Thirteen people showed up for this Sunday's edition of the 8:00 AM Dyke
Marsh bird walk, sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh and free to
everyone. Indeed, lots of new people were here today and it was a real
pleasure finally meeting Russ Taylor, who was a big help on the walk.
Unfortunately, the walk began at high tide, precluding any hope for seeing
shorebirds. Waterfowl numbers are dwindling, but there was a nice variety,
with migrating Red-breasted Mergansers an indicator that spring is on the
way. Other signs of spring included Tree Swallows, a singing Golden-crowned
Kinglet, vocalizing chickadees, titmice, and robins, and an Eastern Phoebe.
There are at least three active Osprey nests (the platform nest to the east
of Hunting Creek, the nest on the pilings in the channel, and the now
well-known marina nest). A quick stop at Morningside Lane revealed an eagle
sitting on the only active eagle nest in the territory covered by the Dyke
Marsh Breeding Bird Survey.
Today's list:
Canada Goose 45
Tundra Swan 2
Wood Duck 1
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 70
Lesser Scaup 10
Bufflehead 10
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Osprey 13 (including minimum of 3 breeding
pairs on nest (ON)
Bald Eagle 1 (including 1 ON at Morningside
Lane
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
American Coot 114
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Great Blue Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 2
Ring-billed Gull 200
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 8
Mourning Dove 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 4
Fish Crow 14
crow sp 5
Tree Swallow 11
Carolina Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 9
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 1
American Robin 17
European Starling 20
Song Sparrow 60
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 22
Northern Cardinal 22
Red-winged Blackbird 55
Common Grackle 2
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 7
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxxxx
