A beautiful but somewhat pedestrian morning at The Dyke Marsh Sunday
Walk, always free and always open to all - 8AM start at the south
picnic area - just south of Old Town Alexandria off the GW Parkway.
Our group of eight spotted a total of 42 species, punctuated by
FOS(for Dyke?) EASTERN PHOEBE(1) and TREE SWALLOW(2). Spring is
happening as evident by the OSPREY pair at the marina doing some
"fixup" on the nest. He bringing in the sticks and she doing the
arranging. Three adult BALD EAGLES were spotted - one pair in the
treeline looking south at the Little Gut. Woodpeckers seemed to be
more active this week, drumming, vocalizing - and we watched two male
DOWNY WP'S at the dogleg discussing whose territory it was. No lack of
CANADA GOOSES as there were many skeins in the air as well as many
grazing in the picnic area. One EASTERN BLUEBIRD flitted by early in
the picnic area and there was a small assortment of small numbers of
waterfowl... and other than Eagles and Ospreys, there were no other
birds of prey to be seen! The list follows.
Rich Rieger
Alexandria, VA
C. Goose x
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 8
L. Scaup 2
Buffleshead 1
C. Merganser 6
Ruddy Duck 5
PB Grebe 2
DC Corms 8
GB Heron 2
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 3
Am Coot 1 - really, only 1
RB Gull 31.5
Herring Gull 3
Great BB Gull 2
MoDo 4
RB WP 7
Downy WP 6
Hairy WP 1
No. Flicker 3
E. Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 6
Am. Crow x
Fish Crow 3
Tree Swallow 2
C. Chickadee 12
Tuft. Titmouse 8
C. Wren 6
Winter Wren 3
E. Bluebird 1
Robins 10
No. Mockingbird 1
Starling x
YR Warb 1
Song Sparrow 10
WT Sparrow 10
DE Junco 6
No. Cardinal 8
RW Blackbird 26
C. Grackle 1
House Sp 8
