Everyone must have overslept- only three birders showed for the weekly walk at
Dyke.
Highlights were 1 Common Loon, a lone Tundra Swan, 4 Caspian Terns, 3 beautiful
alternate plumaged Horned Grebes, 120 Tree Swallows, and 3 Palm Warblers. A
single Bonaparte's Gull seen at the conclusion of the walk ended the day
nicely.
For those interested in breeders, a pair of Ospreys occupy a new nest on the
platform near Hunting Creek, another pair occupy the nest in the channel, and a
single bird was observed at the established nest on the snag standing in open
water just north of the "big gut."
A Canada Goose was also observed on nest. Too bad these guys have forgotten how
to migrate.
The list of 46 species follows.
Common Loon 1
Horned Grebe 3
DC Cormorant 54
Great Blue Heron 15
Canada Goose 40 ( 1 on nest)
Tunda Swan 1
Am. Black Duck 2
Mallard 15
Ring-necked Duck 1 (Firestone)
Lesser Scaup 14
Red-breasted Merganser 46
Osprey ( 3 active nest sites)
Bald Eagle 1
Laughing Gull 1
Bonaparte's Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 540
Herring Gull 17
Great Black-backed Gull 16
Caspian Tern 4
Mourning Dove 7
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 7
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 5
Am. Crow 22
Fish Crow 2
Tree Swallow 120
Barn Swallow 15
C. Chickadee 12
T. Titmouse 8
Car. Wren 12
RC Kinglet 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Eastern Bluebird 1
Am. Robin 45
Yellow-rumped Warbler 7
Palm Warbler 3
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 5
N. Cardinal 18
Red-winged Blackbird 24
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
House Finch 4
Am. Goldfinch 16
House Sparrow 14
Larry Cartwright
acartwright@xxxxxxxxx
PS. Another sign of spring. Got to mow the grass today for the first time.
Yet I'm attempting to slowly eliminate the back yard grass for wildlife
friendly native plants. Thanks to Lori Markoff, who has sort of become my
unofficial advisor in this endeavor.
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