The Hampton Roads Bird Club traveled to the Great Dismal Swamp yesterday for
our April field trip. With rain predicted, we were fortunate that we had partly
sunny skies for most of our time there. We recorded a total of 45 species for
the day. Typical of trips to this location, far more species were identified by
song/call than were actually seen.
Jericho Ditch Lane was very productive, with almost 30 species logged by the
time we got to the parking lot. Highlights at Jericho Ditch itself included
great looks at COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD and a PILEATED
WOODPECKER. We heard several GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS and BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHERS, along with calls from EASTERN SCREECH OWL, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER,
EASTERN PEEWEE, WHITE-EYED VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, EASTERN TOWHEE and BELTED
KINGFISHER.
Washington Ditch yielded no new species, though we were able to observe a
beautiful male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER up close.
Warblers for the day totaled 9 species: PROTHONOTARY (22), OVENBIRD (18),
PRAIRIE (14), HOODED WARBLER (9), YELLOW-RUMPED (5), COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (5),
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (2), NORTHERN PARULA (2), and SWAINSON'S WARBLER (2).
Meredith Bell
Field Trip Coordinator
Hampton Roads Bird Club
merandlee@xxxxxxx
