VA BIRDers,
The strong breeze from the south kept the humid 80's bearable and 16 birders
turned out for the regular Sunday morning field trip to Dyke Marsh starting
at 8 am, sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh and free to all comers. The
group was not disappointed as a very birdy day was had with many species
preparing for migration or moving through: the Cooper's Hawk being a fine
highlight as well as 3 Prothonotary Warblers, a Yellow Warbler and a
fantastic oriole show!
We started off at the riverfront in the picnic area noting the hatch year
Bald Eagle with 2 adults - probably from the nest in the steel pylon next to
the beltway! Osprey were flying this way and that - most were likely hatch
year birds becoming skilled in the art of fishing. We noted a few terns of
the Forster's and Caspian variety. The apartment complex nest (Osprey,
Purple Martin and House Sparrow) near the boat ramp was surrounded by a
cloud of martins - all ages could be viewed. Nearby we noted many Orchard
Orioles flying back and forth from the edge, into the woods and then over
our heads. A couple of Baltimore's joined in as well as a fresh young Great
Crested Flycatcher. Over the picnic area, 3 Cedar Waxwings flew out of the
woods and an Indigo Bunting held forth. Ramp Road produced a Yellow Warbler
high up and down below not one but 2 Prothonotary Warblers were found -
immature and adult female. Later, an adult male was noted near the beginning
of Haul Rd. I heard and briefly saw a waterthrush fly into the vicinity,
but not 100% on the ID, so it goes down as "spuh". The start of Haul Rd
added Hairy WP, another Great Crested, House Wren, a good look at Blue-gray,
catbirds, the Prothonotaries, and then the Cooper's! - afterwards all went
silent save for the local Eastern Wood Pewee.
The dogleg area brought out singing Common Yellowthroats, Song Sparrow, many
Eastern Kingbirds, and a Marsh Wren singing in the cattails. The regular
trip ended with 56 species - Ed and Miriam Eder noted a Lesser Yellowlegs
earlier at the Stone Bridge before the field trip. I went back at 530 pm
(before the rain) and pretty much noted the same birds as yesterday - Wood
Duck, Killdeer, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Least, Semipalmated and
Western peeps - which brought the day's list to 64 species. Below are the
estimated totals. See you next week!
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 20
Wood Duck 4
Mallard 30
DC Cormorant 4
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 4
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 12
Bald Eagle 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Killdeer 4
Greater Yellowlegs 10
Lesser Yellowlegs 3
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Semipalmated peep 45
Western peep 1
Least peep 3
Laughing Gull 900
Ring-billed Gull 650
Forster's Tern 30-ish
Caspian Tern 9
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 4
Red-bellied WP 3
Downy WP 3
Hairy WP 1
No Flicker 1
E. Wood Pewee 2
Great Crested Fly 2
E. Kingbird 15
Red-eyed V 1
Blue Jay 3
Fish Crow 4
Purple Martin 36
Tree Sw 2
Northern Rough-winged Sw 2
Barn Sw 6
C Chickadee 5
T Titmouse 2
White-br Nut 1
C Wren 8
H Wren 1
M Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnat 2
Am. Robin 3
Gray Catbird 3
No Mocker 1
E. Starling 30
Cedar Wax 3
waterthrush sp 1
Prothonotary 3
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow Warbler 1
Song Sp 1
No Cardinal 12
Indigo Bunting 3
Red-winged BB 8
Com Grackle 6
Orchard O 12
Baltimore O 2
House Finch 1
Am. Goldfinch 5
House Sp 8
