Today, Mike Iwanik and I took a ride to Back Bay NWR in Virginia Beach.
We walked down the beach front to False Cape and then back along the
road. We had a good day with 15 species of shorebirds highlighted by
RED KNOT (30), WHIMBREL (1), WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (3), STILT SANDPIPER
(2), BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and DUNLIN. A female SURF SCOTER was seen
right in the surf. Tern species included GULL BILLED (1), LEAST (2),
COMMON, ROYAL and CASPIAN. There weren't many gulls on the beach but we
did have a lingering 1st summer BONAPARTE'S GULL. NORTHERN GANNETS were
seen off the beach and 3 BLACK SKIMMERS were flybys. An adult BALD
EAGLE was a nice sight overhead. Land birds were pretty scarce, maybe
due to the high winds. Five warbler species were seen or heard
including BLACK-THROATED GREEN, PINE, PRAIRIE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was also heard singing. A
very young BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON did it's best to avoid us. Three
GLOSSY IBIS, TRICOLORED and LITTLE BLUE HERONS as well as SNOWY and
GREAT EGRETS rounded out a fine day. Good birding.
Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie County
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