Kiptopeke, Virginia, part 1 (& Ferry Neck, MD, in part), Sept. 28-Oct. 7,
2006).
Apologies for this being so late ...
CAVEAT READOR (so to speak): Every so often I feel obliged to say that
these postings serve, among other purposes, as my personal diary and
journal as well as a sort of news bulletin for family and friends. Ergo,
please pardon any excess of detail, non-birding asides, and such/their ilk.
Watch out for the ilk. Also, I still lack spellcheck.
This fall it's a toss up on which happened more often: Hal showing off his
knee replacement scar or me showing off my Galapagos photographs.
RIGBY'S FOLLY, Armistead property on Ferry Neck, Talbot County, MD, 25124
West Ferry Neck Road near Royal Oak but nearer still to Bellevue.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2006. 4:45-7 P.M. only. 174 Monarchs, highest
ever for here. None migrating today due to the stiff 20 m.p.h. SW wind;
instead they are clustering, mostly in English Ivy, cherries, locusts,
Persimmons, and Baccharis. It has been an above average year for them in
these parts beginning in mid-August when I started seeing them in the Bay
islands, where they do not breed. 2 Bald Eagles. 2 Eastern Phoebes. 1
Great Crested Flycatcher. George arrives to get ready for a house party
for 13 of his friends.
"YEAH! KIPTOPEKE!" In this way Walter Post Smith began his annual
invitational letter to join the fall banding here each autumn.
KIPTOPEKE SOJOURN, September 29-October 16, 2006. Commentary restricted
mostly to my own experiences and showing a distinct hawkwatch platform
bias, since most of my time was there. This is my 13th straight year of
spending 2 weeks here at the peak of the raptor migration. Please note
that Bald Eagles and the 2 vultures are seen every day but not always
counted if they are presumed to be "local birds."
ABBREVIATIONS & GAZETTEER (all in Virginia): CBBT, Chesapeake Bay Bridge &
Tunnel. CVWO, Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory. ESVB&WF, Eastern
Shore of Virginia Birding & Wildlife Festival, Oct. 6-8. ESVNWR, Eastern
Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. FINWR, Fisherman Island
National Wildlife Refuge. KSP, Kiptopeke State Park. Oyster, small town
and harbor c. 10 mi. NE of most of these other places. Ramp Lane, extends
SE from ESVNWR to the Intracoastal Waterway and a staging area for
watermen's work boats. Sting-Ray's/Cape Center, the eatery of choice, a
glorified Exxon station-gift shop, fondly (most of the time) known as Chez
Ray's or Chez Exxon, on Route 13 S. of Cheriton (www.cape-center.com).
Willis Wharf, a watermen's community 25 mi. N. of K.S.P. on the seaside.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE (in part). 1. The "Gargoyles", a loose (yes ... well
.... loose; in a NUTshell, THAT is the problem) federation of disparate
souls, unworthy of being dubbed a motley crew: Lynn Davidson & Hal
Wierenga, Bob Rineer, Sue Ricciardi, Deb & Keith Gingrich & myself - mostly
Marylanders.
2. CVWO staff. Shana Tolfry, Monarch tagger (conducts Monarch counts at
the hawk watch platform each day at 10, 1 & 4, tags them elsewhere, and
does counts at ESVNWR, FINWR and elsewhere). Jethro Runco, landbird bander
extraordinaire. Scott McConnell, obdurate raptor counter with terrific
hearing also for subtle call notes high overhead. Joe Medley, hawk
trapper. Tragically, Joe had to leave early on due to his father's death
in an automobile accident. His dad had been a prominent conservationist
and president of a Yosemite National Park organization.
3. CVWO heavies: Bob Anderson. Bob & Joyce Ake. Larry Brindza (oversees
the Monarch project). Kurt Gaskill. Bob & Gerri Howe. Renee Hudgins.
Nan Larue. Bob Reilly (landbird bander). Brian Taber. Thuy Tran. Bill
Williams. (Gerri, Renee, and Nan are major volunteer net runners/data
recorders for Jethro).
4. Folks from farther south and west. Gary Casey. Marty Daniels. Tina &
Baron Gibson (and Skye). Bill & Maureen Minor. Bernie & Janie Schaaf (she
of the super duper Cooper; in some respects Delaware IS farther south).
The raptor and Monarch totals below are unofficial pending official CVWO
review and end-of-season reports. Unless otherwise noted, birds and other
critters below were seen at the hawkwatch platform in K.S.P.
FRI., SEPT. 29. c. 100 Blue Jays at Rigby seen by George. Leave for
Kiptopeke at 11 A.M. 20 Cattle Egrets in a field N of Pocomoke City.
Spend 4:30-6:30 at KSP: 3 golden plovers, 10 Glossy Ibis, 15 Great Blue
Herons go over the platform. Even in just this short time we see 11 raptor
species. This year the hawk count is turning very conservative about
counting vultures, which mill around so much it's hard to determine if they
are really passing through. Most of the "Gargoyles" have already been here
for a while, as have Bernie and Janie, somewhat gargoylean themselves.
Day's grand total: Peregrine Falcon 10. Merlin 17. American Kestrel
79. Bald Eagle 2. Osprey 84. Sharp-shinned Hawk 87. Cooper's Hawk
15. Red-tailed Hawk 1. Broad-winged Hawk 15. Northern Harrier 10.
unID's raptors 20. TOTAL: 337.
SAT., SEPT. 30. George sees a Merlin at Rigby today. Shana tags 62
Monarchs & 490 are counted. Lynn spots a Whimbrel. 2 Red-headed
Woodpeckers and other woodpeckers are on the move, incl. a sapsucker, 497
flickers, a pileated, 5 downies, and 17 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, the latter
again staging something of a flight here, in spite of generally being
regarded as non-migratory. Great to see Doris Smith, in her 90s and full
of good conversation, a terrific lady, perhaps my best hug of the year.
Other visitors include the Steilkies, Dot Silsby, Chris Foster, and Gary
Casey (from Nashville).
Lynn, Hal & I go to the end of Bull's Drive (OFF LIMITS WITHOUT SPECIAL
PERMISSION) and conduct an alternative hawk count, 4:30-5:30, finding: 6
peregrines, 3 sharpies, 1 Cooper's, 3 harriers, 4 Ospreys, 2 Merlins, a
red-tail and a kestrel plus 2 Seaside Sparrows, 14 Clapper Rails, 66
Boat-tailed Grackles, 3 kingfishers, a Tricolored Heron, 2 Semi. Plovers &
4 Pied-billed Grebes. Also: 5 Red Admirals. This is a beautiful spot but:
1) most of the raptors are far away, 2) they are backlit & 3) flight
direction the few times I am there is often indeterminate, making exact
counts problematic.
KSP: Peregrine Falcon 26. Merlin 18. American Kestrel 62. Bald Eagle
2. Osprey 46. Sharp-shinned Hawk 77. Cooper's Hawk 16. Red-tailed
Hawk . Broad-winged Hawk 27. Northern Harrier 6. Turkey Vulture, yes,
as always but not counted; sail on, TV. unID'd raptor 1. TOTAL: 283.
SUN., OCT. 1. Dot Silsby grills hot dogs for the multitudes on the grill
in front of the hawk watch. The miracle of the hot dogs - hold the loaves
and fishes. M/M Nick Pulcinella from SE PA visit as do Bill & Maureen
Minor and Baron and Tina Gibson and their well-behaved and most appealing
husky, Skye (or is it Sky?).
Peregrine Falcon 21. Merlin 39. American Kestrel 22. Bald Eagle 1.
Osprey 24. Sharp-shinned Hawk 29. Cooper's Hawk 16. Red-tailed Hawk
. Broad-winged Hawk 6. Northern Harrier 4. TOTAL: 162.
Hal, Lynn & I revisit Bull's Drive from 2:30-4 with these results:
Peregrine Falcon 5. Merlin 1. American Kestrel 5. Bald Eagle 5.
Osprey 15. Sharp-shinned Hawk 21. Cooper's Hawk 7. Red-tailed Hawk
2. Broad-winged Hawk 3. Turkey Vulture 12. Black Vulture 85. TOTAL:
159. My counting criteria here are more liberal than at the hawkwatch
since I cranked in the vultures, and some of the eagles are probably
resident birds. Bull's Drive as an alternative hawk counting place shows
promise. Our hourly totals compare well with the official hawk counting
site, esp. when winds are from the west.
MON., OCT. 2. At Rigby, George, his house guests gone, finds a Swainson's
Thrush, Black-and-white, Yellow-rumped, and Pine warblers, redstarts, a
pintail, and Bald Eagle. Heard a screech owl and 2 horned owls last nite
from my bed in the yurt (good birding bed). A somewhat early Wilson's
Snipe from the platform. Another apparent flight of Red-bellied
Woodpeckers: 34. Bob Rineer arrives. Sue Ricciardi departs. Mike Iwanik
and his lady friend as well as Don Schwab visit.
Peregrine Falcon 18 Merlin 65. American Kestrel 235. Bald Eagle 7.
Osprey 101. Sharp-shinned Hawk 112 Cooper's Hawk 32. Red-tailed Hawk 3.
Broad-winged Hawk 4. Northern Harrier 9. TOTAL: 586.
TUE., OCT. 3. Best day for Monarchs: 1,488. I think this is the day Shana
tags over 100, and will soon run out of tags (but will get more from Mark
Garland). Diana Garland, Carol Wise of TNC/Virginia & Jan DeBlieu visit
among others. A Gray Squirrel in the campground, as fussy as any
Philadelphia squirreleepoo.
Peregrine Falcon 54. Merlin 24. American Kestrel 237. Bald Eagle 1.
Osprey 159. Sharp-shinned Hawk 177. Cooper's Hawk 25. Broad-winged Hawk
45. Northern Harrier 16. TOTAL: 740.
WED., OCT. 4. Joe captures 25 raptors, 17 of them Cooper's Hawks, 14 of
those males. Marty Daniels arrives from Camden, SC. I take a couple of
hours off at mid-day to do chores: laundry, e-mail, scouting facilities for
the Cape Charles Christmas count, etc. Bob, Thuy and I spend 1:15-2:45 at
ESVNWR with these results: Peregrine Falcon 5. American Kestrel 15. Bald
Eagle 2. Osprey 10. Sharp-shinned Hawk 9. Cooper's Hawk 5. Broad-winged
Hawk 105. TOTAL: 158. The view here is spectacular from atop the high
"Bunker" but some of it is badly backlit and also limited by the tall
trees. With today's westerly winds it is not surprising that we saw far
more Broad-wings than (see below) the official hawkwatch.
Peregrine Falcon 43. Merlin 36. American Kestrel 195. Osprey 57.
Sharp-shinned Hawk 112. Cooper's Hawk 50. Broad-winged Hawk 9. Northern
Harrier 10. TOTAL: 515.
THU., OCT. 5. Best day so far with NE winds @ c. 15 setting the table,
preparing the tableau.
Peregrine Falcon 33. Merlin 184. American Kestrel 494. Bald Eagle 3.
Osprey 198. Sharp-shinned Hawk 239. Cooper's Hawk 123. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Broad-winged Hawk 55. Northern Harrier 43. TOTAL: 1,382.
FRI., OCT. 6. The start of the ESVB&WF festival, severly compromised by NE
winds of 30-45 m.p.h. and a deluge of half a foot or more, a spectacular
storm. A ripsnorter of a northeaster making most of the scheduled field
trips impossible. The three I am to lead, 2 of them in boats, are
cancelled. At least I get to hobnob a little at Sunset Beach Resort with
Ruth Boettcher, Paul & Ann Smith, M/M Tom Gwynn, Brian Taber, Dot Field &
Richard Ayers, Bettye Fields, et al.
Some festival organizers give impromptu talks on subjects they are experts
on to compensate for the many cancelled field trips. I set off rambling up
the line from 1:30-3:30 P.M. Portions of Rt. 600 between ESVNWR and Oyster
are under up to half a foot of water, in some places for 100 yards or more.
Hawk watch completely rained out today. Hal & Lynn return for the
festival. Kevin Karlson gives the keynote talk with excellent photographs
focused on bird migration.
A: Rt. 600: 15 Black-bellied & 4 Semipalmated plovers, 11 Western
Sandpipers, 15 Dunlin, 4 Short-billed Dowitchers, all in muddy fields, & 1
Bald Eagle.
B: Oyster: 30 Laughing, 80 Herring, 12 Ring-billed, 3 Great Black-backed
& 1 Lesser Black-backed gull, 1 Least Sandpiper, and a Royal Tern all
sitting out the storm on a lawn.
C: Cheriton (by the health clinic): 70 Herring, 45 Laughing & 1 Lesser
Black-backed gull all in an adjacent muddy field.
D: Arlington Road X Wheat Lane: 75 Black-bellied Plovers, 12 Short-billed
Dowitchers, 1 peregrine, 1 Merlin, 12 unID'd peep, also in a muddy field.
E: KSP: 700 Tree Swallows very low over a field in the gale force winds,
2 Merlins & 1 Osprey.
F: Sunset Beach Resort: 45 Laughing Gulls & 1 Greater Yellowlegs on the
lawn.
SAT., OCT. 7. An additional 6" or so of rain last night but the yurt
stayed completely dry. A roadkill River Otter on the W side of the Rt. 13
center strip just N of milepost 74. Today's hawk totals reflect very well
species able to move in adverse, rainy, windy weather. In the evening Hal,
Lynn, and I go to the charming theatre in Cape Charles to see Michael Male,
Judy Fieth, and their excellent videos. Afterwards Bob & Gerri Howe host
their annual chili dinner around their trailer in the park.
ROUTE 600 X WHEAT LANE. Brian Taber, Bob Ake & I revisit the huge lake of
rainwater runoff that has formed here: 5 Marbled Godwits, 25 Western
Willets, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 175 Black-bellied, 20 Semipalmated & 1
golden plover, 6 Semipalmated, 60 Least, 40 Western & 1 Pectoral sandpiper,
1 turnstone, 65 dowitchers, 1 Killdeer, 35 Dunlin, 1 Merlin, 1 peregrine, 3
kestrels, 5 Savannah Sparrows, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Ospreys, 1
Bald Eagle & 1 parula. What a shame an impromptu festival field trip could
not have been arranged to go here to compensate somewhat for the many
cancelled trips.
BULL'S DRIVE. Hal & Lynn visit here and find a huge rain pool in the dirt
field with a skimmer, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 6 peregrines. They
watch as several times peregrines lift off clutching potatoes, fly a short
distance, and then drop them.
Peregrine Falcon 17. Merlin c. 30. American Kestrel 3. Osprey 127.
Northern Harrier 4. unID'd raptor . TOTAL: c. 181.
I think this is the day Fenton Day's group sees the most unusual birds I
heard of during the festival: a Lark Sparrow and an early Lapland Longspur
on the CBBT.
Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia,
PA 19119-1225. 215-248-4120. Please, any off-list replies to:
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com (never, please, to 74077.3176 ....)
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