Now that spring has finally sprung, I look forward to our walks at my favorite local place to watch the seasons turn: the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve. Just south of Old Town Alexandria along the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway, Dyke Marsh does have its scrappy patches, the old wounds still visible and, in places, growing. Still, there is something about that place. For one, this remnant of freshwater wetlands is a birdwatcher’s dream–in spring, especially, when fuzzy ducklings brave the Potomac, and baby ospreys hatch.
Ready for the plunge
When George Washington surveyed this area in 1749, he deemed this a “fine improvable marsh,” and, in the course of two centuries since, the marsh was almost “improved” to death, with dikes (“dykes” in Colonial times), croplands, and dredging for gravel. An Act of Congress finally designated Dyke Marsh a wildlife preserve, “so that fish and wildlife development and their preservation as wetland wildlife habitat shall be paramount.” Over the past 50 years, the marsh and the swamp forest that lines it have been healing, slowly, an uphill battle. I would like to help.
The preserve can be enjoyed on foot, bike, canoe, or kayak. We usually walk, parking by the Belle Haven Marina and then strolling along the Haul Road trail.
The trail leads you to the river and the marsh. Piers jot out occasionally, serene views intact.
The Eisenhower Bridge
By one of the piers, an osprey nest is a perennial favorite.
Home improvement
Coming home
Out for food
Perched and ruffled
“Hello”
The view is not forcefully idyllic. Browns predominate, and constant human activity is evident across the river.
But just look closer: Dyke Marsh is a crucial foothold for over 300 species of plants and scores of amphibians, reptiles, mammals–and, of course, birds.
An abandoned shell
Friends of Dyke Marsh, a volunteer organization that helps the National Parks Service ensure the well-being of this place, leads free birdwatching walks every Sunday at 8 am. Here are some cursory bird sightings to whet your appetite.
Red-winged blackbird
Red-winged blackbird, posing
Silhuette of an eastern kingbird
A heron, wading
A heron flying in the morning mist
A double crested cormorant [as an old man]
A tree swallow, at a momentary rest
Crow vs. swallow
A feisty grackle attacking a much larger turkey vulture
In late spring, ducks are my favorites to watch.
The tree duck
A spartan duck nest
The grand outing
Soft balls of sunshine
The three musketeers
“Just keep swimming”
I love Dyke Marsh. Do come and visit it, gently.
Filed under: Bird watching, Old Town Alexandria, urban escape, Virginia, Weekend escapes, Wildlife, Wildlife Refuges Tagged: birdwatching, Ducklings, Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Friends of Dyke Marsh, Osprey nest in Alexandria, Ospreys, Shorebirds, waterbirds
