previous years 
but considering the lack of northern species (i.e., Red-breasted Nuthatches and 
Purple Finches), blackbirds and the probable impact of West Nile this is not 
all that surprising.

The day ended with a great Tally Rally dinner at the Audubon Naturalist 
Society's Rust Sanctuary on the western edge of Leesburg.

I personally want to thank all of the participants in the count and the people 
who pulled together the Tally Rally for a very successful count!

Joe Coleman, compiler for the Central Loudoun (Co.) CBC

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