This was my last swamp walk for this year and it was a good one. I
really didn't have very high expectations when I set out alone along
Railroad Ditch at 7:00am. But after the gate opened I was joined by
Jayne Munoz and friend in their car. We had a good time jumping in and
out of the car as we motored along. We seemed to be always hearing a
Prothonotary Warbler or a Common Yellowthroat or an Indigo Bunting or a
Carolina Wren. Blue Grosbeaks' songs carry a long way and seemed to be
always within earshot. We did hear three Swainson's Warblers and one on
West Ditch about half way down was close enough I thought we could have
seen it....but we didn't. The most unlikely miss of the morning was
Red-eyed Vireo; none were heard or seen.
The real highlight for me was the beautiful male Black-throated
Green Warbler that came down to the road to grab a bug and allowed us
fantastic looks. This is my first in the swamp in the last five years.
As some of you may know this bird is part of a population of this
species that breeds in the Dismal Swamp and further south along the
coast and is a distinct subspecies commonly referred to as Wayne's
Warbler. There is a large gap between these breeders and those in the
Appalachians in the western part of the state.
Thanks to all the birders that showed up during spring 2015 to walk
with me. Those walks as always are one of the highlights for me every year.
Bob Ake
Norfolk
The complete birdlist follows.
Dismal Swamp NWR Railroad Ditch, Suffolk, US-VA
May 27, 2015 6:44 AM - 11:52 AM
Protocol: Traveling
8.0 mile(s) - 2 by foot and 6 by car
45 species
Wood Duck 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Green Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 18 - mostly over the burn area, but six were feeding on
an otter carcass on West Ditch
Osprey 1 - at Lake Drummond near nest
Killdeer 4 - Interior Ditch road
Mourning Dove 4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 8 - many calls, but no see ums
Chimney Swift 2 - at Lake Drummond
Red-headed Woodpecker 5 - Three locations: Visitor Center, Underground
Railroad, burn area
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Acadian Flycatcher 4
Great Crested Flycatcher 6
Eastern Kingbird 2 - at burn area
White-eyed Vireo 4
Blue Jay 3
Purple Martin 1 - at Lake Drummond
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 14
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Wood Thrush 1 - only the whip whip whip call heard
Gray Catbird 2
European Starling 3 - burn area
Ovenbird 2 - near the Visitor's Center
Prothonotary Warbler 13
Swainson's Warbler 3 - one was quite close on West Ditch
Common Yellowthroat 18
Hooded Warbler 2
American Redstart 5
Pine Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 3 - at the corner marsh and the burn area
Black-throated Green Warbler 1 - on the road grabbing bugs on West
Ditch just north of Interior Ditch
Eastern Towhee 5
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Grosbeak 4
Indigo Bunting 13 - very vocal
Red-winged Blackbird 3 - at Lake Drummond
Common Grackle 18 - mostly near Lake Drummond
Orchard Oriole 1 - at Lake Drummond
