[va-richmond-general] The Wetlands--WEVI hatching, mystery bird
- From: "JANICE FRYE" <jjfdc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "'va-bird'" <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 00:02:42 -0400
A quick trip to check on the WEVI nest and the kingfisher burrows turned
into a 2 hour walk. The recent weather left the ground covered with twigs,
leaves, and branches. The park is filled with adult birds carrying food,
birds singing on territory, fledglings begging for food, barred owls hunting
before dark to feed demanding owlets.. The WEVIs were apparently switching
places as I came up to the nest and I got a glimpse of 4 tiny, naked
hatchlings. All four together might be the size of a ping pong ball. The
adult scolded and I moved on. After making my usual rounds I headed back to
the car, but on the way I heard what sounded like a murder in progress near
the boardwalk and went back in to check it out. Two young women had four
dogs off the leash chasing balls from the boardwalk and tearing all through
the water and plants around it. The adult on the nest stuck with it as I
passed and was still there after I stopped the noise, explained the delicate
situation and the potential ramifications of letting their dogs kill
protected, migratory birds, and reminded them that it is not legal to have
the dogs off the leash in the first place. They agreed to leave in the
other direction. Unfortunately, nothing much ever changes with dogs in this
park. After a particularly frightening episode in the past, I found out
that the police and animal control will refuse to come out. I guess you
have to be injured before something gets done. With the resident raccoons,
foxes and snakes, the bushwhacking kids, the out-of-control dogs and even
the occasional cat the odds don't look great for this nest.
Before I even got to the WEVI nest I was watching one of the Acadian
flycatchers flit around and sing. It landed on a sapling about 20 feet away
and while I was about to take its picture a noticeably smaller warbler
flitted across the trail below it. It was brown on the head, back and tail
with a hint of rufous, and lighter colored underneath. I did not see any
wing bars or other marks in the brief time it took to cross the trail. It
did not look or move like a wren and it was silent. It came from a wet
brushy area under trees and disappeared into more of the same. I searched
for awhile but did not find it again. Any thoughts or sightings?
Jan
Richmond
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