Fellow birders,
Fifteen persons joined me and Larry Cartwright on the regular Sunday
field trip at Dyke Marsh Nature Preserve sponsored by the Friends of Dyke
Marsh, which is held every Sunday except during the CBC season and open to
all. The walk was very productive notwithstanding cold, windy conditions.
Highlights included three grebe species, consisting of four Red-necked
Grebes, including an individual in full breeding plumage within 30 feet of
us at the marina, a dozen Horned Grebes in varying plumages at several
locations and a couple of Pied-billed Grebes together at the end of Haul
Road, numerous Osprey in flight and on nests, several Bald Eagles,
including one on a nest along Haul Road, a cooperative Winter Wren near a
similarly cooperative Eastern Phoebe along Haul Road, Golden-crowned
Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers along Haul Road, Bonaparte's Gulls in
flight over the Potomac River from the end of Haul Road, Tree Swallows in
flight at several locations and on pilings at the marina, an American
Kestrel in flight right above us in the picnic area and another seen near
the end of Haul Road on the return trip, a Brown Thrasher in flight across
Haul Road and another heard singing near the parking lot at the end of the
walk, Eastern Bluebirds and an Eastern Towhee near the entrance to Haul
Road on the return trip, and a Northern Harrier foraging over the marshes
along Haul Road on the return trip. Waterfowl was reduced in numbers and
diversity from prior walks but included Red-breasted Mergansers at several
locations, Common Mergansers near the distant Hunting Creek bridge at the
beginning of the walk, Buffleheads, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks and a single
male Canvasback. For those interested, a list of the 53 species
encountered on the walk is below.
Thanks to Larry, Ben, Bill, Ray and all other persons who joined me on
this enjoyable walk.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
On 3/23/14 3:05 PM, "do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx" <do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Dyke Marsh - CMN02, Fairfax, US-VA
Mar 23, 2014 7:38 AM - 11:08 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.2 mile(s)
Comments: This list records the birds encountered by co-leaders Gerry
Hawkins and Larry Cartwright and 15 participants in the regular Sunday
field trip at Dyke Marsh Nature Preserve sponsored by the Friends of Dyke
Marsh. <br />Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.7.1
53 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 50
Mallard 25
Canvasback 1
Lesser Scaup 15
Bufflehead 16
Common Merganser 3
Red-breasted Merganser 7
Ruddy Duck 9
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 12
Red-necked Grebe 4
Double-crested Cormorant 13
Great Blue Heron 4
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 8
Northern Harrier 1
Bald Eagle 6
Bonaparte's Gull 30
Ring-billed Gull 250
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
American Kestrel 2
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 4
Fish Crow 6
crow sp. 6
Tree Swallow 20
Carolina Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 1
Winter Wren 1
Carolina Wren 8
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 20
Brown Thrasher 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 30
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5
Eastern Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 24
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 12
Northern Cardinal 15
Red-winged Blackbird 125
Common Grackle 12
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 6
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17565993
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)