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.

  1. Canada Goose *
  2. Wood Duck
  3. Mallard *
  4. Tundra Swan – overhead, usually in March; flocks have put down on 1st fairway occasionally
  5. Northern Bobwhite – last seen 1988, victim of regional habitat loss and pesticide use
  6. Wild Turkey
  7. Great Egret – seen on water hazard on 17th and 18th holes
  8. Great Blue Heron — seen year round
  9. Green Heron* – frequently seen on water hazards
  10. Black Vulture – breeds nearby, feeds on and cleans up carrion
  11. Turkey Vulture – breeds nearby, feeds on and cleans up carrion
  12. Osprey – seen overhead or perched on high snags
  13. Bald Eagle – seen perched on high dead snags anywhere on the course
  14. Northern Harrier – occasional overhead migrant fall and Spring (seen on ground at Reston National Golf Course)
  15. Sharp–shinned Hawk – occasional overhead migrant fall and Spring
  16. Coopers Hawk * – resident
  17. Red-shouldered Hawk* – common year round in Reston and HCCC
  18. Broad winged Hawk – often seen migrating high in soaring kettles in Spring and Fall
  19. Red-tailed Hawk * – commonly seen on high perches between fairways
  20. Killdeer *
  21. Spotted Sandpiper – occasionally feeding on shoreline in water hazards
  22. Ring-billed Gull – winters in often large numbers on course grounds
  23. Herring Gull – overhead
  24. Great Black-backed Gull – overhead
  25. Rock Dove ( pigeon ) *
  26. Mourning Dove *
  27. Yellow billed Cuckoo * – neo-tropical migrant breeder, large consumer of destructive moths
  28. Great Horned Owl * – heard and seen, year-round resident
  29. Barred Owl * – heard and seen year round
  30. Chimney Swift * – nests exclusively in chimneys, Heron house, for example, with feeding over HCCC
  31. Ruby-throated Hummingbird * – common at feeders, seasonal migrant
  32. Belted Kingfisher * – often seen up and down the streams and at water hazards
  33. Red-bellied Woodpecker* – common breeder, tree cavity nester at HCCC
  34. Downy Woodpecker* – tree cavity nester at HCCC
  35. Hairy Woodpecker* – uncommon year-round resident, tree cavity nester at HCCC
  36. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Fall through early Spring migrant
  37. Northern Flicker * – common  tree cavity nester at HCCC
  38. Pileated Woodpecker* – majestic breeder, tree cavity nester at HCCC
  39. Merlin (falcon) – have seen more than once perched on 1st fairway in high tree snags
  40. Peregrine Falcon* – have seen on same high snag, recent breeder at Reston Town Center
  41. American Kestrel – high migrant
  42. Eastern Wood Pewee *
  43. Eastern Phoebe * – common seasonal breeder
  44. Great Crested Flycatcher * – migrant that can be heard, seen all summer at HCCC
  45. Eastern Kingbird * – migrant can be heard or seen on course all summer
  46. Red Eyed Vireo *
  47. Blue Jay *
  48. American Crow *
  49. Fish Crow – frequently heard overhead
  50. Purple Martin *
  51. Barn Swallow * – often follows the lawnmowers and feeds on insects
  52. Tree Swallow
  53. Rough winged Swallow – often breeds at Lake Anne and feeds on HCCC
  54. Carolina Chickadee * – common breeder, year round
  55. Tufted Titmouse * – common breeder, year round
  56. Red-breasted Nuthatch – winter visitor
  57. White-breasted Nuthatch – common breeder, year round
  58. House Wren * – migrant annual breeder at many spots of HCCC and my yard
  59. Carolina Wren * – Common breeder, year round
  60. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * – migrant
  61. Golden-crowned Kinglet – seasonal visitor
  62. Ruby-crowned Kinglet – seasonal visitor
  63. Eastern Bluebird * – expanding breeder, seen year round
  64. Hermit Thrush – winter visitor, frequents holly trees on the Course
  65. Wood Thrush * – greatly diminished in Reston due to lost habitat
  66. Swainson’s Thrush – can be seen in migration
  67. American Robin *
  68. Northern Mockingbird * – breeder, year round
  69. Gray Catbird * – migrant, neighborhood breeder
  70. Brown Thrasher * – recently successfully bred along 2nd fairway hedge line
  71. European Starling * – introduced
  72. Cedar Waxwing – seasonal berry feeder in small flocks
  73. Ovenbird – migrant warbler
  74. Black and White Warbler – migrant
  75. Common Yellowthroat * –  breeds in HCCC hedgerows
  76. American Redstart – migrant
  77. Northern Parula Warbler * ? – migrant , possible breeder
  78. Magnolia Warbler – migrant
  79. Yellow Warbler – migrant
  80. Black-throated Blue warbler – migrant in tree canopy
  81. Yellow-rumped Warbler – migrant , some winter over
  82. Black-throated GreenWarbler –  Spring, Fall migrant in tree canopy
  83. Eastern Towhee * – has bred in hedgerow behind house
  84. Chipping Sparrow * – breeds near clubhouse and some winter over
  85. Fox Sparrow – migrant, usually seen early Spring
  86. White-throated Sparrow – winter visitor that frequents hedgerows in large numbers
  87. White-crowned Sparrow – infrequent winter visitor , hedgerow cover essential
  88. Dark-eyed Junco – common winter visitor, frequents hedgerows and open space
  89. Scarlet Tanager * – uncommon migrant but regular visitor to tree canopy
  90. Northern Cardinal * – Common year round
  91. Rose-breasted Grosbeak – migrant , occasionally seen at feeders and in hedges
  92. Indigo Bunting * – breeds near golf courses holes along W & OD bike trail
  93. Red-winged Blackbird * – local breeder, flocks in winter
  94. Common Grackle * – local breeder, mostly flocks in winter
  95. Brown-headed Cowbird * – parasitic breeder, winters in flocks on open spaces
  96. Baltimore Oriole * – breeds mainly in sycamore trees
  97. Orchard Oriole * – will breed occasionally in hedgerows
  98. House Finch * – introduced breeder, year round
  99. American Goldfinch * – common breeder on HCCC
  100. House Sparrow * – introduced common breeder