[va-bird] Dyke Marsh, Frfx Co, 3/23/03

VA BIRDers,

The regular Sunday Field Trip at Dyke Marsh, sponsored by the Friends of Dyke 
Marsh and free to all, started off quite well as the 20+ participants viewed 
swallows and ducks from the picnic area.  Payoff species were Belted 
Kingfisher, Tree and Barn Swallows, Horned Grebes in transitional plumage, 
groups of Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, and the usual Osprey (5 nest 
sites at Dyke are currently underway).  We noted several groups of DC 
Cormorants as this species appears to be making a good northward push.  
Additionally, there were 2 Vees of Canada Geese high overhead.  At the marina 
we viewed a Red-necked Grebe near the boat ramp and a Red-shouldered Hawk on 
the nearby island; at the latter location we were entranced by several Tree 
Swallows flying just over our heads.

We headed down the trail, soon finding a singing Winter Wren as another 
nearby bird chipped its Morse Code-like call notes after the former stopped 
singing.  Two Gray Catbirds were encountered - one even showed itself to most 
of the group!  We soon observed that the Red-shouldered Hawk had been 
replaced by a Red-tailed Hawk on the island near the marina.  We also noted a 
large number of Song Sparrows along the trail - clearly this species is on 
the move.

The dogleg of Haul Road gave us more good looks at the blue-green 
irridescence of the Tree Swallows - as we watched, a Northern Rough-winged 
Swallow quickly flew by.  A Northern Harrier was a good find, spotted flying 
over the southern extent of the marsh.  And E. Towhee snuck past most of the 
group as we made our way along the dogleg trail.  The end of the trail (with 
the high tide of the river causing water to lap under our feet on the new 
boardwalk) brought us close to a group of Am. Coots that had a male and 
female Redhead mixed in.  A few in the group were pleased to soak in this 
visual feast of a "lifebird".  Since the temperature was getting warm, many 
Osprey in the area took advantage of its thermals as they hunted for nest 
material.  We also noted a Cooper's Hawk working the rising columns of air, 
as well as a small number of Black and Turkey Vultures over the south marsh.

After the trip I walked the hike-bike trail up to the Stone Bridge, noting 
that 9 more Redhead arrived in Hunting Creek Bay during the Field Trip, 
joined by a few Lesser Scaup.  The trail was somewhat uneventful save for the 
3 Savannah Sparrows foraging in the grassy strip on the west side of GW 
Parkway.  I heard at least one Pine Warbler in the nearby golf course.  
Afterwards, I visited the boardwalk bridge overlook of the big gut and noted 
both Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker.

The statistics of today's discovery are reported below.

Kurt Gaskill

Pied-billed Grebe 1
Horned Grebe 3
Red-necked Grebe 1
DC Cormorant 49
Great Blue Heron 8

Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 4
Canada Goose 270
Am. Black Duck 8
Mallard 28

Green-winged Teal 8
Redhead 11
Lesser Scaup 3
Bufflehead 2
Hooded Merganser 3

Common Merganser 32
Red-breasted Merganser 26
Ruddy Duck 70
Osprey 9
No. Harrier 1

Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
falcon sp. 1
Am. Coot 290

Ring-billed Gull 50
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Rock Dove 12
Mourning Dove 2

Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied WP 2
Downy WP 7
Hairy WP 1
No. Flicker 1

Pileated WP 1
Blue Jay 5
Am. Crow 2
Fish Crow 3
crow sp. 9
Tree Swallow 14

No. Rough-winged Sw 1
Barn Sw 2
C. Chickadee 10
T. Titmouse 5
C. Wren 15

W. Wren 2, one was singing
Am. Robin 6
Gray Catbird 2
No. Mockingbird 3
E. Starling 16

Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
(PIne Warbler singing in the golf course near GW Parkway)
E. Towhee 1
Savannah Sp 3
Song Sp. 58
Swamp Sp. 1

White-thr. Sp. 19
No. Cardinal 19
Red-winged Blackbird 55, one apparent migratory group of 25 females
Com. Grackle 14
Brown-headed Cowbird 3

Am. Goldfinch 6
House Sparrow 7


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