Hello, Virginia Birders:
I apologize for this late post. Our server went down over the weekend. We just
got back on-line.
Twelve members and guests of the Cape Henry Audubon Society tried a new venue
on Saturday, the 28th of April. We were quite pleased with the site and will
return for more birding. The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail is an 8.5 mile-long
section of the old U.S. Rte 17 road bed along the Dismal Swamp Canal, in
Chesapeake. This paved road is now closed to vehicular traffic and is open for
hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The birding is fabulous! The horse-poop
attracts many butterflies!
Starting at 7:30 AM, we walked for about two hours, then returned to our cars
and set out again on bicycles. Part of the group rode all the way to the south
end, and back: a round trip of almost 17 miles! We were rewarded with FIVE
Swainson's Warblers, Four Blue-winged Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrushes,
Worm-eating Warblers, Parula Warblers, Prairie Warblelrs, Yellow-throated
Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanagers, Blue Grosbeaks, and Orchard
Orioles. We found a total of 68 species, including 16 species of warbler!
I had no idea that Swainson's Warbler was so "common" on the east side of
Dismal Swamp. I used to record it on a Breeding Bird Survey that I conduct in
Chesapeake, just east of the Dismal Swamp; but that swamp habitat is now a
corn-field. It had been years since I recorded Swainson's Warbler east of Rte.
17. But now, Swainson's Warblers can be found easily-accesssible along a
public park-land! The old road bed of Rte-17 (George Washington Highway) used
to be so dangerous, noisey, and full of traffic, that birding was
near-impossible. Now that it is a park, birding is easy and highly productive.
I highly recommend that birders try out this new Dismal Swamp site! The City of
Chesapeake should be commended for preserving this land for public use.
Good Birding!
David L.Hughes
Portsmouth, VA
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