FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird & Eared Grebes

[VBKitchens@xxxxxxx]

VA Birders,

    Mari Noster and I went down to Craney Island and the southern part of 
Northampton Co. on the Eastern Shore last week to look for some birds which had 
been reported there.  We drove down thru parts of the Northern Neck and Middle 
Peninsula on Wednesday, Nov. 30.  Along the way, we spotted up to 200 TUNDRA 
SWANS in a field along Rt. 17, west of Tappahannock, probably in Essex Co.

    Pat Blyer joined us on Thursday morning, Dec. 1, for a trip to Craney 
Island, Portsmouth.  Highlights there were 2 EARED GREBES in the middle 
impoundment, followed shortly thereafter by 4 HORNED GREBES offshore in the 
Elizabeth 
River, which provided an excellent opportunity to compare the 2 grebes in 
winter plumage.  In the river, we also saw large numbers of CANVASBACKS, and we 
had 
good, close up views of several NORTHERN GANNETS there as well.  A large 
number of NORTHERN SHOVELERS in the impoundments also deserve mention.

    From Craney Island we drove to the Eastern Shore, via the CBBT, where we 
could only stop on Island #1.  Our first discovery was that the Eastern Shore 
of VA NWR was closed for hunting.  (The hunting season there continues thru 
Dec. 17.)  We then drove up Rt. 600, stopping at the farm with ponds at the end 
of Bull Road.  There we found GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, and a few GREEN-WINGED 
TEAL.  We ended the day with dinner at Sting-Rays.

    On Friday, Dec. 2, we went north on Rt.600, and about 8:30 am, we found 2 
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES on the wires at the intersection of Rt. 600 and 
Magotha Road.  From there, we continued north to Cape Charles, and arrived at 
Ned 
Brinkley's yard just in time to see a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK fly over and chase 
away all the birds from Ned's feeders.  After a few minutes, we decided to 
drive 
down to the harbor, where we found 3 PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the rock jetty, 
along with some RUDDY TURNSTONES and a SANDERLING on shore.  Then we returned 
to 
Ned's, and happily the birds had returned too, including the RUFOUS/ALLEN'S 
HUMMINGBIRD, which was our #1 target bird on the Eastern Shore.  We didn't find 
either the Ash-throated Flycatcher or the White-winged Dove.  We checked Bull 
Road again about midday, and found a NORTHERN HARRIER there.

    Friday afternoon, after Pat left, Mari and I went back to Bull Road, 
where we found KILLDEER and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS in the field.  Then we went out 
to 
the end of Magotha Road, about 4:00 pm, where a flock of about 200 SNOW GEESE 
 flew over, heading north.  Finally, we went back to Ned's about 4:30 pm, 
where we had good looks at the RUFOUS/ALLEN'S HUMMER from Ned's porch.

HUMMINGBIRD NOTE:  Sheri Williamson, author of the "Hummingbirds of North 
America" volume in the Peterson Field Guides, with whom I took a hummingbird 
workshop a couple of summers ago, prefers the term "Rufous/Allen's," rather 
than 
the generic "Selasphorus," for hummers such as Ned's for which the only real 
question about their identity is whether they are Rufous or Allen's.

Good birding,
Val Kitchens
Arlington, VA
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