Eight persons eventually joined my on a rainy and foggy morning for the
weekly Sunday walk at Dyke Marsh WP sponsored by The Friends of Dyke Marsh,
which starts at 8 a.m. each Sunday in the south parking lot to the Belle
Haven picnic area and is open to all. Early participants saw a SNOW GOOSE
among the hundreds of CANADA GEESE and a good selection of waterfowl that
included AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED
DUCK, CANVASBACK, RUDDY DUCK and COMMON, RED-BREASTED and HOODED MERGANSERS.
Raptor highlights included a RED-TAILED HAWK that was seen perched and
chasing a squirrel in the picnic area, and an apparent pair of BALD EAGLES
perched near an active nest mid-way along Haul Road. Songbird highlights
included both RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, a WINTER WREN,
several SWAMP SPARROWS and a BROWN CREEPER seen by several of us during the
return trip along Haul Road. For those interested a complete list of the 47
species encountered during the walk may be seen at the following link:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S42306234
<http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S42306234>
Thanks to regular field trip leaders Larry Cartwright and Ed Eder for
joining me for part of the walk and for all other participants who joined me
this morning notwithstanding the inclement weather.
Gerry Hawkins
Arlington, VA
