VA BIRDers,
With lowered temperatures, a dozen birders turned out for the regular Sunday
Field Trip to Dyke Marsh, sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh and open to
all. Some obvious migrants were the highlight today along with some of the
regulars made for a busy morning. We started off along the river's edge and
noted a Peregrine perched on the Wilson Bridge - maybe a local or maybe a
returning bird? Bald Eagles, Forster's and Caspian Terns on the mudflats
and a dozen Osprey flying all about. The vegetation at the southern edge of
the picnic area held at least 16 very active Orchard Orioles plus a few
Baltimores. And we spied a Northern Parula, American Redstart, and Yellow
and Prothonotary Warblers as well as Eastern Kingbirds. Purple Martins
still plied the skies over the boat ramp and nearby trees and a couple of
Barn Swallows were noted. Ramp Road produced small separate groups of Great
Crested Flycatchers and Cedar Waxwings. We saw a couple of Gray Catbirds at
the beginning of Haul Road and the clearing near Dead Beaver Beach produced
another redstart and a Trail's Flycatcher. As we turned down the dogleg a
brief song of a Common Yellowthroat added a fifth warbler to our list and
the boardwalk area produced an American Goldfinch nest with young. The trip
netted 54 species.
Before the Field Trip a visit to the Stone Bridge did not yield the
hoped-for Franklin's Gull but added Wood Duck, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs,
Semipalmated Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers to the day list. Another visit
at 6 pm added only Herring Gull.
Let me note that on Saturday I visited the Stone Bridge at 830, 1230 and
630pm to look for the Franklin's and netted goose egg. Consolation prize
was a Royal Tern at 830 - there is Caspian Tern in the area that
superficially resembles Royal, but Saturday's bird had the bill, the crown,
the brow, the underwing pattern and the height for Royal. This latter
species is rare at Dyke in August/September.
Today's total list is below.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 6
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 36
DC Cormorant 12
Great Blue Heron 10
Great Egret 8
Osprey 12
Bald Eagle 4
Peregrine 1
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 40
Least Sandpiper 3
L. Gull 200+ (100+ flycatching over the GW Parkway at 630pm)
Ring-billed Gull 50+
Herring Gull 1
Caspian Tern 10
Forster's Tern 10
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 4
Ruby-thr Hum 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied WP 7
Down WP 4
No. Flicker 1
E. Wood Pewee 2
Trail's Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
E. Kingbird 5
Red-eyed V 1 (a brief downward "zheer")
Blue Jay 4
Fish Cr 3
Purple Martin 12
Barn Sw 2
C. Chickadee 6
T.Titmouse 6
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
C. Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Am. Robin 6
Gray Catbird 5
No. Mocker 1
E. Starling 80
Cedar Waxwing 3
No. Parula 1
Yellow 2 (+1 at the Stone Bridge in the AM)
Am. Redstart 2
Prothonotary 1
Com. Yellowthroat 1
No. Cardinal 8
Indigo Bunting 3, pair at Dead Beaver Beach but no other signs
Red-winged BB 30
Com. Grackle 8
Orchard O 17, a wonderful spectacle for 10's of minutes!
Baltimore O 3
House Finch 1
Am. Goldfinch 7, NY
House Sp 2
