Blue Ridge Center: Baseline Biological Inventories

Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship

	Our Land
	Scientific & Natural Stewardship
	Flora & Fauna
	Geology
	Waterways
	Historical & Cultural Stewardship

Scientific and Natural Stewardship

BIRD BASELINE INVENTORY

Baseline Biological Inventories

• Botanical/Vegetative Inventory
• Botanical Data

• Mammalian Inventory
• Mammal Data

• Bird Inventory
• Bird Data

• Butterfly Inventory
• Butterfly Data

• Fish Inventory
• Fish Data

• Amphibian & Reptile Inventory
• Amphibian & Reptile Data

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Extensive habitat variety, including open fields, fence rows, riparian, wetland, upland, and ridgetop deep forest, ensure a rich bird habitat. A number of warblers, including blue-winged and Kentucky warblers, have been identified. Aquatic species, such as heron and wood ducks, have been sighted, as have species commonly associated with open areas, such as killdeer and American goldfinch.

STUDIES TO DATE
Detailed avifaunal surveys were begun in 2000. In May 2001, the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's volunteer-leaders, Joe Coleman and Mary Ann Good, sponsored an International Migratory Bird Day at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship. A total of 64 species were observed, 18 more than last year's inventory. The May 2001 highlights included an incredible number of Blue-winged Warblers (at least nine were observed and possibly as many as 15 either seen or heard), three Yellow-breasted Chat, and a Summer Tanager. Among the seven turkeys seen, one was laid out flat on the ground with its neck stretched into the air while "dusting" itself.

For International Migratory Bird Day 2002, Joe Coleman and others recorded a whopping 85 species! That's 21 more species than last year! Highlights from this year were: 15 Blue-winged Warblers, two Northern Harriers, six Cooper's Hawks, 11 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, and 18 species of warblers, 9 of which had not been recorded here before. Because of this walk, BRCES was able to add 19 additional species to the bird list for the property.

Review Bird Data

If you're interested in birding in northern Virginia, we also suggest you go to Kurt Gaskill's Northern Virginia Birding Page. If you're interested in North American birds, we suggest visiting the Web site of the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter.

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