All,
I spent the day on the eastern shore on Sunday and thought I'd post the
highlights. I started on the CBBT around 8:30am. Island 1 had about 20
Purple Sandpipers, many Ruddy Turnstones, and a couple Common Terns flew
over. I arrived at island 2 to find that they blocked off the end of
the island which is over the tunnel with big cement blocks and signs
that say authorized personnel only. When I checked in at the office,
they didn't mention this. It really limits birding. I found this to be
the case on islands 3 and 4 as well. Anyway, there was a really nice
Northern Gannet show on island 2. Mostly immatures but I spotted one
adult in the mix. Island 3 had several Royal Terns flying over, a
couple oystercatchers and more Common Terns. Island 4 had more of the
same.
I stopped at the small pond at Eastern Shore of VA NWR but found only 3
Great Egrets and a bunch of Canada Geese. A Whimbrel did a fly by.
I made a quick stop along Magatha Road and found a Red-headed Woodpecker
being harassed by starlings and a gate at the end of road prohibiting
access to the waterfront.
A Eurasian Collared-Dove was singing from the top of the telephone pole
at the corner of Seaside Rd and Cedar Grove (the traditional spot).
Here I ran into Brenda Tekin and we got lunch and headed for Willis
Wharf.
Willis Wharf had Whimbrel, 2 Gull-billed Terns, Black-bellied Plover,
Semipalmated Plover, Dunlin, and many Black Skimmers. I was unable to
find any godwits. I don't know if Brenda found any after I left.
I found a flooded field loaded with birds about 1/2 mile south of
Wachapreague Road on Seaside Drive. Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover,
Semi-palmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Laughing
Gull and a Cattle Egret.
When I arrived at Chincoteague it was completely fogged in and I could
only see the birds that were closest to the road. Quite disappointing
but I managed to find some good stuff anyway. Short-billed Dowitcher
and a Least Tern taking a bath being the only new ones though. Along
the beach I found a Piping Plover through the mist and on the Woodland
Trail there were plenty of Brown-headed Nuthatches. I drove the
wildlife drive in the fog and found a couple White-rumped Sandpipers and
some Cattle Egrets near enough to see. There were tons of shorebirds
there but I couldn't see much!
On the drive out, I saw a Black-necked Stilt along the causeway.
I briefly stopped at the pond at Eastern Shore of VA NWR on the way home
and found a male Gadwall there.
Sue
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