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Butterflies and Dragonflies Abound
On July 20, 2022, 20 butterfly enthusiasts spotted 15 species of butterflies, on a walk in Dyke Marsh, led by Larry Meade.
Talented FODM Photographers Are Winners
Congratulations to two FODMers whose photographs were selected for the 2022 Virginia Wildlife magazine’s annual photography showcase.
Changes in Dyke Marsh over Time, Using the Fairfax County Historical Imagery Viewer
Fairfax County’s historical imagery viewer enables people to see aerial images of Dyke Marsh that show changes over the years. These images show the significant loss of marshland from the dredging that hauled away over half the marsh and after a protective promontory was removed from the south end of Dyke Marsh.
An FODM Ecology Walk
On June 25, 2022, ecologist Charles Smith led a walk for 20 members of the Friends of Dyke Marsh along the Dyke Marsh Haul Road trail. He explained that Dyke Marsh is in the coastal plain, a geologic region with gravel deposits, unlike the Piedmont which has many rock formations. Dyke Marsh, a freshwater tidal wetland, has two three-foot tides a day, on average.
FODM Recognizes Volunteers
On June 19, 2022, the Friends of Dyke Marsh held an event to express appreciation to the organization's many dedicated volunteers. Here is an article about the event from the June 23, 2022 Mount Vernon Gazette/Connection newspaper. By Glenda C. Booth
Celebrating Juneteenth 2022
On June 18, 2022, the Friends of Dyke Marsh again participated in the annual Gum Springs Community Day and celebrated Juneteenth with our friends.
Awed by Owls
Many people have been captivated by owls in Dyke Marsh this spring. Several people have confirmed a barred owl (Strix varia) pair raising two young and a great horned owl pair (Bubo virginianus) with one young. It’s parenting at its best.
Youngsters Delight in Learning about Dyke Marsh
On May 24, 2022, partnering with National Park Service Ranger Douglas Breton, the Friends of Dyke Marsh welcomed 60 curious, second-grade students and their teachers from Alexandria’s St. Stephens and St. Agnes School to Dyke Marsh.
Curbing Plastic Pollution
From plastic bottles to plastic straws, fishing lines, clothing, carpets and diapers, plastic in the environment is ubiquitous. Sarah Kollar from Ocean Conservancy and Kurt Moser from the Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation discussed both the challenges of and solutions to plastic pollution in presentations at a May 19, 2022, FODM meeting.
FODMers Determine Habitat Quality of an Area Stream
Since 2016, FODM volunteers have conducted habitat quality monitoring in an unnamed, intermittent stream that flows through Mount Vernon Park into west Dyke Marsh, most recently on April 11 and May 10, 2022.
FODM Reaches Out
In April 2022, the Friends of Dyke Marsh reached out to the larger community when we participated in two community events and offered materials and information about FODM and Dyke Marsh.
Bald Eagles: Their Comeback and Challenges
“Virginia’s tidal rivers are just loaded with bald eagles,” Jeff Cooper told 210 people attending the March 2 FODM meeting and the Chesapeake Bay is the epicenter of eagle conservation. The area from Dyke Marsh south to where route 301 crosses the Rappahannock River is a bald eagle concentration area.
Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.