Fellow birders,
Seven persons joined me for all or part of the weekly walk at Dyke Marsh
sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, which starts at 8 each Sunday morning
at the south parking lot to the Belle Haven picnic area off the George
Washington Parkway and is free to all. The day started out actively on the
water as we watched an Osprey harass a prominently-perched adult Bald Eagle,
numerous foraging Caspian and Forster's Terns, numerous Great Egrets and Great
Blue Herons and some early waterfowl, consisting of four Blue-winged Teal, four
Northern Shovelers and one Lesser Scaup, all females, nonbreeding adult males
or juveniles. Joining the many Ring-billed Gulls were two Great Black-backed
Gulls and several nonbreeding adult Laughing Gulls. While still at the picnic
area we saw three Calidris sandpipers fly away from us in the distance,
undoubtedly looking for mudflats which were not to be found around the
high-water areas where we were. A Bellted Kingfisher flew right in front of us
low
over the water as we watched this activity. Songbird activity was low but we
did get nice looks at Baltimore Orioles, Eastern Kingbirds and a Great Crested
Flycatcher. At least one Yellow Warbler and one Common Yellowthroat remain from
the breeding season, the former providing a nice view, but the Warbling Vireos,
Marsh Wrens and Least Bitterns appear to have started their migration south
along with other birds.
A complete list of the 46 species encountered today follows for those who
are interested.
Canada Goose - 45
Mallard - 23
Blue-winged Teal - 4
Northern Shoveler - 4
Lesser Scaup - 1
Pied-billed Grebe - 1
Double-crested Cormorant - 18
Great Blue Heron - 7
Great Egret - 12
Osprey - 7
Bald Eagle - 2
Calidris sp. - 3
Laughing Gull - 4
Ring-billed Gull - 50
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Caspian Tern - 20
Forster's Tern - 30
Rock Pigeon - 1
Mourning Dove - 7
Chimney Swift - 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3
Belted Kingfisher - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Northern Flicker - 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 2
Blue Jay- 5
American Crow - 11
Fish Crow - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 2
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 7
American Robin - 18
Gray Catbird - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 5
European Starling - 30
Yellow Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Eastern Towhee - 1
Northern Cardinal - 7
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 8
House Sparrow - 15
Birds seen by me at Dyke Marsh yesterday morning but not today include
Brown Thrasher (1) and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2).
Best to all this holiday weekend.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
