VA BIRDers,
The freezing weather we are experiencing also means that many small ponds,
marshes and bays are frozen. This is tending to push together waterfowl into
small areas to feed and escape the wind. Just off the marina at Dyke Marsh
is such a place with a great waterfowl show going on. About 15 species of
duck can be found within a few hundred yards of the boat launch ramp. The
waterfowl in this area are dominated by Canada Geese at about a 1000 strong.
Mallards and Common Mergansers vie for the number two slot with 400-500 a
piece - the latter appear to be starting their spring build up for northbound
migration. Gadwall are nearly a hundred strong. Next on the list are Am.
Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, and Bufflehead with about 50 a
piece. Rounding out the roster are Am. Wigeon, No. Pintails, Canvasbacks,
Redheads (over a dozen), Ring-necked Ducks, Greater Scaup (a male), Hooded
Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks. I also noted a few Killdeer and a Greater
Yellowlegs. I am sure there are a few more interesting birds out there for
an enterprising soul to find!
Oh, if you visit the area, watch out for the duck hunters. It looks like
they have also found the build up and are out near the marsh edges away from
the marina. I wonder if its legal to hunt in the Dyke Marsh area (a unit of
the NPS)???
Kurt Gaskill
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