Eight people showed up for what was an extremely pleasant day at Dyke Marsh. At
least 4 Osprey nests are under construction or repair: (1) a pair was observed
copulating at a nest build on the roots of a tree that has fallen over offshore
from the picnic area, (2) a breeding pair is on the pilings in the channel to
the left of the barges as observed from the picnic area, but the pilings are no
so unstable that I wonder if the nest will hold, (3) a nest on a snag to the
south of the boardwalk near the small island, (4) and a nest under repair on
the river side of the small island as seen from the north side of the
boardwalk.
Other highlights included over a dozen Pied-billed Grebes and 2 Horned Grebes
as reported by Ed Eder, a singing Pine Warbler and Field Sparrow along Haul
Road, 4 Tree Swallows (2 of which were engaged in an aerial courtship flight),
2 Gray Catbirds, and a White-crowned Sparrow found by Ed on the Haul Road
Peninsula. Fish seemed to be in good supply. The grebes, mergansers, and a
pair of Belted Kingfishers were all actively fishing, and the mergansers were
bringing up fish almost every time they dove.
Today's list follows. A special thanks to Sandy for assisting some beginning
birders.
Canada Goose- 8
Wood Duck- 6
Mallard- 8
Lesser Scaup- 3
Bufflehead- 2
Common Merganser- 5
Red-breasted Merganser- 20
Pied-billed Grebe- 13
Horned Grebe- 2
Double-crested Cormorant- 8
Osprey- 11
Bald Eagle- 4 (all juveniles)
Sharp-shinned Hawk- 1
Red-tailed Hawk- 1
American Coot- 2
Ring-billed Gull- 300
Herring Gull- 6
Great Black-backed Gull- 13
Mourning Dove- 4
Belted Kingfisher- 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker- 6
Downy Woodpecker- 3
Northern Flicker- 4
Blue Jay- 7
American Crow- 5
Fish Crow- 30
crow sp.- 40
Tree Swallow- 4
Carolina Chickadee- 2
Tufted Titmouse- 10
Carolina Wren- 7
American Robin- 15
Gray Catbird- 2
Northern Mockingbird- 1
European Starling- 30
Pine Warbler- 1
Field Sparrow- 1
Song Sparrow- 28
Swamp Sparrow- 2
White-crowned Sparrow- 1
Daek-eyed Junco- 4
Northern Cardinal- 12
Red-winged Blackbird- 12
Common Grackle- 1
House Finch- 1
American Goldfinch- 14
House Sparrow- 14
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxxxx
