[va-richmond-general] Re: Dutch Gap, 5/20/2017

From: Rob Sabatini <rsabatini@xxxxxxx>
To: Lewis Barnett <blbarnett3@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 22 May 2017 21:58:21 -0400

Hi Lewis,
you mentioned that evidence of least bittern breeding at Dutch Gap has been
hard to come by. i shot this in June of 2011, not conclusive but at least
circumstantial. rob

On Sun, May 21, 2017 at 8:07 PM, Lewis Barnett <blbarnett3@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

We had a nice day for the monthly bird walk at Dutch Gap Conservation
Area/Henricus Historical park. I decided to offer an earlier option,
walking the trails that start at the Dutch Gap Boat landing, and had about
four people join in. The trails lead through a more densely forested
stretch of the river with some good damp bottomland, but the thick foliage
made for difficult viewing. We did get looks at a White-eyed Vireo, and
there were several Osprey on three nests visible from the landing itself.
We also heard Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler
and Prothonotary Warbler, as well as Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested
Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe.

I apologize for confusion about the 8:00 am start for the walk proper. It
turned out that the main gate for the park was open earlier than advertised
yesterday, and several participants ended up waiting in the visitor center
parking lot. Usually the gate isn’t open until 8:00 am or later, so we have
to wait there, and that has become the de facto starting point for these
walks.

The treat of the day came at the first observation platform with long
flights from two Least Bitterns. This species has been present in the marsh
for a number of years, and is suspected to breed there, but actual evidence
has been difficult to come by. Sharp-eyed observer Abby Walter picked out
plumage differences in the two birds that allowed the species to be
upgraded from Possible to Probable breeding status for the Virginia
Breeding Bird Atlas in the Hopewell NW block with the P = Pair in suitable
habitat code. We also saw evidence for breeding for Brown Thrasher
(carrying food), European Starling (fledged young) and Red-winged Blackbird
(carrying food), though these were previously confirmed species for the
location. We also had the usual suspects at this location including Wood
Duck, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Killdeer, and many Red-winged Blackbirds.

We next walked the trail to the river overlook beyond the historical park.
A lone adult Bald Eagle perched in a tree top across the river, and we were
had some distant views of a Spotted Sandpiper picking through the mud
across the gap. We had good looks at Eastern Wood-pewee, and heard several
Acadian Flycatchers along this segment of the walk. We had singing
Yellow-throated Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler and Common Yellowthroat, and
got brief looks at a Magnolia Warbler.

The trails behind the visitor’s center were fairly productive. There were
good scope views of a first year male Orchard Oriole perched and singing in
a snag. We heard a number of singing Prothonotary Warblers and
Yellow-throated Warblers, but views were hard to come by. We had up-close
looks at a calm Great Blue Heron along the Sycamore Spur trail, and fly-by
views of Green Heron and Great Egret. The puzzle of the day came as Brian
Turner and I were walking back to the parking lot - an unfamiliar sparrow
perched on the barbed wire fence line. We ran through the usual suspects
and rejected them all, briefly considered Dickcissel, which had been seen
recently across the river at Shirley, but remained stumped. Kudos for the
ID to Janice Frye - she was doing point counts for the VABBA and stopped to
chat as I was on my way out of the park. After my verbal description, she
quickly homed in on Grasshopper Sparrow. While not unusual in the area, it
was the first time I had encountered that species in that spot.

—
Lewis Barnett
blbarnett3@xxxxxxxxx

eBird Checklists:

http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S37009740 ;(Drewry’s Bluff
SE priority Atlas block)
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S37009764 ;(Hopewell NW
Atlas block) - marsh side
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S37009806 ;(Dutch Gap SW
Atlas block) - river overlook
http://ebird.org/ebird/atlasva/view/checklist/S37009817 ;(Hopewell NW
Atlas block) - lagoon side

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--
Rob Sabatini, DDS, MS
Associate Professor
Department of Periodontics, VCU School of Dentistry
804-828-7985
rsabatini@xxxxxxx

References:
- [va-richmond-general] Dutch Gap, 5/20/2017
  - From: Lewis Barnett

[va-richmond-general] Re: Dutch Gap, 5/20/2017

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