On Oct 11, 12 people took part in the monthly Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve
(www.bansheereeks.org) bird walk.
We split into two groups: one led by Joe Coleman, the 2nd by Ron Staley. Before
& after the Banshee Reeks walk, a few people visited
the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project (DGWMP). Skies were
overcast/foggy - temp was typical for an early Fall day - crisp,
but fair & tolerable.
Most notable bird for the day: a single adult BALD EAGLE that swooped in and
perched on a snag at the East end of the pond just SW
of the Mansion House. Joe said it was probably the 1st record of a BE at that
pond, and it is seldom that any BE's have actually
been seen within the Banshee property - a very nice treat indeed!
A few surprises: the paucity of Red-headed Woodpeckers, that usually are quite
predictable & findable, as well as the hoped for, but
missing, Barn Owl (fresh pellets don't count). Another hoped for, but missed
bird was Virginia Rail (we played the tape a number of
times with no response - but 1 Sora is better than none).
1 UB (Unidentified Buteo) was seen - but as every veteran (or novice)
Hawkwatcher knows - unless proven otherwise, EVERY hawk (and
especially a Buteo) is a Red-tailed! On the other hand, it could well have been
a Red-shouldered. But hey, that's birding!
A total of 53 species were observed at both locations. The complete list
follows (the first number is Banshee; the 2nd is the
Wetlands):
GB Heron 1/3
Black Vulture 1/0 (East Section, after the walk)
Turkey Vulture 7/0
Canada Goose 0/20
Wood Duck 0/1
Gadwall 0/5
American Wigeon 0/8
Mallard 1/0
GW Teal 0/1
Bald Eagle 1/0
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/0
American Kestrel 2/0
Wild Turkey 1/0
Sora 0/1 (heard & seen)
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 9/0
Mourning Dove 6/2
Kingfisher 1/1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1/0
Red-bellied WP 10/0
Downy WP 1/0 (East Section, after the walk)
Hairy WP 1/0 (East Section, after the walk)
Northern Flicker 12/1
Pileated WP 3/0
Eastern Phoebe 10/0
Blue Jay 25/2
American Crow 6/0
Carolina Chickadee 20/0
Tufted Titmouse 2/0
White-brested Nuthatch 1/0
Carolina Wren 3/0
House Wren 1/0
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10/0
Eastern Bluebird 5/0
Robin 2/0
Catbird 4/0
Mockingbird 8/0
Starling 35/15
Magnolia Warbler 1/0
Yellow-rumped Warbler 30/6
Black-throated Green Warbler 1/0
Palm Warbler 2/0
E. Towhee 12/0
Field Sparrow 2/0
Song Sparrow 4/2
Swamp Sparrow 0/2
White-throated Sparrow 6/0
Junco 9/0 (East Section, after the walk)
Cardinal 8/0
Blue Grosbeak 0/1
Red-winged Blackbird 0/100+ (early risers from the marsh)
E. Meadowlark 4/0
Grackle 0/1
Goldfinch 20/0
Jon Little
Winchester
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