The first two weeks of the Dyke Marsh Breeding Bird Survey have been
completed. A Least Bittern has been reported by several observers in the
vegetation along the boardwalk at the end of the Haul Road peninsula and I
have received some great photographs. At least 4 Marsh Wren nests have been
located in the narrow-leafed cattails on the north side of the peninsula.
Ospreys have nestlings in the nest at the marina and Baltimore and Orchard
Oriole nests and Eastern Kingbird nests have been discovered at several
locations. The Morningside Bald Eagle nest has one soon to fledge nestling.
Today Bill Whitacre and I surveyed the land route from Tulane Drive to just
south of Morningside Lane. Pretty quiet today; last week Katherine Wychulis
and I found several Prothonotary Warblers, including a female gathering
food. This week we found none. We did see a fairly accommodating Acadian
Flycatcher that sang from several locations and seemed to be securing the
boundaries of his territory. We found no female or nest.
The list of confirmed nesters so far:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
House Sparrow
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxxxx