Two days after Thanksgiving, 11 people showed up on a beautiful, sunny fall day for a bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center. Though it was cool when the group started, by the end of the walk we were shedding our coats and gloves.

Hermit Thrush.
Photo by Michael Sciortino

While we observed only 29 species, we did find six of the seven woodpeckers that overwinter here. We were missing only Red-headed Woodpeckers, which appear to have abandoned the area this winter due to the lack of their favorite food, acorns. We also saw a nice variety of raptors as well as a Raven soaring over the mountains while we were tallying at the end of the walk.

All of us also got good looks at two Hermit Thrushes and heard another well-hidden one making its chup, chup call deep in the brush.

For a complete list of the birds observed, see the list below or view on eBird at https://ebird.org/checklist/S123040732.

Due to the many Christmas Bird Counts in December, there will not be a regular bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center next month.  Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Christmas Bird Count will be held on Wednesday, December 28.  You can register for the LWC Christmas Bird Count until December 22.

Species List:
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 8
Cooper’s Hawk 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 3
Blue Jay 7
American Crow 5
Common Raven 1
Carolina Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 10
Northern Mockingbird 3
Eastern Bluebird 12
Hermit Thrush 3
American Robin 1
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 2
Dark-eyed Junco 4
White-throated Sparrow 20
Song Sparrow 8
Eastern Towhee 1
Northern Cardinal 20