Dyke Marsh was somewhat of a letdown today after a very successful outing to
Leesylvania on Saturday. Three Northern Parulas, 3 Common Yellowthroats, and a
Brown Thrasher gave some life to an otherwise quiet Haul Road. Ducks are down,
with a flyover woodie and a Red-breasted Merganser hen being the most exciting
ducks. A Tundra Swan remains along the shoreline. The only shorebird was a
Spotted Sandpiper flying over the "little gut." We did enjoy watching a
Sharpie catch a thermal as it continues and its northbound migration. It's nice
to have Chimney Swifts back!
Rich Rieger and I couldn't conjure up an oriole or vireo today. Big misses
were Gray Catbird, Eastern Towhee, and Forster's Tern.
Nontheless, the breeding season is upon us. Construction or maintenance
continues on 4 Osprey nests. Rich Rieger spotted a Northern Cardinal carrying
nesting material and the Tree Swallows have claimed their spots at the two
nestboxes along Haul Road. Unfortunately, starlings and House Sparrows have
commenced breeding activity as well.
Which reminds me: this is my first call for volunteers for the annual breeding
bird survey which commences Memorial Day weekend and concludes Independence Day
weekend. Reply by e-mail to prowarbler@xxxxxxxxx or give me a rinfg at (703)
941-3142.
Now today's results for the records.
Common Loon- 1 (flyover)
Double-crested Cormorant- 197
Great Blue heron- 10
Turkey Vulture- 1
Canada Goose- 25
Tundra Swan- 1
Wood Duck- 1
Mallard- 20
Lesser Scaup- 2 (both drakes)
Red-breasted Merganser- 1 (hen)
Ruddy Duck- 2
Osprey- 9
Bald Eagle- 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk- 1
American Coot- 2
Spotted Sandpiper- 1
Ring-billed Gull- 80
Herring Gull- 5
Great Black-backed Gull- 30
Caspian Tern- 4
Mourning Dove- 7
Chimney Swift- 6
Belted Kingfisher- 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker- 3
Downy Woodpecker- 2
Hairy Woodpecker- 2
Northern Flicker- 3
Blue Jay- 5
American Crow- 3
Fish Crow- 2
Tree Swallow- 75
Barn Swallow- 4
Carolina Chickadee- 10
Tufted Titmouse- 8
Carolina Wren- 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher- 5
American Robin- 14
Brown Trasher- 1
Euro Starling- 50
Northern Parula- 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler- 1
Common Yellowthroat- 3
Song Sparrow- 3
Swamp Sparrow- 1
Northern Cardinal- 12
Red-winged Blackbird- 100
Common Grackle- 3
House Finch- 6
Am Goldfinch- 15
House Sparrow- 12
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxx
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