Greetings,
Before summarizing the weekend, I should note that a second Eared Grebe was
found at Craney Island 4 November. Not sure who found it, as there were at
least six folks birding Craney when I arrived (John Fox, Sue Heath, Bev
Leeuwenburg, Fenton Day, Jon and BJ Little). Ian Topolsky and I saw the two
grebes
in the southwest corner of the middle impoundment at about one PM. Aside
from a gorgeous adult Peregrine Falcon, there wasn't much else of note at
Craney.
On Saturday 5 November, a group of about twenty-five birders split into at
least ten parties covering predetermined territories and staying connected via
cell phone, with the primary intent of looking for rare or unusual species
around Northampton County; dubbed a Rarities Roundup (though Extralimital
Extravaganza has a nice ring to it as well). Many of these birders hung
around
the Eastern Shore on Sunday 6 November, with the phone tree still intact.
This has been done since 2002, and usually the first weekend in November.
The weekend was certainly a success, despite weather that was more favorable
to birders than finding birds, a lack of cold fronts and desired wind on the
shore in the days prior, and a couple of uncooperative birds. On Saturday,
a Le Conte's sparrow originally found 4 November at the marsh on Magothy Bay
at the end of Magotha Road by Bryan Z. of the Center for Conservation Biology
was seen again in the morning, though despite efforts by other parties
later, it was not refound. Several Sedge Wrens, Seaside Sparrows, Saltmarsh
and
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows were found here as well. A Western Kingbird
was found by Josh Nemeth along Seaside Road (Route 600) about a mile south of
the intersection of Plantation Road, at a house with the mailbox number 25325.
This bird was seen by the other parties of the Roundup interested in doing
so. A likely Gray Kingbird was scoped briefly atop a dead pine tree at a
tomato farm on Church Neck Road. The bird wasn't cooperative, as it flew
before I could get thoroughly convincing views, and wasn't found again despite
extensive effort, as can be that species' wont. That bird was only seen by
myself and then Ian Topolsky as it flew across a small pond. Stephen Eccles
and
Robert Hindle flirted with a bird that might have been an Ash-throated
Flycatcher, but were never able to nail it down. A Long-billed Curlew that
has
again been reported this fall (seen each fall since 2003) at Chimney Pole
Marsh
was ripe for the picking (that is, had anyone decided to get in a boat and
look for it).
Common Moorhens were relocated at the same pond they were found on during
the Eastern Shore Birding Festival. The three hummingbirds at the Sterling
House Bed and Breakfast in Cape Charles were seen: one Rufous/Allen's type, an
adult male Ruby-throated, and another likely Ruby-throated; a Prairie Warbler
was there was well. Among the thousands of Tree Swallows still on the shore,
several Barn and Northern Rough-winged Swallows were picked out, but alas,
no Cave Swallows to be found. Six warbler species were noted, with a few
observers finding Orange-crowneds. A late Black-billed Cuckoo was at the
Eastern
Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, reported by Bob Ake and David
Clark. Chimney Swift was noted Saturday and again on Sunday. At least one
Broad-winged Hawk was seen, and Eurasian Collared-Dove was also noted. All
told, the combined efforts found about 140 species on Saturday, with at least
another dozen added on Sunday.
With many birders still on the Eastern Shore on Sunday, the potential to
find unusual species held. None topped Ned Brinkley's White-winged Dove in
his
yard (screamed in my ear as I was talking to him on the phone when he noticed
it), seen by everyone that hadn't already headed home as we rallied on his
front porch. Quite the topper for an already enjoyable weekend. Another
effort was made to find the Le Conte's but it was seen only by John Fox.
Several
folks attempted to locate and confirm the Gray Kingbird again, and failed
again. Alan Schreck and Linda Fields found five Eurasian Collared-Doves at
the
Townsend Post Office on Route 600, not far north of their known haunt along
600. Seems this species has gotten a firm footing.
Now if we had only found that Mac Gillivray's Warbler...
Cheers,
Todd
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Todd Michael Day
Jeffersonton, VA, USA
blkvulture@xxxxxxx
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