Birds of Reston
Contributed by Dave Young
11731 North Shore Drive
Dave is a volunteer birder at Riverbend Park in Great Falls and was instrumental in preparing their species list and leading trips on and off of the parkland. He is also a contributor to eBird for Lake Fairfax and has been a birder since 1974. Read the full article in Around Reston Magazine!
These are his observations of birds on and bordering the Hidden Creek Country Club over a span of 38 years:
July 1, 1980 – October 2, 2018
Birds are listed here in the order found on most species lists. Reston has its own list, available at the Walker Nature Center, and there is also one for birds of Northern Virginia provided by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (audubonva.org).
An asterisk (*) indicates those birds that have bred here during that time period.
- Canada Goose *
- Wood Duck
- Mallard *
- Tundra Swan – overhead, usually in March; flocks have put down on 1st fairway occasionally
- Northern Bobwhite – last seen 1988, victim of regional habitat loss and pesticide use
- Wild Turkey
- Great Egret – seen on water hazard on 17th and 18th holes
- Great Blue Heron — seen year round
- Green Heron* – frequently seen on water hazards
- Black Vulture – breeds nearby, feeds on and cleans up carrion
- Turkey Vulture – breeds nearby, feeds on and cleans up carrion
- Osprey – seen overhead or perched on high snags
- Bald Eagle – seen perched on high dead snags anywhere on the course
- Northern Harrier – occasional overhead migrant fall and Spring (seen on ground at Reston National Golf Course)
- Sharp–shinned Hawk – occasional overhead migrant fall and Spring
- Coopers Hawk * – resident
- Red-shouldered Hawk* – common year round in Reston and HCCC
- Broad winged Hawk – often seen migrating high in soaring kettles in Spring and Fall
- Red-tailed Hawk * – commonly seen on high perches between fairways
- Killdeer *
- Spotted Sandpiper – occasionally feeding on shoreline in water hazards
- Ring-billed Gull – winters in often large numbers on course grounds
- Herring Gull – overhead
- Great Black-backed Gull – overhead
- Rock Dove ( pigeon ) *
- Mourning Dove *
- Yellow billed Cuckoo * – neo-tropical migrant breeder, large consumer of destructive moths
- Great Horned Owl * – heard and seen, year-round resident
- Barred Owl * – heard and seen year round
- Chimney Swift * – nests exclusively in chimneys, Heron house, for example, with feeding over HCCC
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird * – common at feeders, seasonal migrant
- Belted Kingfisher * – often seen up and down the streams and at water hazards
- Red-bellied Woodpecker* – common breeder, tree cavity nester at HCCC
- Downy Woodpecker* – tree cavity nester at HCCC
- Hairy Woodpecker* – uncommon year-round resident, tree cavity nester at HCCC
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Fall through early Spring migrant
- Northern Flicker * – common tree cavity nester at HCCC
- Pileated Woodpecker* – majestic breeder, tree cavity nester at HCCC
- Merlin (falcon) – have seen more than once perched on 1st fairway in high tree snags
- Peregrine Falcon* – have seen on same high snag, recent breeder at Reston Town Center
- American Kestrel – high migrant
- Eastern Wood Pewee *
- Eastern Phoebe * – common seasonal breeder
- Great Crested Flycatcher * – migrant that can be heard, seen all summer at HCCC
- Eastern Kingbird * – migrant can be heard or seen on course all summer
- Red Eyed Vireo *
- Blue Jay *
- American Crow *
- Fish Crow – frequently heard overhead
- Purple Martin *
- Barn Swallow * – often follows the lawnmowers and feeds on insects
- Tree Swallow
- Rough winged Swallow – often breeds at Lake Anne and feeds on HCCC
- Carolina Chickadee * – common breeder, year round
- Tufted Titmouse * – common breeder, year round
- Red-breasted Nuthatch – winter visitor
- White-breasted Nuthatch – common breeder, year round
- House Wren * – migrant annual breeder at many spots of HCCC and my yard
- Carolina Wren * – Common breeder, year round
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * – migrant
- Golden-crowned Kinglet – seasonal visitor
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet – seasonal visitor
- Eastern Bluebird * – expanding breeder, seen year round
- Hermit Thrush – winter visitor, frequents holly trees on the Course
- Wood Thrush * – greatly diminished in Reston due to lost habitat
- Swainson’s Thrush – can be seen in migration
- American Robin *
- Northern Mockingbird * – breeder, year round
- Gray Catbird * – migrant, neighborhood breeder
- Brown Thrasher * – recently successfully bred along 2nd fairway hedge line
- European Starling * – introduced
- Cedar Waxwing – seasonal berry feeder in small flocks
- Ovenbird – migrant warbler
- Black and White Warbler – migrant
- Common Yellowthroat * – breeds in HCCC hedgerows
- American Redstart – migrant
- Northern Parula Warbler * ? – migrant , possible breeder
- Magnolia Warbler – migrant
- Yellow Warbler – migrant
- Black-throated Blue warbler – migrant in tree canopy
- Yellow-rumped Warbler – migrant , some winter over
- Black-throated GreenWarbler – Spring, Fall migrant in tree canopy
- Eastern Towhee * – has bred in hedgerow behind house
- Chipping Sparrow * – breeds near clubhouse and some winter over
- Fox Sparrow – migrant, usually seen early Spring
- White-throated Sparrow – winter visitor that frequents hedgerows in large numbers
- White-crowned Sparrow – infrequent winter visitor , hedgerow cover essential
- Dark-eyed Junco – common winter visitor, frequents hedgerows and open space
- Scarlet Tanager * – uncommon migrant but regular visitor to tree canopy
- Northern Cardinal * – Common year round
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak – migrant , occasionally seen at feeders and in hedges
- Indigo Bunting * – breeds near golf courses holes along W & OD bike trail
- Red-winged Blackbird * – local breeder, flocks in winter
- Common Grackle * – local breeder, mostly flocks in winter
- Brown-headed Cowbird * – parasitic breeder, winters in flocks on open spaces
- Baltimore Oriole * – breeds mainly in sycamore trees
- Orchard Oriole * – will breed occasionally in hedgerows
- House Finch * – introduced breeder, year round
- American Goldfinch * – common breeder on HCCC
- House Sparrow * – introduced common breeder