VA BIRDers,
A quick note on the regular Sunday morning Field Trip at Dyke Marsh,
sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh and free to all. Today's highlight
was a hatch year Mourning Warbler climbing in the vegetation between the
picnic area and ramp road. It was on top of short tree near the vine
covered trees as viewed from the picnic area. A hatch year bird, a bit of
yellow-brown under the throat, otherwise a brown hood and weak eye ring.
Other highlights were a group of 8 Blue-winged Teal hanging about in Hunting
Creek Bay, then flying past us in formation, Wood Ducks, Bald Eagle, many
Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Pileated WP, Great Crested Flycatcher, some
Red-eyed Vireos, a couple of Prothonotary Warblers, American Redstart, two
Common Yellowthroats, Canada Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and a continued oriole
flight with many Baltimores and a few Orchards noted. Peter Ross had kindly
brought his scope which allowed us to view the Mourning Warbler.
After the regular walk Peter and Molly Ross and I visited the Stone Bridge
and checked over the gulls - nothing unusual but Caspian Terns were up to
27. The west side brought us near some shorebirds and we found an adult
Western mixed in with many Semipalmated Sandpipers and a single Least. The
Western was showing signs of wear exhibiting a lot of light colors, but the
red lines on the back could still be made out. We finished the day with
something over 60 species.
Kurt Gaskill
(P&M, yep screwed this one up! Got it right now)
