[va-bird] Nassawadox Christmas count proposed for 2006
- From: "Harry Armistead" <harryarmistead@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 19:54:05 +0000
[My 2nd attempt to send this.]
A few years ago Ned Brinkley and I toyed with the idea of a C.B.C. in this area. It would be held the day after Wachapreague, which is usually on the first Saturday of the CBC period.
If anyone would like to brainstorm about this I'm open for business.
One circle we designed then would include these places:
all of Hog Island
the northern third of Cobb Island
the southern tip of Parramore I. plus Revel Island
the count's center would be in Hog Island Bay
Outlet Bay
On the mainland the circle would include:
Machipongo
Red Bank
Nassawadox
Willis Wharf
Exmore
Upshur Neck s. of Quinby
Birdsnest
Webb's Island
West of Rt. 13 would be poorly represented. The count circle was designed to take in as many islands and as much marsh as possible (reflecting my biases and preferences), even though landbirds are what really make for a big bird list.:
Franktown
the very upper reaches of Church and Warehouse creeks
the western reaches of Exmore
Kellam airfield
This count would need at least 1 boat.
One strategy would be to have a person or 2 on Hog I. all day.
Another might do the n. end of Cobb I., perhaps doing a sea watch at its extreme NE end.
The marshes in the Crabbing Marsh, Short Prong Marsh, Fowling Point, and The Ramshorn look inaccessible except by boat.
I've seen huge numbers of shorebirds on the distant flats at low tide in the SW section of Hog Island Bay in October. I am not certain how close the average boat can get to these.
The shorebirds at Willis Wharf can be excellent if one hits just the right tide there. Sometimes there are in excess of 200 Marbled Godwits, 300 Willets.
I'd expect there may be a few feeders in Exmore, perhaps in other towns.
A problem is getting people on the count. This would have to be a "grassroots" count. The ringers and hotshots from the urban areas mostly take part in CBCs in their own areas on that early weekend. But if we can get a dozen or more people to commit to this it can be a go.
We will lose any churchgoers by having it on a Sunday.
Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA 19119-1225. 215-248-4120. harryarmistead at hotmail dot com
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- » [va-bird] Nassawadox Christmas count proposed for 2006
[My 2nd attempt to send this.]
A few years ago Ned Brinkley and I toyed with the idea of a C.B.C. in this area. It would be held the day after Wachapreague, which is usually on the first Saturday of the CBC period.
If anyone would like to brainstorm about this I'm open for business.
One circle we designed then would include these places:
all of Hog Island
the northern third of Cobb Island
the southern tip of Parramore I. plus Revel Island
the count's center would be in Hog Island Bay
Outlet Bay
On the mainland the circle would include:
Machipongo
Red Bank
Nassawadox
Willis Wharf
Exmore
Upshur Neck s. of Quinby
Birdsnest
Webb's Island
West of Rt. 13 would be poorly represented. The count circle was designed to take in as many islands and as much marsh as possible (reflecting my biases and preferences), even though landbirds are what really make for a big bird list.:
Franktown
the very upper reaches of Church and Warehouse creeks
the western reaches of Exmore
Kellam airfield
This count would need at least 1 boat.
One strategy would be to have a person or 2 on Hog I. all day.
Another might do the n. end of Cobb I., perhaps doing a sea watch at its extreme NE end.
The marshes in the Crabbing Marsh, Short Prong Marsh, Fowling Point, and The Ramshorn look inaccessible except by boat.
I've seen huge numbers of shorebirds on the distant flats at low tide in the SW section of Hog Island Bay in October. I am not certain how close the average boat can get to these.
The shorebirds at Willis Wharf can be excellent if one hits just the right tide there. Sometimes there are in excess of 200 Marbled Godwits, 300 Willets.
I'd expect there may be a few feeders in Exmore, perhaps in other towns.
A problem is getting people on the count. This would have to be a "grassroots" count. The ringers and hotshots from the urban areas mostly take part in CBCs in their own areas on that early weekend. But if we can get a dozen or more people to commit to this it can be a go.
We will lose any churchgoers by having it on a Sunday.
Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA 19119-1225. 215-248-4120. harryarmistead at hotmail dot com