Hello,
Saturday I returned from a great trip to Vietnam committed to
starting up my walks in the Great Dismal Swamp. This morning (Monday) was
my first. Since I'm a little out of it with regard to what's been seen,
I'll just start from today as my beginning.
The havoc that Isabel wreaked upon the swamp is hard to
describe and very unsettling. Today was the first time I had actually seen
the destruction with my own eyes. I drove to the parking area at the
end of Jericho Ditch Lane. That road into the swamp has been cleared at an
enormous expenditure of time and effort by the refuge staff. Roughly one
in every three trees received substantial damage. It will be interesting
to see what impact this damage will have on the swamp's nesting birds.
I walked south from "five points" along Jericho Ditch to a
point well past the dog leg. The going was hindered by many fallen trees
which haven't been cleared. The other swamp roads from five points are
similarly obstructed. However, one can pick oneself through the trunks and
limbs and still have an exciting walk.
Even though it was quite cold when I arrived at sunrise,
there were some birds singing, but then it tapered off as the wind came
up. When I returned to five points following the walk, there was little
singing to be heard. I drove at a creep back out Jericho Ditch Lane with
the window down and had some pockets of song on the way.
Following is a list of the birds that I consider
interesting. The order is the order in which I saw or heard them.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), White-eyed Vireo (4), Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (3),
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (5), Brown Creeper (1), Prairie Warbler (1), Grey Catbird
(3), Hermit Thrush (1), Prothonotary Warbler (2), Black-and-white Warbler (1),
Louisiana Waterthrush (1), Northern Parula (1), Black-throated Green Warbler
(1).
I plan to take a walk in the swamp every week starting at the
parking lot at the end of Jericho Ditch Lane starting at sunrise and lasting up
to four hours. I would enjoy company. Anyone interested in joining
me, please contact me at my new email address rake@xxxxxxx
--- Robert Ake
--- akeneff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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