Nature enthusiasts engaged all of their senses on the June 29, 2024, ecology walk led by Charles Smith along the Haul Road trail.

The year 2025 marked the tenth year that a dedicated group of FODM volunteers collected data on butterflies and dragonflies in Dyke Marsh and the Belle Haven Marina. In 2025, they documented 25 butterfly species and 17 dragonfly species.

FODMer Bill Young, a knowledgeable birder and videographer, has shared three of his videos about birds with us – videos about thrushes, woodpeckers and herons.

At least two species of thrushes breed in Dyke Marsh: the Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) and American robin (Turdus migratorius). Spring migrant thrushes include the Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus), the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) and the wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). 

Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus). Photo by Bill Young

Woodpeckers documented in Dyke Marsh include the pileated (Dryocopus pileatus), red-bellied (Melanerpes carolinus), hairy (Leuconotopicus villosus) and downy (Dryobates pubescens).

Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). Photo by Bill Young

Herons observed in Dyke Marsh include the great blue (Ardea herodias), the great egret (Ardea alba) and the least bittern (Botaurus exilis).

Great egret (Ardea alba). Photo by Bill Young

Here are links for the videos on YouTube:
Eastern Thrushes:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k8bAn9T164 

Eastern Woodpeckers:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBexechgta0

Herons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvPrABdoUvk

On August 26, 2026, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored the Friends of Dyke Marsh’s 50^th anniversary, adopting a motion by Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck and Board Chairman Jeff McKay.  The Board directed the Office of Public Affairs to prepare a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of FODM.

Supervisor Storck shared this article in his newsletter:

Tucked along the Potomac River, Dyke Marsh is a remarkable freshwater tidal wetland home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife, and offers residents a place to experience nature right in our backyard. For 50 years, the Friends of Dyke Marsh (FODM) have worked to make sure this special place is protected for generations to come.

Founded in 1976, by a group of local residents concerned about the future of the marsh, FODM has grown into a dedicated community of volunteers who have spent five decades preserving, restoring and advocating. Their work reaches far beyond the marsh itself, from scientific studies, bird surveys and water quality monitoring to nature walks, invasive plant removal, trash cleanups and educational programs. The Friends have also been an important voice in the effort to restore and stabilize the marsh in partnership with the National Park Service.

Much of that work happens quietly, through people who show up year after year to care for a place they love. Glenda Booth, FODM’s President, is a tireless community leader who pours so much of her time and energy into the FODM. In addition to helping lead the organization’s advocacy and stewardship efforts, Glenda works diligently on The Marsh Wren, FODM’s newsletter, keeping members and the broader community informed about the latest happenings in Dyke Marsh and the ongoing work to protect it.

For 50 years, the Friends of Dyke Marsh have reminded us that protecting our parks, trails, waterways and natural spaces takes people willing to speak up, volunteer, educate and get their hands dirty. We are grateful to the countless volunteers who have given their time and talent to Dyke Marsh over the past five decades, and we congratulate FODM on this remarkable milestone.

On September 12, 2026, five Virginia elected officials recognized the 50^th anniversary of the Friends of Dyke Marsh at Fort Hunt Park before a crowd of over 500 people attending FODM’s Raptor Rapture event.

FODMer William Young has produced a captivating video about hummingbirds and their amazing features. “They weigh about as much as a penny,” he says. There are around 360 species in the world. You can view it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW7C15B1FK0.

Sparkling violetear (Colibri coruscans). Photo by William Young

FODMers and friends had an informative tutorial on some of Virginia’s freshwater fish species at the October 21, 2026,
member meeting from Mike Pinder’s online presentation titled“Freshwater Fishes, Exploring Virginia’s Hidden Treasures.” Pinder is an
aquatic biologist with the state’s Department of Wildlife Resources.

Here are some of his key points:

• Virginia’s rivers and streams are home to 225 freshwater fish species in 26 families. The Potomac River watershed has 64
  native species and one non-native, the northern snakehead.
• Freshwater fish are the second largest vertebrate group in Virginia behind birds. Sport or game fish like bass and bluegills may be better known, but they are “a small component of Virginia’s fish,” he said.
• Virginia has many colorful fish, like the red-belly dace with an orangey-red stripe on its belly and gold-colored fins; the candy darter, found in southwest Virginia’s New River drainage, “one of most beautiful freshwater fishes in North America” and a fish on the state and federal endangered species list and the bright blue, male spotfin chub that likes fast water. “It looks like it’s been plugged into an electrical outlet,” he quipped.

Pinder focused especially on mound builders, like chubs that during the breeding season, usually between April and July, carry rocks in their mouths and make rock piles for nests. The chub digs pits in the rock nests and then mates in the pits. “A chub can carry 10,000 stones to make a mound. One traveled an accumulated distance of 16 miles to collect enough rocks to build a nest. They use the current to carry rocks downstream, which is pretty smart,” he said.

The mounds attract other minnows, what ichthyologists call “nest associates” that only spawn on a chub’s mound so if we lose chubs, we will lose minnows, the foundation of food chain, Pinder stressed.

He emphasized the importance of biodiversity and clean water. “If a stream has a lot of fish, snails, crayfish, salamanders and mussels, it’s a healthy community. All these animals depend on each other. This is the water we drink. We cannot live without clean water. Just having water is not enough.

“To protect these animals is protecting ourselves. The more we know, the more we love it and want to protect it and its habitat,” he said.

Here is a list of Virginia’s fish in taxonomic order, provided by Mr. Pinder. The species highlighted in yellow have been found in and around Dyke Marsh.

Virginia_Fish_List_Taxonomic_order_Dyke_Marsh.pdf

Male (foreground) and female candy darters (Etheostoma osburni) Photo by Derek Wheaton	Minnows (Cyprinidae family) on bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus) nest Photo by Mike Pinder

Mountain redbelly dace (Chrosomus oreas)             Photo by Mike Pinder	Spotfin chub (Erimonax monachus) Photo by Maddie Smith

FODMer William Young has shared his video about the pelicans of the world at https://youtu.be/fD-4yZRPYn8.  One Dyke Marsh visitor saw an American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) around Dyke Marsh in July 2026 and many saw a brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) on the Potomac River near National Airport and Hains Point in Washington, D.C. in 2019, according to Mr. Young.

Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). Photo by William Young

We have some of his other bird videos posted on this website and the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance has a page with all of his videos about bird families at https://www.nvbirdalliance.org/bird-families-bill-young.

On July 13, 2026, Virginia’s Eighth District Congressman Don Beyer commended the Friends of Dyke Marsh for 50 years of volunteer work to preserve and restore Dyke Marsh.  Here we share his statement from the Congressional Record.

On September 12, 2026, over 500 enthusiasts of all ages learned about raptors at Raptor Rapture, an event sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, the National Park Service and Secret Gardens, Birds and Bees at Fort Hunt Park.

On a balmy, sunny October 26, 2026, 20 people studied Dyke Marsh plants on a fall colors walk led by Alan Ford and Margaret Chatham with the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society.

In the wetland, wild rice (Zizania aquatica) was swaying in the sun.  The spatterdock (Nuphar advena) leaves were droopy and muddy at low tide.

Co-leader Alan Ford pointed out a young pumpkin ash (Fraxinus profunda) tree near the boardwalk.  Many pumpkin ash trees are at risk in the marsh because of the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). Photo by Glenda Booth.

Here are a few more highlights:

Some of the narrow-leaf cattails (Typha angustifolia) were dispersing seeds. Photo by Glenda Booth	River bulrush (Bolboschoenus fluviatus). “This is not a grass,” said Ford. Photo by Glenda Booth

The silky dogwoods’ (Cornus amomum) leaves were turning red, glistening in the sun. Photo by Glenda Booth	The tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima) seeds looked like fluff. Photo by Glenda Booth

Poison ivy vines (Toxicodendron radicans) were red, yellow and green. Photo by Glenda Booth	The swamp milkweed (Asclepias incaranata) pods were releasing seeds. Photo by Glenda Booth

Small white asters (Symphyotrichum racemosum) were in bloom. Photo by Glenda Booth	Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) leaves brightened the landscape. Photo by Glenda Booth

Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua) leaves change from green to yellow to maroon. The more sun they are exposed to, the redder they become, said Ford.

Photo by Glenda Booth

Contrary to the image in many Americans’ minds, vultures are beautiful, social, curious birds, Heather Shank-Givens told a 70-person, overflow crowd on March 8, 2026, at the Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center.