And another time!!!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Kurt Gaskill [mailto:KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 6:44 PM
To: (va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Subject: Dyke Marsh, Frfx Co, 5/28/06
VA BIRDers,
The regular Sunday morning Field Trip to Dyke Marsh, sponsored by the
Friends of Dyke Marsh, was met by sunny skies and moderate morning
temperatures with little or no wind. The highlight of todays Discovery
were at least 2 Gray-cheeked Thrush singing near the Haul Rd trailhead, and
2 Swainsons Thrush nearby. Many got good, but fleeting looks at these
birds (will they stay for the morrow?). Earlier, Sandy Farkas and I had
visited this same spot and, after much studying of bird song CDs, I conclude
there was also a Bicknells Thrush in this same location earlier (about
0645) the clincher being the low chuck notes before every other phrase of
the Bicknells song which ends on flat or upward notes (listen to your tapes
and you will hear them, also see the brief note in Jonathan Alderfers new
book, Complete Birds of North America; there was also an upslurred call
note from another location later)
Other highlights were 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoos one near the dogleg bend and
the other just 200 yds down from the Haul Rd trailhead. We got fine, but
distant looks at a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers near Ramp Rd, and we
counted 5 Warbling Vireos and saw 2 of them (4 locations, the boat ramp,
half way down Haul Rd, and two on the dogleg). We noted at least 8 Red-eyed
Vireos along Haul Rd (still migrating), 2 Marsh Wren, an empty Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher nest on the dogleg (fledged I would think), 2 pairs of Yellow
Warblers on the dogleg and a single on the island near the marina, a calling
Prothonotary Warbler on the Haul Rd about 250 yds south of the trailhead
(this one was a surprise, not a good habitat), a Black & White Warbler
spotted by visitors from Louisiana, and 3 singing Song Sparrows (marina,
dogleg bend, and half way down Haul Rd). Everyone got fine looks at various
Orchard and Baltimore Orioles and we saw two nests that were apparently
abandoned (?).
Before the Field Trip and near the end of the day I checked a few spots and
found a dozen Wood Ducks near the Stone Bridge and a Peregrine Falcon
strafing gulls on the river side mudflats, 27 Semipalmated Sandpipers (no
sign of yesterdays Dunlin), a couple of Laughing Gulls, 4 Caspian Terns, and
Prothonotary Warbler where the bicycle trail crosses the gut.
The combined totals are listed below to give you an impression of the birds
at Dyke this last Sunday of May.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 15
Wood Duck 12
Mallard 23
DC Cormorant 32
Least Bittern 7 (spotted by BBS canoeists)
Great Blue Heron 5
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 10 well, there are at least 7 occupied nests visible from the trail
plus one on a crane in MD waters
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 27
Laughing Gull 2
Ring-billed Gull 65
Great Black-backed Gull 6
Caspian Tern 4
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 6
YB Cuckoo 3
C. Swift 4
Red-bellied WP 5
Down WP 4
Hairy WP 1
E. Wood Pewee 1
Acadian Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
E. Kingbird 6
White-eyed V 1 (spotted by BBS canoeists)
Warbling Vireo 6
Red-eyed V 12
Blue Jay 3
Am. Crow 1
Fish Crow 4
Tree Sw 5
Barn Sw 8
C. Chickadee 5
T. Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
C. Wren 9
M. Wren 3
BG Gnatcatcher 6
E. Bluebird 1 (spotted by BBS canoeists)
Gray-cheeked Thrush 2
Bicknells Thrush 1
Swainsons Thrush 2
Am. Robin 10
Gray Catbird 2
No. Mocker 1
Brown Thrasher 2, singing in the tree island near ramp rd, the other on the
dogleg
E. Starling 10
Cedar Waxwing 6, near the southern end of the picnic area and the beginning
of Haul Rd
No. Parula 5
Yellow Warbler 5
Blackpoll Warbler 3
Black & White Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 8
Common Yellowthroat 4
Song Sparrow 4
No. Cardinal 24
Red-winged BB 30
Common Grackle 25
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard O 4
Baltimore O 5
House Finch 5
Am. Goldfinch 7
House Sp 12
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