VA BIRDers,
The first good push of waterfowl hit the waters of Hunting Creek Bay recently
as revealed by the count I did on 9/25. Nearly all these dabblers and
near-dabblers were feeding on the SAV mats that have come lose and drifted
close to the picnic area; the river was at low tide during my late afternoon
visit. It appeared to be good numbers and diversity for late September for
this location:
Pied-billed Grebe 38
Wood Duck 14
Gadwall 2
Am. Wigeon 5
Am. Black Duck 2
Mallard 297
Blue-winged Teal 28
No. Shoveler 227 (a nice showing!)
No. Pintail 40
Green-winged Teal 4
Ring-necked Duck 1 "Firestone", very drab plumage at this time
Ruddy Duck 5
Am. Coot 17 (this species has been present nearly all year at Dyke but no
evidence of breeding has been observed)
This morning I woke up and decided to steal a little birding between
drizzle-drops. I started at the beginning of Haul Road (near the bulletin
board) and noted a Summer Tanager (female) up in the snag just north of the
entrance. After walking the length of Haul Rd (and not finding any Common
Galinules) I returned about an hour later and chanced upon a female
Connecticut near the same bulletin board. Highlights of this quick sojurn
were:
E. Wood Pewee 1
H. Wren 3
Gray Catbird 9
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Black & White Warbler 1
Connecticut Warbler 1
Com. Yellowthroat 4
Summer Tanager 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Wishing all of you good birds as I would daresay that this weekend should
produce them for all!
Kurt Gaskill
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