Several mixed flocks of migrants were the highlights of this past Saturday’s walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northwestern Loudoun County. The 3-mile walk forded Piney Run in two different locations.

Seventeen people enjoyed the beautiful morning with the temperature rising from the upper 50’s at the beginning of the walk to about 80 when we were tallying the species at the Education Center.  Jane Yocom and Donna Quinn led the walk with a lot of assistance from the several good birders on the walk.

The group found and identified 40 species of birds, including White-eyed Vireos, a Yellow-throated Vireo, three different groups of Cedar Waxwings eating grape berries, Black-and-white Warblers, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warblers, Pine Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and more. The complete list can be seen at:

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S60175470

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy schedules three regular bird walks most months, one at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship on the fourth Saturday of the month except in December, one at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve on the second Saturday of the month, and one at Bles Park on the third Sunday of the month. Everyone is welcome at these walks.

For more information on the Blue Ridge Center see http://www.blueridgecenter.org; for Banshee Reeks see https://bansheereeksnp.org/ . The Blue Ridge Center will become a state park in the future.

Joe Coleman

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