[va-richmond-general] Re: GREAT EGRET at Pocahontas
- From: <pbedell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 15:39:21 -0400
Wendy,
Your encounter with the cicada and predator could have been either a
cicada killer, (Specius sp.), or perhaps a European Hornet (Vespa
crabro) based on the size and color. This hornet is yet another of
those introduced species that our native wildlife has to contend with.
Paul Bedell
> A pleasant hike around the Beaver Lake Trail at Pocahontas SP turned
up a
> GREAT EGRET. Not a lot of signs of migration; there were at least
half a dozen
> singing YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS (outnumbering the RED-EYEDS).
>
> Full list follows:
>
> Great Blue Heron
> Great Egret
> Wood Duck
> Red-shouldered Hawk
> Killdeer
>
> Mourning Dove
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo
> Belted Kingfisher
> Red-Bellied Woodpecker
> Downy Woodpecker
>
> Flicker
> Pileated Woodpecker
> Pewee
> Blue Jay
> American Crow
>
> Carolina Chickadee
> Titmouse
> White-breasted Nuthatch
> Carolina Wren
> Wood Thrush (nice look)
>
> Robin
> Yellow-throated Vireo
> Red-eyed Vireo
> Cardinal
> Goldfinch
>
> Also I heard some buzzing and scuffling among the leaves at the side
of the
> trail. I saw something green and white struggling on the ground.
Thinking
> it might be a female hummingbird entangled in something, I went to
investigate
> and found what appeared to be a large hornet attacking a cicada. I
> carefully separated them with a large stick, and the cicada flew
off, apparently
> unharmed. The hornet was pretty hefty ( about the size of my thumb
to the joint)
> and yellow and black - like a very fat yellowjacket.
>
> Wendy Ealding
>
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