Sixteen persons joined me this morning for the weekly walk
at Dyke Marsh WP sponsored by The Friends of Dyke Marsh, which starts at 8
a.m. every Sunday morning except during the Christmas Bird Count season and
is
free to all. While at the picnic area we enjoyed watching numerous
waterfowl,
which included several BUFFLEHEADS seen by me shortly before the start of
the walk, two AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, two
BLUE-WINGED TEAL and small numbers of AMERICAN WIGEON and GADWALL among the
many
MALLARDS and NORTHERN SHOVELERS. Here we also enjoyed watching a HORNED
GREBE
preening while standing on the shoreline and a couple of PIED-BILLED GREBES.
The
four expected gull species were present and included hundreds of LAUGHING
GULLS. Small numbers of GREAT EGRETS remain
near the mouth of Hunting Creek and in the marsh area near the end of Haul
Road, and during the walk we saw an equal number of GREAT BLUE HERONS. At
the marina we enjoyed watching a juvenile RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and an adult
BALD EAGLE on prominent perches, as well
as an EASTERN BLUEBIRD perched on top of a dead snag and several nearby
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, species that are often found together in migration.
Highlights along
Haul Road included a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS feeding on berries near the
entrance as we entered and left, several well-seen WINTER WRENS, a
cooperatively perched SWAMP SPARROW and BLACK and TURKEY VULTURES. At the
end of Haul Road we
observed and heard several GREATER YELLOWLEGS at close range and found a
single RUDDY DUCK, which increased our waterfowl
species total to nine. For those interested a complete list of the 53
species seen on the walk may be viewed at the following link:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25750126
Thanks to regular field trip leaders Larry C, Ed and Peter
and all other persons who joined me on this beautiful fall morning.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
