A wild report to start off the report...A Wild Turkey report. Seen by good
friend and birder Bonnie Ponwith around 6:30am in the brushy area at the south
end of the picnic area. Bonnie said she just noticed one and then 4 others
jumped from their roosts. The 5 birds worked their way north thru the picnic
area
and were seen walking along the bike path by a fisherman on his way to the
boat launch. I looked (in vain) to the north and on the Belle Haven Golf course
for these birds after the walk. Art Ungeleder (sp?) had also mentioned at the
FODM meeting on Wed. that he had seen what he thought was a Turkey while
driving along the GW Parkway on Tuesday...if anyone else has sightings, please
let
us know. These birds don't appear on the list that often.
As for the walk, it was still not quite spring as the cool mist made me wish
I had another layer...2 0r 3 Bonapartes Gulls were spotted flying over the
mudflats and then another was seen floating near the boat launch ramp. A few
Tree
Swallows were working their way north. A pair of Ospreys have built a nest on
the pilings out in the bay again, while further down the river, another nest
has been built on the snag near Pipeline Bay to replace the one that blew down
last year. One juvenile Bald Eagle was perched on a snag near the mudflats.
RW Blackbirds are everywhere. A trip to the Stone Bridge after the walk netted
the California Gull hanging out on the river side of the bridge and another
look at the Bonies...
The Dyke Marsh walks begins at 8am on Sunday. Meet in the South (first)
parking lot. Dyke Marsh is approx one mile south of Alexandria along the GW
Parkway...today's list follows. An * indicates additional species spotted by
Bonnie
that were not present when we walked by...Rich Rieger
PB Grebe - 1
DC Corm - 3
GB Heron - 14
C. Goose - 20
Am Black Duck - 2
Mallard - 16
L. Scaup - 19
H. Merganser - 1
C. Merganser 6
RB Merg - 3
Osprey - 7
Bald Eagle - 1 juv
*Wild Turkey - 5*
Bonaparte's Gull - 4
RB Gull - 75
Herring Gull - 20
GBB Gull - 12
California Gull - 1
Mo Do - 10
RB Woodpecker - 2
Downy WP - 2
N. Flicker - 2
*Pileated WP* - 1
Tree Swallow - 6
Blue Jay - 5
Am. Crow - 6
Fish Crow - 6
Car. Chick - 5
T. Titmouse - 1
Carolina Wren - 7
*RC King* 1
Am Robin - 25
Euro Star. - 50
n. Cards - 18
E. Towhee - 1
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 10
WT Sparrow - 30
RW Blackbird - 100
C. Grackle - 12
House sparrow - 8
and having lived in West-by-god-Virginia for a good part of my life...I just
need to say..."let's gooooo Mountaineers!"
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