VA BIRDers,
The first Dyke Marsh Field Trip for the new year took place Sunday, 1/9/05 -
these trips are sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh (see www.fodm.org) and
free to all every Sunday morning at 8AM. A few people showed up on a somewhat
warm January morning, including our favorite nonagenarian birder Mary Floyd
(90-something issues are quite different from 30-something issues!). We
started off hearing the neighborhood Bald Eagle in the picnic area as we spied
a skein of 26 DC Cormorants flying - north! Is this really January?
Not too much waterfowl-wise was spotted save for a group of Common Mergansers
out near the Stone Bridge. Our trip down Haul Road started off with a mewing
Gray Catbird and a few steps later an Eastern Towhee. Continuing down the
trail we had fine scope views of Song and White-throated Sparrows.
We met Bonnie Ponwith and Sandy Farcas near the dogleg - Sandy just returning
from her Africa trip where we heard of her climb of Kilimanjaro. They told us
of a Sharp-shinned Hawk hunting the dogleg.
Missing the Shapie as we hiked to the end of the trail, we did note an adult
Red-tailed Hawk taking umbrage with a passing adult Bald Eagle by taking a few
swipes at its back (and yet it is outweighed nearly 4 to 1!). I thought this
may be a hint of territoriality - we have suspected a Red-tailed nests nearby
but have yet to confirm it on the Dyke Marsh BBS.
As we returned to our cars, we passed a half dozen Winter Wrens, many
chattering in the woods and one even burst into a song. A great way to begin
the New Year!
Kurt Gaskill
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