[va-richmond-general] Re: GREAT EGRET at Pocahontas

  • From: WEalding@xxxxxxx
  • To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 16:25:11 EDT

 
 
Thanks, Paul
 
I checked some pictures on the Internet, and it was a European  Hornet.
 
 
Wendy  Ealding



 
In a message dated 8/25/2005 3:39:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
pbedell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

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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