VA BIRDers,
It appeared that the crowds were deterred from the regular Sunday morning
Field Trip to Dyke Marsh, open to all and sponsored by the Friends of Dyke
Marsh. Yet, the temperatures stayed in the low 80's (with humidity) and a
wonderful breeze. Highlight was a female/juvie Least Bittern flying up and
down a few times on the island between the boardwalk and the marina. Also
notable was the hatch year Bald Eagle out on the mudflats in Hunting Creek
Bay. And it should be mentioned the Swamp Sparrow was still singing in the
cattails north of the dogleg. Curiously, the Tundra Swan - seen yesterday
by Dave Boltz and myself - was absent. Larry Cartwright and I tallied about
54 species, with several obvious misses. Oh well - that's what mid-July
does! The list is below.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 200
Wood Duck 3
Mallard 100 (the dabblers, other than the Wood Ducks, were all in various
states of summer molt/plummage yet all had white edges/linings or white
tails)
DC Cormorant 12
Least Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 8
Great Egret 30 (on Saturday, Dave and I noted 22 and 39 of GBHE and GREG)
Osprey 15, many young birds
Bald Eagle 2, one adult (no sign of the Peregrine spotted Saturday)
Am.Coot 2
Killdeer 12
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Least Sandpiper 2
peep sp. 8 (Saturday had Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and
Least peep and White-rumped)
L. Gull 50+
RB Gull 50+
Caspian Tern 8
Forster's Tern 2
Rock Pig 3
Mourning Dove 6, one juvie
RT Hummer 2
Red-bellied WP 1
Downy WP 3
No. Flicker 1
Great Crested Fly 3
E. Kingbird 10, many juvs
Blue Jay 6, one juv
Am. Crow 1
Fish Crow 4, family group
Purple Martin 1
No. Rough-winged 5
Barn Sw 15
C. Chickadee 2
T. Titmouse 4
White-br Nuthatch 3
C. Wren 6
M. Wren 3
BG Gnatcatcher 2
Am. Robin 20+, many juvs
Gray Catbird 6
No. Mocker 2
E. Starling 30
Yellow Warbler 1
Com. Yellowthroat 4
Song Sp 6
Swamp Sp 1
No. Cardinal 10
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-winged BB 20
Com. Grackle 15
Orchard O 3
Baltimore O 1
Am. Goldfinch 7
House Sp 6
