Only two folks joined me for today's edition of the Dyke Marsh walk. Evidence
of spring was all around us despite the windy conditions. We found one Eastern
Phoebe in the parking lot and a second on Haul Road. One Dark-eyed Junco (not
normally a wintering bird at Dyke) was foraging in the picnic are. The river
hosted three Horned Grebes, Wood Ducks (3 pairs and a singleton), and small
numbers of Common and Red-breated Mergansers, Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, and
Lesser Scaup. Song Sparrows were everywhere. We observed a Hermit Thrush and
a perched Tree Swallow and heard an Eastern Towhee just south of Dead Beaver
Beach. Bonnie Ponwith conjured up a half dozen Killdeer in the marsh.
Five Osprey nests are now occupied.
1. The nest on the platform at Port O'Vecchio contained one bird
2. The nest on the pilings in the channel contained one bird
3. The nest at the marina is under construction with one bird carrying sticks
to the nestsite
4. The nest at the root site on the island adjacent to the marina is under
construction with a bird ferrying sticks to the nestsite
5. A new nest is under construction on the island south of the platform at the
End of Haul Road. This replaces the nest that was lost last July when heavy
winds blew down the snag hosting the original nest.
Today's totals:
Canada Goose 4 (no really, only 4)
Wood Duck 7
Mallard 25
Canvasback 4
Lesser Scaup 3
Bufflehead 20
Common Merganser 6
Red-breasted Merganser 10
Horned Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Great Blue Heron 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 12
Bald Eagle 4 (2 adults and 2 two to three year old birds)
Killdeer 6
Ring-billed Gull 200
Herring Gull 5
Great Black-backed Gull 18
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 8
Downy Woodpecker 5
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 2
Fish Crow 10
crow sp. 5
Tree Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 12
Tufted Titmouse 10
Carolina Wren 14
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 50
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 40
Eastern Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 80
White-throated Sparrow 40
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 18
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch 20
House Sparrow 5
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxxxx
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