VA Birders,
Just a couple of additions to Val's report. At Willis Wharf on Sunday,100+
Marbled Godwits were spotted flying around looking for a place to land at high
tide. Later on, my group at the CBBT saw a Peregrine Falcon flying around at
Island 2. We were also lucky enough to see the Harlequin Ducks standing on
some rocks fairly close to us. I have posted my trip pictures at
http://uberlarry.smugmug.com/gallery/1201204 which includes the Harlequin Ducks ;
and the River Otters. Finally, I would like to thank Val Kitchens for all of
her hard work in making this trip happen.
Larry Meade
-----Original Message-----
From: VBKitchens@xxxxxxx
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:23:39 EST
Subject: [va-bird] NVBC Chincoteague & CBBT Weekend, Feb. 10-12
VA Birders,
The 23 Northern Virginia Bird Club (NVBC) members who took part in our
Winter Chincoteague Weekend found at least 86 species of birds, 3 really neat
mammals, and no snow! Actually, we did have a few snow showers Sunday morning
on our drive from Chincoteague to the CBBT, but otherwise, our only
precipitation was some light rain on Saturday afternoon.
Bird highlights at Chincoteague on Friday afternoon (Feb. 10) were a
group of BRANT just off the bridge between the town and the NWR, a good variety
of
waterfowl on the Wildlife Drive, including TUNDRA SWANS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
NORTHERN PINTAIL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, and RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS, and a BALD EAGLE.
On Saturday morning (Feb. 11), we began with a walk around the
neighborhood of our motel, the Best Western Chincoteague Island (formerly the
Driftwood), where we found BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES and a PINE WARBLER. Then we
drove to
the ocean beach while the wind was still fairly calm. Highlights there
included an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in a group of gulls loafing on the
beach, a constant stream of NORTHERN GANNETS, mainly close in and flying south
(more than any of us could remember seeing there before), lots of COMMON &
RED-THROATED LOONS, and BLACK & SURF SCOTERS. On the Tom's Cove side of the
beach,
we found GREATER SNOW GEESE, a NORTHERN HARRIER, and a PALM WARBLER. Then we
took a walk around the Woodland Trail, where our best find was a pair of GRAY
CATBIRDS. The rain started just as we finished our walk. That afternoon, our
best birds were a few AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS and more BRANT in the channel
off South Main Street.
Sunday morning (Feb. 12), we drove south to the CBBT, where we had
arranged a 2-hour tour of Islands #2-4. Since the maximum number of birders
permitted in a group is 15, we divided into 2 groups (and birded the islands in
a
different sequence). Our CBBT police escorts, who carried radios, kindly
agreed
to relay sightings of special birds between the groups. Highlights included 4
HARLEQUIN DUCKS (an adult male and 3 females), seen by everyone in both
groups, and a GREAT CORMORANT (the only one we found) seen by the first group,
on
Island #4. PURPLE SANDPIPERS were seen on at least 2 islands, and large rafts
of BLACK & SURF SCOTERS and LONG-TAILED DUCKS were found around all the
islands. NORTHERN GANNETS were everywhere, and we also saw several BRANT there.
Our mammal highlights at Chincoteague NWR were 3 RIVER OTTERS seen Friday
afternoon along the channel between Black Duck Marsh and Swan Cove, and 9
DELMARVA FOX SQUIRRELS on the Woodland Trail Saturday morning. On CBBT Island
#3, we saw 3 HARBOR SEALS on Sunday.
Good birding,
Val Kitchens
Arlington, VA
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