Yesterday my Dad and MaryElla Mitchell joined me on a kayak trip from the
Dismal Swamp Canal into Lake Drummond via the Feeder Ditch. Highlights
included a Swainson's Warbler who stayed in view just long enough for all to
see and a Common Nighthawk, both of these were lifebirds for all three of us.
The Swainson's was foraging on the ground along the edge of the Feeder Ditch
between the Lake and the Lock, and the Common Nighthawk was seen flying at tree
top level above the Dismal Swamp Canal near the boat ramp around 8:00 PM. Not
a whole lot of warbler activity (we got a late start), but Prothonotaries were
especially abundant and fun to watch throughout the day. The Yellow-Billed
Cuckoos were unusually cooperative, flying across the ditch and then posing
conspicuously. Also, several flocks of Cedar Waxwings were observed around the
intersection of the Canal and the Feeder Ditch feeding on the ripening
mulberries.
Nick Flanders.
Newport News, VA.
Location: Great Dismal Swamp NWR--VAObservation date: 5/24/08Number of species:
59 Northern Bobwhite 3Double-crested Cormorant 3Great Blue Heron 4Green Heron
1Black Vulture 1Turkey Vulture 21Red-tailed Hawk 1Killdeer 1Spotted Sandpiper
2Mourning Dove 11Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6Common Nighthawk 1Ruby-throated
Hummingbird 8Red-headed Woodpecker 2Red-bellied Woodpecker 12Downy Woodpecker
5Hairy Woodpecker 2Northern Flicker 5Pileated Woodpecker 5Eastern Wood-Pewee
8Acadian Flycatcher 11Great Crested Flycatcher 12White-eyed Vireo 2Red-eyed
Vireo 2Blue Jay 1American Crow 1Fish Crow 3Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2Barn
Swallow 6Carolina Chickadee 10Tufted Titmouse 1White-breasted Nuthatch
1Carolina Wren 34Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10Wood Thrush 4American Robin 5Gray
Catbird 16Brown Thrasher 1Cedar Waxwing 61Yellow-throated Warbler 1Pine Warbler
1Prairie Warbler 2Blackpoll Warbler 3Black-and-white Warbler 1Prothonotary
Warbler 45Swainson's Warbler 2Ovenbird 18Louisiana Waterthrush 4Common
Yellowthroat 25Hooded Warbler 2Summer Tanager 2Scarlet Tanager 1Eastern Towhee
7Chipping Sparrow 2Northern Cardinal 18Indigo Bunting 7Common Grackle
18Brown-headed Cowbird 5American Goldfinch 2
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