I was out at Chincoteague and Assateague all weekend. While lounging on the
beach at Tom's Cove late Friday afternoon I saw what appeared to be a
Shearwater crusing the surf area of the beach. By the time I grabbed my optics
it was too far away or had landed on the surf. However, the long dark wings
and the light underwings made me think it was a Shearwater.
There are several Least Terns in the freshwater flats area and I encountered
many pairs of Bobwhites along the Wildlife loop and road to the beach. They
seemed very plentiful in the area around the reforestation on the loop.
I also visited Port Mahon on Friday morning. Found lots of horseshoe crabs and
one Red Knot - a first for me, so I was pretty darn happy. Many Ruddy
Turnstones, Sanderlings, Least Sandpiper, Short Billed Dowitchers, and Willets
too.
The mudflats behind Tom's Cove in Assateague/Chincoteage produced one Piping
Plover on Sunday afternoon at low tide. Monday, same area in late afternoon at
low tide there were two Clapper Rails out of the grass as well. One even
ventured out to the mudflats as bold as you please. The second rail was a
little more shy in the Spartina grass. I approached as close as 30 feet before
I was noticed and then Mr. Clapper Rail was not happy.
The ususal suspects were also present in good numbers, but I failed to find a
single Osprey nest in the place.
Phoebetria@xxxxxxx wrote:
Today's winds along the Virginia coast were from the southeast, and the
forecast calls for 15-knot east winds for the next two days. This might be a
good time to check along the oceanfront at Virginia Beach, Back Bay, False
Cape, and Chincoteague for small flights of shearwaters, which were observed
a week ago from North Carolina's beaches (Coquina, Nags Head, Pea Island)
during similar winds. Sooty Shearwater and Wilson's Storm-Petrel
predominated, but one birder, stationed in an oceanfront room there at the
Comfort Inn/Whalebone Jct., saw Manx and Cory's from his room as well.
Greater Shearwaters have started coming through in numbers offshore, so one
would expect a few of those if the wind reaches high enough velocity. The
spring's flight of Pomarine Jaegers has been the best recorded off North
Carolina, and it seems to be about 3 weeks later than normal, so it's worth
watching for Poms from the beaches as well. Best times to seawatch seem to
be between early morning and noon, but flights can continue all day.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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Denise Ryan, League of Conservation Voters
(202) 785-8683
Don't forget -- It is NOT clean coal technology, it is partially DE-TOXIFIED
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