VA BIRDers,
Highlight today for the regular 8 am Sunday Field Trip to Dyke Marsh,
sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh and open to all comers was a calling
Least Bittern in the cattails next to the first boardwalk viewing platform.
Of course, don't think we could coax the bittern out! Also notable were the
continuing saga of the 2 Tundra Swans and now 2 American Coots have joined
the medley off the picnic area.
We started under clear skies although a bit hazy, the humidity was down a
notch and there was virtually no breeze - the latter picked up near the end
of the trip. A fair number of swallows coursed the Potomac and we quickly
found Tree, Northern Rough-winged and Barn. Lots of Canada Geese on the
water, a bunch of Mallards scattered here and there and one male Wood Duck
on a log near the swans. We watched the Osprey fly this way and that and
viewed the marina nest a close range. Great Crested Flycatchers put on a
great chase in the picnic area making us think one was a recent fledgling
chasing a parent. We lucked into a Warbling Vireo, noted two Eastern
Kingbirds chasing a crow with something in its bill, and spotted a few Song
Sparrows in 3 different locations. The Orchard Orioles never sat still for
more than a few seconds, but the Yellow Warblers were more cooperative. A
couple of Marsh Wrens made their Singer sewing machine calls but we spotted
none, probably because the cattails are nearly 6 foot high now. On the way
back I noted a Red-tailed Hawk flying far to the south, a bit beyond
Pipeline Bay and a Gray Catbird called from near the beginning of Haul Rd.
We had no signs of the Eastern Screech Owls (which apparently fledged last
week) nor were any larids spotted. The totals of the 47 species encountered
are below.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 50
Tundra Swan 2
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 8
DC Cormorant 20
Least Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 5
Osprey 8
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Am. Coot 2
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 3
Red-bellied WP 5
Downy WP 3
No. Flicker 1
Great Crested Fly 4
E. Kingbird 3
Warbling V 4
Red-eyed V 2
Blue Jay 2
Fish Crow 4
Tree Sw 4
No. Rough-winged Sw 7
Barn Sw 7
C. Chickadee 5
T. Titmouse 4
White-br Nuthatch 3
C. Wren 5
M. Wren 2
BG Gnatcatcher 3
Am. Robin 6
Gray Catbird 1
Cedar Waxwing 4
No. Parula 1
Yellow W 3
Prothonotary W 1
Com. Yellowthroat 3
Song Sp 4
No. Cardinal 12
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-winged BB 14
Com. Grackle 15
Orchard O 5
Baltimore O 1
House Finch 1
Am. Goldfinch 4
House Sp 6
