A warm morning at Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, turned into a warm and muggy
morning as the cloud cover lifted around 10am. It was a short list of birds
today,
as the heat seemed to quiet things down.
I started out a bit early, scoping the shore of the large island in the
marina bay looking for a Spotted Sandpiper spotted during last weeks breeding
bird
survey. I was not lucky enough to see it today. I then moved into the south
picnic area where the walk begins. Mary Carroll joined me just after the INDIGO
BUNTING left, but we had great looks at M and F BALTIMORE ORIOLES flying in
and out of a Mulberry tree. A few ORCHARD ORIOLES were present as well. One
of the Females was feeding a fledgling in a nearby Sycamore and at one point we
had three males in the same field of view. Walking toward the river, we saw a
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER in a bare branch about 8 feet off the ground. The
Perrys joined us as we were leaving the picnic area. A WARBLING VIREO sang
from a nearby Sycamore. Haul Rd was quiet and warm - with most of the action
out
on the peninsula. COMMON YELLOWTHROATS are still singing and we had one just
off the path that was very agitated as we passed by. One YELLOW WARBLER was
still singing and we got a glimpse of one MARSH WREN carrying something in to
or
away from a nest. OSPREY young look about ready to go and NO southbound ducks
today....list follows...Rich Rieger
Canada Goose - 40
Mallard - 30
DC Corm - 2
GB Heron - 6
Osprey - 7
RB Gull - 20
Herring Gull - 1
GBB Gull - 1
RoPi - 3
MoDo - 14
Chimney Swift - 3
Red-Bellied WP - 4
Downy WP - 6 (one fledged young working on finding food for itself in picnic
area)
N. Flicker - 2
GC Flycatcher - 1 in picnic area
E. Kingbird - 2
Warbling Vireo - 1 in picnic area - Sandy Farkas joined us later w. reports
of two near wood
bridge
Fish Crow - 1
Barn Swallow - 12
Car.Chick - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 1
WB Nuthatch - 1 (in picnic area)
C. WRen - 4
Marsh Wren - 3
Am. Robin - 25
N. Mockingbird - 2
E = MC stars - 30
Yellow Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 4
N. Parula 1 (reported by Sandy, singing near Dead Beaver Beach)
N. Cards - 15
Indigo Bunting - 1
RW Blackbirds - 30
C. Grackles - 24
Orchard Oriole - 2
Baltimore Oriole - 6
House Finch - 3
AM Goldfinch - 6
House sp. - 10
