[va-bird] Two (+?) White-faced Ibis at Bayview, Virginia


I noted a large (50+) group of dark ibis yesterday while driving south from 
Cape Charles to do errands and returned to look through them this morning at 
1100-1145 or so.  The flock is foraging in wet farm fields about 400 yards 
south 
of the Chevron gas station that's just south of the McDonald's, Food Lion, 
etc. at the Cape Charles turn-off (which is the first traffic light you hit on 
the Eastern Shore if coming from the south).  Also in the field are hundreds of 
shorebirds feeding quite close to the road.

In addition to two typical adult White-faced Ibis, there are two more ibis in 
this flock that merit mention.  One is an adult that's coming into breeding 
plumage.  This bird has extensive white plumage at the base of the bill and 
partly around the eyes but not entirely; its eyes do not appear to be red.  In 
the past in Virginia (as at Craney Island), such birds have been dismissed as 
aberrant Glossies.  However, this bird seems to be a good candidate for a 
hybrid 
Glossy x White-faced (an article on this hybrid combination will appear in 
the next issue of North American Birds, in the mail next week).  There is also 
a 
second-year Plegadis ibis here that has aspects that seem intermediate 
between the two species, but this is too difficult to judge in this age class.  
(Sibley on pp. 66-67 has good treatment of dark ibises.)  Another caution here 
is 
that many of the Glossy Ibis have been foraging deeply in the field mud, which 
is pale, and this has gotten onto bill and plumage at the bill's base, making 
the bill look gray and the face look pale from a distance.  The White-faced 
Ibis here have red eyes and neat white plumage that *entirely* surrounds the 
face and eye.  

This area is right alongside busy Hwy 13 (right of the northbound lane), 
which is a dangerous spot to get out of the car.  If you bird from the highway 
here, take pains to pull as far off the road as possible and be careful of 
traffic.

Also in this field were, all or most in breeding plumage:

210 Dunlin
44 Ruddy Turnstones
25 Semipalmated Plover
40 Semipalmated Sandpiper
1 Western Sandpiper -- a very rare transient in spring; I've seen just one in 
VA in spring 
45 Short-billed Dowitcher (Atlantic/nominate form)
2 Short-billed Dowitcher (Prairie/hendersoni form -- a beautiful bird)
1 Killdeer

At least for the next few days (pending more rain?), this field would be a 
good place to search for uncommon shorebirds, such as Curlew Sandpiper, which 
should be somewhere in the state now, probably at Chincoteague (where I will be 
looking this afternoon). 

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA 
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