[va-bird] North Carolina notes



I spent the past week in North Carolina, and I was interested to see the 
various Red-necked Phalarope sightings posted for Virginia (Sperryville, Blandy 
Experimental Farm, Craney Island, from the Dolphin Watch off Virginia Beach).  
On Monday last, there was one Red-necked Phalarope, a female, and a Red 
Phalarope, also female, at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in Dare County, 
North 
Carolina.  Both were in high breeding plumage.  I had never seen a truly "red" 
Red Phalarope away from the tundra nesting and stopover sites before, other 
than a few on an April 1980 pelagic trip off Maryland, and it was nice to see 
one in North Carolina; Adam Riley, Kate Sutherland, and Brian Patteson also 
found the Red Phalarope, a bit farther south.  The very strong northeasterly 
winds and rain that day were likely responsible for the Sunday/Monday 
sightings.  
Strong southeasterly winds probably contributed to the count of 30 Red-necked 
Phalaropes off Hatteras Inlet yesterday.  (Red Phalaropes were rather numerous 
offshore this winter off North Carolina.)  Also at Pea Island Monday were 
American Avocets, White-rumped Sandpipers, Red Knots, Black-necked Stilts, a 
Stilt Sandpiper, a Tundra Swan, and a male Northern Pintail, along with many 
Bank 
Swallows.  Today at Pea Island, a Eurasian Collared-Dove was noted in flight 
at the southern portion of the refuge and over the Visitor Center later.  On 
the way home, I noted a Eurasian Collared-Dove in flight over Rte 13 where it 
intersects with Rte 645 in Northampton County; the bird flew into the trees 
near 
the northern access road into Kiptopeke State Park from Rte 13.  

In addition to the phalaropes, pelagic trips off Manteo and Hatteras 
yesterday produced interesting results including Bermuda, Fea's, Black-capped, 
and 
Herald Petrels (2 Heralds day before yesterday), all five shearwater species (a 
few Manx), all three storm-petrels), many terns (dozens of Sooty and Bridled, 
12 or more Arctic, a Roseate, a Black, many Leasts), Pomarine and Parasitic 
Jaegers, a White-tailed Tropicbird, several beaked whales, a small group of 
what 
appeared to be Rough-toothed Dolphins, and a Longbill Spearfish.  The prior 
day had had a South Polar Skua as well.  Unless I've miscounted, at least 22 
pelagic bird species have been noted offshore here in the past 2 days, possibly 
a 
record-high count for any area in the western North Atlantic.

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA 
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