FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Cape May Warbler at Dyke Marsh today

["Larry" <prowarbler@xxxxxxxxx>]

The relatively small crowd that assembled at Dyke Marsh was treated to a 
spectacular show today.  Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Warbling Vireos, Great 
Crested Flycatchers, and Eastern Kingbirds were all over the picnic area, often 
giving great looks.  Two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and a White-eyed Vireo 
along Haul Road and a Brown Thrasher on the island delighted the birders as did 
a pair of Double-crested Cormorants engaged in courtship display.

I started the day early by hitting Hunting Creek at 6:30.  The tide was already 
coming in and few birds were present, so I abandoned the effort and went down 
to the picnic area.  I'm glad I did!  While walking by the north restrooms I 
heard a barely audible tsee- tsee- tsee coming from the nearby pines.  I wanted 
to pass the bird off as a Blackpoll  (don't ask why), but when I found it, my 
jaw dropped.  A very nice Cape May Warbler singing away.  The day was off to a 
great start and it was only 7:00 AM.  By the time the birding group assembled 
at 8:00, we were listening to a Black-and-white Warbler singing right next to 
the parking lot. This bird eventually gave us great looks.   

Co-leader Ed Eder also started early.  He located a singing Northern 
Waterthrush at the entrance to Haul Road and a Wood Thrush further down the 
trail. The group later relocated the waterthrush.

We added nothing new to the confirmed breeder list today.  An Osprey pair was 
observed at the nest on the snag just north of the big gut entrance (ON) and 
another bird was observed carrying a stick to the channel (CN).  One Tree 
Swallow was observed at the nestbox (ON).

On a sad note, the piling in the channel hosting the long established Osprey 
nest has collapsed, destroying the nest in the process.

Today's list

Double-crested Cormorant-   98
Great Blue Heron-  5
Canada Goose-   30
Mallard-  14
Red-breasted Merganser- 1 ( hen- been around for weeks)

Osprey-  5
Spotted Sandpiper-  2
Laughing Gull-  5
Ring-billed Gull-  70
Herring Gull-  1

Great Blacked-backed Gull-  3
Forster's Tern-  1
Rock Dove-  12 (flyover)
Mourning Dove- 8
Chimney Swift-  15

Ruby-throated Hummingbird-  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker-  8
Downy Woodpecker-  3
Great Crested Flycatcher-  5
Eastern Kingbird-  4

White-eyed Vireo-  1
Warbling Vireo- 6 (3 in picnic area- 3 along Haul)
Blue Jay-  12
American Crow-  5
Purple Martin-  1

Tree Swallow-  7
Barn Swallow-  6
Carolina Chickadee- 12
Tufted Titmouse-  8
Carolina Wren-  6

Marsh Wren-  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-  5
Wood Thrush-  1
American Robin- 5
Gray Catbird-  2

Northern Mockingbird-  1
Brown Thrasher-  1
European Starling-  30
Northern Parula-  7
Yellow Warbler-  6

Cape May Warbler-  1
Yellow- rumped Warbler-  25
Blackpoll Warbler-  3
Black-and-white Warbler-  1
American Redstart-  1

Northern Waterthrush-  1
Common Yellowthroat-  6
Eastern Towhee-  1
Song Sparrow-  3
Swamp Sparrow-  1

White-throated Sparrow-  2
Northern Cardinal-  14
Red-winged Blackbird-  80
Common Grackle-- 5
Brown-headed Cowbird-  4

Orchard Oriole-  7
Baltimore Oriole-  8
House Finch-  4
American Goldfinch-  20
House Sparrow-  5

Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxx


      

       
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