VA BIRDers,
Not the best of conditions met the regular Sunday morning field trip at Dyke
Marsh - joint this time with the Northern Virginia Audubon Society. The
partial sunny skies became cloudy by 8 am and dark clouds soon threatened.
I think this tended to reduce bird activity. Still, the group of 10 or so
saw a few migrants including Blackpoll Warbler and American Redstart. Plus
the canonical species like Baltimore Orioles (well-represented in the picnic
area), Orchard Orioles, Eastern Kingbird and Yellow Warblers. The Potomac
held mainly DC Cormorants and Osprey and we spotted a fly by Red-breasted
Merganser at the end of the trail.
The 8 and half inches of rain in the last week left large puddles in the
picnic area lawn which Mallards have promptly occupied. A few of us early
to the Field Trip noted 2 Wood Ducks mixed in with the 2 dozen Mallards.
Large sections of the forest near the picnic area, along Haul Rd and the
Hike-Bike Trail were in water and the river was running very high today -
low tide was little more than a tickle exposing very little mudflats.
Breeding activity was already evident as mom Mallard with 11 chicks (ca.
3-4 weeks) floated in the picnic area pond. American Robins were carrying
food here and there, as well as Common Grackles (also fecal sac drop) and E.
Starlings. Also Fish Crows were carrying food from the picnic area across
GW Parkway. It looks like pair of Prothonotary Warblers is taking up
residence in the swampy woods just south of ramp road - probably the large
area of flooded forest was their inducement?
During our walk down Haul Road we saw many local residents (like many
Carolina Wren) and noted a Bay-breasted Warbler near some American Redstarts
at the beginning of the trail. Northern Parulas found in 2 locations, but
were too high to see. The trail held more orioles and gnatcatchers,
produced a singing Common Yellowthroat and brief glances at Warbling Vireo.
The dogleg added more oriole looks and a great surprise - a Willow
Flycatcher in very handsome, crisp plumage! At the end of the boardwalk we
spotted the aforementioned RB Merganser but were surprised to hear a Marsh
Wren sing from the island just to our north! Nearby, 6 Spotted Sandpipers
were holding a meeting on a log.
Rain was threatening the whole time with brief light showers as we walked
the trail. On the way back the sky deposit was much more deliberate and we
moved faster toward our cars! The trip netted about 55 species.
I should add that I arrived early (about 6am) and walked the hike-bike trail
for about 1.75 hrs - the highlight was a pair of American Black Ducks;
several migrant warblers were observed plus some thrush. After the field
trip, whilst raining, I could see swallows start to congregate over the
river and so I worked through that bunch and noted many Bank Swallows and 2
Cliff Swallows mixed in - what little mudflats that got exposed added
Laughing Gull and Boneparte's Gull to the list. Next, a late visit to the
Haul Road trailhead (always good for migrants) produced Swainson's Thrush
and Wilson's Warbler. Below is the list of all 73 species observed today
at Dyke Marsh.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 24 - young in tow
Wood Duck 2
Mallard - 24 plus 11 young (about 3 wks) and one mama
RB Merganser 1
DC Cormorant 14
Great Blue Heron 7
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 12
Red-tailed Hawk 1, perched in a short tree in the marsh
Spotted Sandpiper 6
Laughing Gull 1
Boneparte's Gull 1
RB Gull 16
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 18, several on Haul Rd so I think nests are near
C, Swift 4
RB WP 7
Downy WP 5
No. Flicker 1
E. Wood Pewee 2
Acadian Fly 2
Willow Fly 1
Great Cr Fly 2, one in the north picnic area
E. Kingbird 13
Warbling V 7
Red-eyed V 11
Blue Jay 4
Fish Cr 4, CF across the parkway
Tree SW 7
No. Rough-winged Sw 4
Bank Sw 8
Cliff Sw 2
Barn Sw 10
C. Chickadee 12
T. Titmouse 11
White-br Nuthatch 2
C. Wren 24, one obviously fledged juvie
M. Wren 1
BG Gnatcatcher 11
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
Swainson's Thrush 3
Am. Robin 9, CF
Gray Catbird 7
No. Mocker 3
E. Starling 12
Cedar Waxing 11
No. Parula 8
Yellow 6
Chestnut-sided 1
Magnolia 1
Black-thr Green 1
Bay-breasted 1
Blackpoll 5
Am. Redstart 2
Prothonotary 5, pair near ramp road south marsh
No. Waterthrush 1
Com. Yellowthroat 6
Hooded 1
Wilson's 1
Canada 2
Scarlet Tanager 1
E. Towhee 1
Song Sp. 5, near marina trailer and 2 near at Pipeline Bay
No. Cardinal 25, CF
Red-winged BB 37
Com. Grackle 20, CF & FS
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Orchard O 10
Baltimore O 10
House Finch 14
Am. Goldfinch 16
House Sp 2
