[va-bird] Virginia Beach (oceanfront, Back Bay and False Cape), Apr. 25

Hello, birders.

I spent the second day of my weekend trip in Virginia
Beach.  

Before leaving for Back Bay NWR early Sunday, I had a
mini-fallout of birds right at my motel, at 27th and
Atlantic, in the midst of motels and shops and
restaurants.  I heard a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT singing. 
When I checked out what I thought was the warbler, I
was surprised to find a darkish wren, with a dark
brown cap, light supercilium and light streaks on the
upper back.  This MARSH WREN was feeding in the small
flowering shrubs along the sidewalk and in the cedars
along the parking lot of the motel.  When I pished, I
was surprised when a SEASIDE SPARROW popped out of a
cedar, hopping along the ground.  I clearly saw the
dull, dark plumage and yellow spot behind the bill. 
Wow!  A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, an EASTERN TOWHEE and
another COMMON YELLOWTHROAT completed the migratory
group.

Off to Back Bay NWR and False Cape SP to bird with
Elisa Enders.  I do this trip every spring.  We walked
from the Visitor Center at Back Bay all the way south 
to the South Inlet overlook at False Cape SP,
including a small part of the beach and the Bay Trail
at Back Bay.  This is about 12 miles total.  We saw
similar birds as Cape Henry Audubon did the day
before.  The day started partly cloudy but after
mid-morning we hardly saw the sun and a SE wind made
it feel cool at times.

The Bay Trail was quieter than I expected but it did
hold MARSH and SEDGE WRENS.  I always get Sedge Wren
along this trail in late April but not usually in
early May.  Another Sedge was near the platform at the
beginning of False Cape SP.    We spooked a probable
female Merlin from the top of a tree.  A COTTONMOUTH
showed us why it is given that name.  We heard one
rail today.  It called briefly, not far from the
Visitor Center, but we couldn't ID it.

We had a 4 wren day.  Besides Marsh and Sedge, some
CAROLINA were around.  A HOUSE WREN called repeatedly
at the southern end of the refuge.  A 4 swallow day,
too (NO. RO. WING, BARN, TREE and MARTIN).

5 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were concentrated along a
short stretch of beach and just past the surf - two
adult and 3 first summer.  Lots of their GREAT cousins
were about, along with maybe 60 RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS just past the surf and 200 DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANTS sprinkled liberally in the water.  A COMMON
LOON was part of this group, too.  No terns except for
a few FORSTER'S and ROYAL.  Some GANNETS were still
around.  Elisa saw a DOLPHIN swimming south.

The long walk to False Cape was fairly uneventful, but
there was a decent variety of waders.  A CATTLE EGRET
was perched on the railing at the fishing platform
near the start of the dike trail.  It's only the
second time that I've seen this species here and the
first in the spring.  SNOWY and GREAT EGRETS were
common, along with GREAT BLUE.  We saw 2 GREEN HERONS
and 2 GLOSSY IBIS.  A MUTE SWAN was in one of the
impoundments.  PIED-BILLED GREBE, CANADA GOOSE,
BLUE-WINGED TEAL, MALLARD, AM. BLACK DUCK and WOOD
DUCK rounded out the rest of the waterfowl.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS were common all the way down to
False Cape.  No Lesser.  SOLITARY, SNIPE, SEMI/LEAST,
KILLDEER, WILLET, and SPOTTED SAND. were present in
small numbers.

We saw OSPREY and BALD EAGLE.  One eagle was near the
platform at the beginning of False Cape, perhaps
another was hunting near the South Inlet, and another
perched on some sort of platform not far from the
maintenance area at Back Bay.

We hit upon a little flock of PINE WARBLER, CAR.
CHICKADEE and B.H. NUTHATCH at False Cape.  We got
very satisfying looks at these.  A gorgous male SUMMER
TANAGER perched obligingly nearby, one of two that we
saw today.  Other migrants and spring arrivals that we
had include R.T. HUMMINGBIRD, G.C. FLYCATCHER, E.
KINGBIRD, GR. CATBIRD, B. THRASHER, YEL.-RUMPED, COM.
YELLOWTHROAT, PALM, and PRARIE WARBLERS, BLUE GROSBEAK
and ORCHARD ORIOLE.  A few BOBWHITE were present, too.
 I got great looks at a male walking on the edge of
the lawn near the Visitor Center at Back Bay before
sunset.

A WILD PIG fed in the marsh at the False Cape
overlook.  4 WILD PONIES were at Back Bay.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.
AND
Elisa Enders
Portsmouth, Va. 


        
                
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