FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] possible trip to Smith Island ,Maryland

[tyler turpin <tylerturpin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  Smith Island is an island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland . 
It is inhabited by several hundred people who live in three villages. It makes 
for a great birding trip because the boat you take to get to the island passes 
by a huge area of marsh that contains every species of heron , egret , and ibis 
found in the area and gulls , terns , various passerine birds. Once on the 
island there is a free bus tour that takes you around the island and you get to 
see even more marsh up close and often see shorebirds. Part of the island is a 
Federal Wildlife Refuge and the refuge has a visitors center . The island also 
has a visitor center. Bring a picnic lunch in a cooler or  bring some money and 
eat lunch in one of the three restaurants on the island. Someone may have 
connections to have a Nature Conservancy , Chesapeake Bay Foundation, MD. Dept. 
of Natural Resources or  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service naturalist meet us at 
the island.
The  boat leaves a place near Reedville .VA at 10:30 am and leaves Smith Island 
at 3:30 Pm The cost is 24.50 per person.  The boat runs Monday through Saturday 
on a regular schedule but reservations are required as the boat only carries 60 
people but is big enough that you will not get sea sick
 

After conferring with Betsy Saunders,  Saturday August 7th or August 14th  
would be best. Migration will have started. This is the time the Laughing Gulls 
start to migrate to the Caribbean and Latin America.  Please respond on the 
list-serve or email me if interested. If at least 6 people commit to going I  
will pick a date and give driving directions to the boat dock . 
Sincerely ,
Tyler Turpin
e-mail  :tylerturpin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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