A large tern roost assembled in town over the midmorning hours here at Cape
Charles, peaking around 10:30 in the morning. Totals were:
Black Tern 75+
Royal Tern 16
Caspian Tern 9
Sandwich Tern 45+
Common Tern 185+
Arctic Tern 2 (adults)
Forster's Tern 45
Least Tern - none (surprising)
No tropical terns were see. The town streets are totally flooded now (cars
floating by; many people trying to kayak through town), so it's tough to get
out. Winds seem to be more southeasterly now (had been ENE to E), gusting
into
the 40-knot range. About 8 inches of rain so far here.
Shorebirding continues productive, with 2 more American Golden-Plovers, 3
more Upland Sandpipers this morning, plus American Oystercatcher and
Long-billed
Dowitcher in the fields; at Oyster, Short-billed Dowitchers fed in front lawns
this morning. A Caspian Tern was at Oyster. Todd Day already mentioned
the Bridled Terns along Seaside Road - where there were just small groups of
Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Least Sandpipers, and Laughing Gulls
otherwise. No Gull-billed Terns anywhere today (just 2 yesterday).
At 12:10, a Great Horned Owl flew into the front yard, turned, and flew
eastward along Randolph Avenue. Five Eastern Kingbirds followed. Flocks of
Bobolinks are scattered all through the lower Shore, as are smaller groups of
kingbirds.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
