VA BIRDers,
Overcast and a NW breeze met the few who ventured out to Dyke Marsh after
the rain of the last few days. We saw a good selection of middle season
fall migrants and had no sprinkles until the end. Highlight of the day were
several Pine Warblers mixed in with Yellow-rumps in two different locations
along Haul Rd.
We started off viewing the Potomac from the picnic area and noted small
numbers of Gadwall, Am. Black Duck, Mallard, No. Shoveler, Green-winged Teal
and a single Ruddy Duck. Plus many Pied-billed Grebes. We spotted a few
Great Egrets in southern flybys - looking for protected areas to forage I
would imagine. Near the Hunting Creek mudflats area a Boneparte's Gull
moved through. An early morning Red-shouldered Hawk cruised the picnic area
and a couple of 2nd year Bald Eagles were along the river.
We made our way to Ramp Rd were Golden-crowned Kinglets quickly got our
attention plus a pair of male Pileated Woodpeckers in a snag. We spotted
our first of 3 Eastern Phoebes, noted several Fish Crow, and spotted the
largish group of American Coots in the lagoon.
Down Haul Rd we encountered Yellow-rumped Warbles in a few places with Pine
Warblers mixed in- one location produced 4 easily found Pine Warblers.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets and single calling Gray Catbird added to the ruckus.
We heard a calling Hermit Thrush, spotted a Winter Wren, and noted several
Swamp Sparrows in the marsh edge. More Eastern Phoebes were encountered on
our trek to the dogleg. At the end of the dogleg we saw more Ruddy Ducks and
one Lesser Scaup mixed in. Shorebirds populated the remnant SAV beds: a few
Greater and 30-ish Lesser Yellowlegs were noted, a 3 Forster's Terns plied
the beds.
After the Field Trip, I visited the Stone Bridge and found swallows were out
- mostly Tree but one Northern Rough-winged was mixed in. More Great Egrets
were tallied and the local Cooper's Hawk lazily flew about. The trip ended
with 58 species. The list is below.
Kurt Gaskill
PS: A quick visit to Riverside Park to the south of Dyke Marsh produced a
nice group of Dunlin (15) plus at least 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers on the SAV
beds. The Tree Swallow population was larger, 150, but only 2 No.
Rough-wingeds were found. Caspian Terns were about 20 and Forster's about
30. Pied-billled Grebes numbered 32
C. Goose 125
Gadwall 18
Am. Black Duck 5
Mallard 70
Blue-winged Teal 2
No. Shoveler 9
Green-winged Teal 8
Lesser Scaup 1
Ruddy Duck 57
Pied-billed Grebe 31
DC Cormorant 10
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 9
Bald Eagle 3
Cooper's 1
Red-shouldered 1
Am. Coot 110
Greater Yellowlegs 9
Lesser Yellowlegs 30
L. Gull 100
Boneparte's Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 120
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Forster's Tern 3
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied WP 4
Downy WP 2
No. Flicker 1
Pileated WP 2
E. Phoebe 3
Blue Jay 10
Am. Crow 1
Fish Crow 20
Tree Sw 14
No. Rough-winged Sw 1
C. Chickadee 6
T. Titmouse 4
C. Wren 12
W. Wren 1
GC Kinglet 3
RC Kinglet 2
Hermit Thrush 1
Am. Robin 3
Gray Catbird 1
No. Mocker 1
E. Starling 25
Yellow-rumped 16
Pine 5
Song Sp 15
Swamp Sp 10
White-thr Sp 15
No. Cardinal 10
Red-winged BB 110
Com. Grackle 6
Am. Goldfinch 8
House Sp 5
