Photo by Lisa Streckfuss

Fourteen people showed up on a beautiful fall morning for this month’s regular bird walk on September 24 at the Blue Ridge Center. With the temperatures in the mid-40’s and the goldenrod in full bloom in all the fields being managed as meadows, it was a beautiful morning. The group, led by Joe Coleman and Carol Sottili and assisted by the several other good birders in the group, followed the Farmstead Loop and Piney Run Loop in reverse, finding 42 species.

The Demory Field, full of goldenrod, had several close-up views of Common Yellowthroats as well as a number of well-seen Cedar Waxwings feeding on berries on the various vines in the Persimmon trees. There were several juveniles among both. Almost from the beginning of the walk we watched Blue Jays and listened to vocalizing Northern Flickers, another indication that several species had come in with the recent front. Other highlights included good looks at a Swainson’s Thrush, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak (for some), first-of-season Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Magnolia Warbler.

For a complete list of the birds observed see the list below.

Species List:
Canada Goose 5
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 3
Mourning Dove 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 15
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 12
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 8
American Kestrel 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 50
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 1
Common Raven 2
Carolina Chickadee 11
Tufted Titmouse 4
swallow sp. 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 6
House Wren 3
Carolina Wren 10
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
Eastern Bluebird 14
Swainson’s Thrush 2
American Robin 2
Cedar Waxwing 31
American Goldfinch 6
Field Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 3
Common Yellowthroat 4
American Redstart 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Northern Cardinal 11
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1