FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Dyke Marsh, Frfx Co, 6/2/02

[KurtCapt87@xxxxxxx]

VA BIRDers,

Erika Wilson lead the regular Sunday morning Birding Field Trip at Dyke Marsh 
today (free to all, sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh) and the group of 
20 or so people were me with the treat of a beautiful plumaged male Ruddy 
Duck hanging out near the picnic area.  Osprey, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling 
Vireo and Orchard Oriole breeding was noted by participants as easily seen 
nests were viewed.  White-eyed Vireo and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers treated 
observers with good displays as well as fine sightings of two Indigo Buntings 
and a few Marsh Wrens along the peninsula of Haul Rd - the dogleg.  Yellow 
Warbler gathering food for young in nest was also observed as well as a late 
migrant Am. Redstart.  Additional late waterfowl in the form of American 
Coots were noted off the island beyond the end of the boadwalk.

While the group birded the Haul Rd area, others were visiting the southern 
regions of the marsh looking for breeders with Prothonotary Warbler found for 
a second week along the bike trail at the big bridge where it crosses the 
"gut".  Further south, a pair of Acadian Flycatchers were noted, the female 
apparently scouting the area out for nest sites as the male sang nearby.

Earlier in the morning, the keen eyes of Jon "Hawk Nest" Little spotted one 
of the prizes of the day - a group of seven Sanderlings on the west side 
mudflats of Hunting Creek.  Later that evening near sunset this same area 
yielded up 2 Willets on the eastside mudflats.  Also found: a Black-crowned 
Night Heron, the male Canvasback thats been hanging around for a while, a 
couple of Caspian Terns and some Laughing Gulls.

We also note the nearly explosive increase in Canada Goose and Mallards 
foraging in the area this week - although nearly 1/4 of the geese were young 
only a few Mallard ducklings were noted.  Since most of the Mallards noted 
were pairs, perhaps this unbalance is due to unsuccessful nesting???

The statistics of today's discovery are reported below.  Species and numbers 
in parenthesis are those found outside of the regular Field Trip, many of 
which were noted near sunset.

Kurt Gaskill

Double-crested Cormorant 18 (82)
Great Blue Heron 8 (41)
(Great Egret 2)
(Black-crowned Night Heron 1)
Canada Goose 50 (209), FL
(Wood Duck 8)
Mallard 15 (83), FL
(Canvasback 1)
Ring-necked Duck 1, aka Firestone
(Hooded Merganser 1)
Ruddy Duck 1
Osprey 4, ON
American Coot 2
(Killdeer 4)
(Willet 2)
(Sanderling 7)
(Laughing Gull 7)
(Ring-billed Gull 39
(Great Black-backed Gull 4)
(Caspian Tern 2)
Mourning Dove 5, ON
Chimney Swift 10
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 (4)
Downy Woodpecker 2 (3)
No. Flicker 1
(E. Wood Pewee 1)
(Acadian Flycatcher 4, P)
(Great Crested Flycatcher 1)
E. Kingbird 4 (6), ON
White-eyed V 1
Warbling V 3, ON
Red-eyed V 2 (7)
Blue Jay 1
Am. Crow 6
(Fish Crow 2)
(Purple Martin 5)
Tree Swallow 4
(No. Rough-winged Sw 1)
Barn Swallow 6 (4)
C. Chickadee 3 (5)
T. Titmouse 7 (5)
C. Wren 5 (4)
M. Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8 (3)
Am Robin 4 (4)
Gray Catbird 1, ON
No. Mockingbird 1
E. Starling 14, FL
Cedar Waxwing 6, NB
No. Parula 4 (4)
Yellow Warbler 3 (1), FC
Am Redstart 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1 (1)
Com. Yellowthroat 4 (1)
Song Sparrow 3 (2)
No. Cardinal 20
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-winged Blackbird 40
Com Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Orchard Oriole 6 (1), ON
(Baltmore Oriole 2)
House Finch 1
Am Goldfinch 9
House Sparrow 5, FL


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