Wendy Ealding and I birded from 8-4, starting on the tunnel Islands ( #4 was
closed ) and going as far North as Willis Wharf. We especially concentrated on
the wet fields reported on by several birders over the past week.
Unfortunately, all but one field have dried up, leaving only some patches of
wet and
furrowed earth which were still birdy, but we found only one significant wet
spot,
on Capeville Rd. between Arlington and Rt.13. Other fields which were
productive were : the corner of Arlington and custis tomb Rds., and Rt. 600
between
Oyster and Willis Wharf. Actually, any patch where one sees Laughing Gulls
loafing is worth scanning. The most numerous species were Semi-Palm and
Black-Bellied Plovers, but there were also significant numbers of Pectoral
Sandpipers,
and, on Capeville Rd., Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Stilt Sandpipers ( and
an adult Bald Eagle which got everyone up in the air ). We also stopped at
the Northampton Landfill which was filled with Egrets and between 20-25 Little
Blue Herons, all immatures. We also saw our only Glossy Ibis of the day there -
where are the others? I should also note that we never saw a Cattle Egret
either - there seem to be fewer and fewer around. The Landfill also had a
Pied-billed Grebe and a Solitary Sandpiper.
Ramp Rd. Pond at ESNWR was very, very high - no mud flats at all - and in the
am there were 16 Great Egrets there and one T-C Heron. In the late afternoon
there was almost nothing. No White Ibses anywhere. We also struck out at
Oyster and at Willis wharf because the tide was high at both places when we
were
there.
The Tunnel Islands were noteworthy for 100's of Common Terns, and, on #1, 2
Black terns feding close to the rocks and loafing Terns. #1 also had 2 immature
Black-crowned Nt.-Herons. We did not see any sandwich Terns.
Gerry Weinberger
Doswell
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