A Good Day for Birds and Butterflies at Sweet Run

Fifteen birders, led by Michael Sciortino, Joe Coleman, Mary Ann Good and Patrick Lewis, enjoyed incredible weather for the monthly bird walk at Loudoun’s Sweet Run State Park on Saturday, August 23.

Monarch butterfly on Butterfly Weed.
Photo by Michael Sciortino

The day got off to a productive start with a flock of birds in the parking lot on Sawmill Lane on the south side of the park. Highlights included Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Baltimore Orioles and very active Eastern Kingbirds. The group spent a couple of hours exploring the powerline cut known as “butterfly alley,” where the birders became butterfly watchers and found nine species of butterfly, including Monarchs.

As the day continued, a few raptors took flight along the ridgeline, including Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks. In the fields, we also spotted a couple of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and heard (but couldn’t find) a Yellow-breasted Chat. A beautiful Indigo Bunting was easier to spot and remained perched in the field for great close-up views.

We found a total of 36 bird species during the walk. The list can be seen below or viewed on eBird at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269063625.

Photo by Lisa Streckfuss

Species List:
Canada Goose 2
Mourning Dove 3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 8
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 3
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 2
Common Raven 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Carolina Wren 1
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
Eastern Bluebird 8
Cedar Waxwing 3
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 12
Field Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 2
Northern Cardinal 6
Indigo Bunting 6