Enticed by Greg's sightings of Ruddy Ducks and Purple Martins I headed 

to Brilyea mid-day to walk the West Trail.  Saw the magnificently 

decked-out gentlemen ducks, along with a number of other folks hosted by 

Ted Murin.  Saw seven Purple Martins apparently where Greg saw a hundred 

or more earlier in the day.  Also heard a Black-billed Cuckoo and saw 

two Nashville Warblers, along with a few other species to add to Greg's 

list.  Here's my list, followed by Greg's posting from this morning.



Ian

==================

Location:     Dead Creek WMA IBA - Brilyea Access --- West trail.

Observation date:     7/31/10

Number of species:     29



Ruddy Duck     2     Joined Ted Murin and others in observing the birds 

in their breeding plumage.

Great Blue Heron     7

Osprey     1

Sharp-shinned Hawk     1     Being hassled in flight by Tree Swallows.

Red-tailed Hawk     1

Spotted Sandpiper     1

Ring-billed Gull     35

Caspian Tern     3

Mourning Dove     1

Black-billed Cuckoo     1

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     1

Eastern Wood-Pewee     1

Eastern Kingbird     5

Northern Rough-winged Swallow     2

Purple Martin     7     Seven individuals in dead tree and in flight 

near dam at south end of west trail.  Probably same location where 100+ 

were reported earlier in day by Greg Askew.

Tree Swallow     35

Black-capped Chickadee     1

Tufted Titmouse     3

White-breasted Nuthatch     1

Marsh Wren     1

American Robin     7

Gray Catbird     1

Cedar Waxwing     12

Nashville Warbler     2     Male and first year or female in low plants 

on dam near south end of west trail.  Decorated crown of male very evident.

Savannah Sparrow     1

Grasshopper Sparrow     1     Heard on arrival 100-300 feet south of 

Route 17.  Looked/listened for it on departure, but did not find it. One 

bird was seen there by Kyle Rosenblad and others between my arrival and 

departure.

Song Sparrow     4

Red-winged Blackbird     7

American Goldfinch     20



This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/vt)

============================================================



Gregory Askew wrote:

>  Location:     Dead Creek WMA IBA - Brilyea Access

> Observation date:     7/31/10

> Number of species:     38

>

> Wood Duck - Aix sponsa     X

> Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     X

> Green-winged Teal (American) - Anas crecca carolinensis     X

> Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis     2     In breeding plumage. South of the

> embankment.

> Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias     X

> Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus     2

> Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus     1

> Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus     X

> Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius     2

> Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes     1

> Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla     1

> Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla     X

> Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis     X

> Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus     1

> Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens     X

> Least Flycatcher - Empidonax minimus     1

> Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus     1

> Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus     X

> Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus     X

> Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata     X

> Purple Martin - Progne subis     100     Large flock of adults and juveniles

> congregated in a dead elm down the west trail at Brilyea. I've never seen so

> many martins at one time and away from nesting sites (the number is a

> guess-timate). Is their migration already under way?

> Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     X

> Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica     X

> Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota     1

> Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     X

> White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     X

> Marsh Wren - Cistothorus palustris     X

> American Robin - Turdus migratorius     X

> Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis     X

> Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia     X

> Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas     X

> Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis     X

> Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     X

> Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana     X

> Scarlet Tanager - Piranga olivacea     X

> Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     X

> Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula     1

> American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis     X

>

> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/vt)

>