Thanks for a Great Field Trip Gerry!
I visited the picnic area and then the Hunting Creek mudflats near sunset
today and had a fine shorebirds showing for the few minutes I could devote
to it.
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 5
Greater Yellowlegs 14
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 27
Western Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 5
White-rumped Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 3
I also noted the Great Egret count was up to 40 (I am sure more will come in
after sunset), noted an American Black Duck, and the Northern Shoverler
group had grown to 6. And a Barn Swallow.
Kurt Gaskill
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:va-bird-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of maineusa@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 3:23 PM
To: va-bird
Subject: [Va-bird] Dyke Marsh
Fellow birders,
Seven persons joined me for all or part of the weekly walk at Dyke
Marsh sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, which starts at 8 each Sunday
morning at the south parking lot to the Belle Haven picnic area off the
George Washington Parkway and is free to all. The day started out actively
on the water as we watched an Osprey harass a prominently-perched adult Bald
Eagle, numerous foraging Caspian and Forster's Terns, numerous Great Egrets
and Great Blue Herons and some early waterfowl, consisting of four
Blue-winged Teal, four Northern Shovelers and one Lesser Scaup, all females,
nonbreeding adult males or juveniles. Joining the many Ring-billed Gulls
were two Great Black-backed Gulls and several nonbreeding adult Laughing
Gulls. While still at the picnic area we saw three Calidris sandpipers fly
away from us in the distance, undo ubtedl y looking for mudflats which were
not to be found around the high-water areas where we were. A Bellted
Kingfisher flew right in front of us low over the water as we watched this
activity. Songbird activity was low but we did get nice looks at Baltimore
Orioles, Eastern Kingbirds and a Great Crested Flycatcher. At least one
Yellow Warbler and one Common Yellowthroat remain from the breeding season,
the former providing a nice view, but the Warbling Vireos, Marsh Wrens and
Least Bitterns appear to have started their migration south along with other
birds.
A complete list of the 46 species encountered today follows for those
who are interested.
Canada Goose - 45
Mallard - 23
Blue-winged Teal - 4
Northern Shoveler - 4
Lesser Scaup - 1
Pied-billed Grebe - 1
Double-crested Cormorant - 18
Great Blue Heron - 7
Great Egret - 12
Osprey - 7
Bald Eagle - 2
Calidris sp. - 3
Laughing Gull - 4
Ring-billed Gull - 50
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Caspian Tern - 20
Forster's Tern - 30
Rock Pigeon - 1
Mourning Dove - 7
Chimney Swift - 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3
Belted Kingfisher - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Northern Flicker - 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 2
Blue Jay- 5
American Crow - 11
Fish Crow - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 2
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 7
American Robin - 18
Gray Catbird - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 5
European Starling - 30
Yellow Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Eastern Towhee - 1
Northern Cardinal - 7
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 8
House Sparrow - 15
Birds seen by me at Dyke Marsh yesterday morning but not today include
Brown Thrasher (1) and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2).
Best to all this holiday weekend.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
