Forwarded for David Hughes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: David Hughes [mailto:dlh710@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 4:43 PM
To: 'va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: Dismal Swamp NWR, 04/09/06
Hello, Virginia Birders,
I walked in Dismal Swamp yesterday morning for about 4 hours, covering
Jericho Ditch down to the dog-leg on the south and up beyond the power
line cut on the north. When I began, around 7:45, it was quite chilly,
cloudy, damp and windy. By the time I left, the sun was blazing from a
blue sky, plenty of butterflies had emerged, and I was beginning to feel
very over-dressed. The bird-life had a decidedly more spring-like
character than it had on my last visit in late March. Wintering birds
are still around in good numbers, too; so it made for a pleasant and
productive morning. Two rival Prairie Warbler males were buzzing insults
at each other right at the parking area. Others were on territory
farther south on the ditch. I squeaked at one and thought it would land
on my head! Black-and-White Warblers were also quite responsive down
near the dog-leg in the road. Other breeding warblers included Northern
Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Ovenbird and Common
Yellowthroat. Two wintering warblers were still present: Orange-crowned
Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler. I found only one migrant, a NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH, singing repeatedly from the forest along Jericho Lane.
Strangely, the Louisiana Waterthrushes that breed in the swamp did not
put in an appearance. The only other new arrival that I could find was a
single GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, up near the power line.
The total list follows: Great Blue Heron 1, Wood Duck 6, Black Vulture
2, Turkey Vulture 4, Bald Eagle 1 (an adult cruising along the power
line), Red-shouldered Hawk 4, Wild Turkey 1, Laughing Gull 2, Belted
Kingfisher 1, Red-bellied Woodpecker 3, Downy Woodpecker 4, Hairy
Woodpecker 6, Northern Flicker 2, Pileated Woodpecker 5, Great Crested
Flycatcher 1, Purple Martin 2, Blue Jay 2, Carolina Chickadee 4,
White-breasted Nuthatch 6, Carolina Wren 12, Winter Wren 2 (not
singing), Ruby-crowned Kinglet 16 (Many were singing.), Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher 3, Hermit Thrush 4 (singing), American Robin 6, Gray Catbird
12, White-eyed Vireo 3, Blue-headed Vireo 2, Orange-crowned Warbler 1,
Northern Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 26, Yellow-throated Warbler 1,
Pine Warbler 6, Prairie Warbler 7, Black-and-White Warbler 4, Ovenbird
2, Northern Waterthrush 1, Common Yellowthroat 5, Northern Cardinal 4,
Eastern Towhee 2, Swamp Sparrow 2, White-throated Sparrow 17, Rusty
Blackbird 75+, Common Grackle 30+, and Brown-headed Cowbird 6. Sorry, I
couldn't find a better bird to end with!
Non-avian creatures included: Spring Peeper, Brimley's Chorus Frog,
Spotted Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, and a White-tailed Deer.
Butterflies that I saw were: Zebra Swallowtail 30+, Tiger Swallowtail 6,
Black Swallowtail 1, Palamedes Swallowtail 1, Questionmark 1, Spring
Azure 2, Pearl Crescent 1, Painted Lady 1, and somebody's Duskywing ? 1
(I don't have a guide handy.)
The Cape Henry Audubon Society will hold a field trip into the Dismal
Swamp on Saturday, April 29th. We'll meet by 8:00 AM at the Jericho
parking area. All are welcome. I'll try to get back in for more scouting
reports on the intervening weekends.
Good birding!
David L. Hughes
CHAS Field Trips
Portsmouth, VA
--
Susan A. Heath
George Mason University
Environmental Science Department
Fairfax, VA
Secretary, Virginia Avian Records Committee
Keeper, Virginia Comp List at www.virginiabirding.org
