[va-bird] Virginia Big Day, 5/23/04

Virginia Big Day, May 23, 2004
Bob Ake, John Spahr, Bill Williams and I did a Big Day in Virginia on Sunday, 
May 23, 2004.  We found 165 species (158 shared) in a 24-hour, state-wide 
dash that started in Northern Virginia, thence to Highland County, and from 
there 
through Augusta County to Newport News and on to the CBBT ending at 
Chincoteague NWR.  We traveled about 500 miles.  This may be the first planned 
& 
scouted state-wide run for a Virginia Big Day - an earlier date may produced a 
few 
more species but due to commitments by some us for the first portion of May 
this date was chosen.

Top species observed during the Big Day were Horned Grebe (in breeding 
plumage) at CBBT island #4, Sharp-shinned Hawk east of Afton Mt along I-64, 
Northern 
Bobwhite in Augusta Co. (as well as on the eastern shore), Black Rail at 
Saxis NWR, King Rail in the Cedar Run area of Prince William Co., Whimbrel in 
Oyster, Purple Sandpipers on most of the CBBT islands, E. Collard-Dove near 
where 
typically reported on Rt 600 in Northampton Co, Black-billed Cuckoo calling 
just after midnight at Marine Corp Base Quantico, Barn Owl in Augusta County, 
Chucks-wills-widows at Chincoteague NWR, Whip-poor-will at MCB Quantico, Belted 
Kingfisher (male) in Highland Co, Red-headed WP in Augusta Co., Willow 
Flycatchers in Highland and Augusta Cos., Horned Lark in Highland Co., Cliff 
Swallow 
in Highland Co., Common Raven (a save) on the down-slope of I-64 from Afton 
Mtn.; Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wrens, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Veery and 
Hermit Thrushes, Golden-winged Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warblers (the latter 
may be in probable breeding territory) all in Highland Co.; Blackpoll Warbler 
on the CBBT, and Vesper and Savannah Sparrows in Highland Co.

Despite weeks of planning, our biggest misses along the route were Greater 
Yellowlegs (amazing!), Tri-colored and Little Blue Herons, and Kentucky 
Warbler. 
 (Of course, we also found a few amazing species, too!)  We recorded ca. 87% 
of the species found during several days of scouting in the areas the route 
covered.

We started off at midnight at MCB Quantico near Cedar Run.  Here we garnered 
Barred Owl and YB Chat and heard a Black-billed Cuckoo make its grating call 
about 100 feet from us as we listened to the Whip-poor-will.  At a field near 
Cedar Run we heard the King Rail (one of two found previously) but the Virginia 
Rails here were silent.  And our next stop was also met with silence!  We 
then began our first long driving leg to Highland Co.

We drove up to the ridge road, Rt 600, quickly tallying Eastern Screech Owl 
before going to our grassland spot where we found singing Vesper, Savannah, and 
Field Sparrows plus a distant Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  After the Horned Larks 
made their tinkling calls, we left the ridge for our cross-country drive.  We 
cut across the mountainside using an old (private) farm road that connects with 
Rt 642 thus avoiding a trip though West Virginia.  Along the way we noted 
Least Flycatcher and Winter Wrens.  A ridge Spruce plantation added the 
high-altitude species: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Blue-headed Vireo, 
Black-capped 
Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Wood and Hermit 
Thrushes, 
and Magnolia, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green Warblers.  We then drove 
down the mountainside finding the mid-elevation species relatively easily, 
but missed Brown Creeper.

The Blue Grass Valley area yielded up Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrel, 
Belted Kingfisher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Phoebes, Willow 
Flycatcher, 
Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Cliff and Barn Swallows, all three mimids, Cedar 
Waxwings, Golden-winged Warbler, Bobolinks, both orioles, plus the more 
common species.  As we drove east over the various ridges we picked up No. 
Parula 
and Cerulean Warbler, but only 3 of 4 team members saw the Common Raven, and 
then later the Broad-winged Hawk, flyover.

Augusta County went quickly enough with notables of Green Heron (ON), No. 
Bobwhite (nr Waynesboro, in decline in the county), Barn Owl (ON), a surprising 
Red-headed Woodpecker at a Warbling Vireo site west of Staunton, and 
Grasshopper Sparrow.  We missed the Kentucky Warbler near Afton.  As we began 
our drive 
to the tidewater area via I-64, Bill Williams pulled off a great save by 
spotting a Common Raven!  Soon after, he noted a Sharp-shinned Hawk crossing 
the h
ighway.

We arrived in Newport News, picking up many roadside birds and a Prothonotary 
Warbler at the namesake city park.  We passed a couple of Yellow-crowned 
Night-Herons before the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel; the Common Tern colony on 
the 
southside of the Bridge-Tunnel was very active with at least a hundred birds 
plus two Black Skimmers.  (Please note that there was less than a 5 minute 
delay enroute to that confounded bridge!)  Continuing on to the CBBT, we worked 
the islands and found Brown Pelicans, the Horned Grebe, many Purple Sandpipers, 
a Blackpoll Warbler, and Boat-tailed Grackles.  Our passage over the length 
was completed about 1 hour before the Magnificent Frigatebird was spotted by 
Stephen Eccles - darn!

We drove north towards Chincoteague, finding Wood Ducks, Gadwall, Eurasian 
Collared-Dove, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Summer Tanager 
along the way.  A quick stop at Oyster netted the staked-out Hooded Mergansers 
and a flock of Whimbrel.

Arriving at Chincoteague NWR about 30 min. before sunset, we drove to the 
beach, passing an adult Bald Eagle, and quickly found two Piping Plovers along 
with the regular shorebirds near the road.  We subsequently found that the Snow 
Goose Pool Drive was closed resulting in the vision of Greater Yellowlegs, 
Little Blue and Tri-colored Herons, and Ruff melting from our dreams.  Oh for 
the 
want of another half-hour!  Undaunted, John suggested a westside motel look 
out for Black-crowned Night-Herons and, sure enough, we found one by the docks.

As we drove out of the refuge, we heard two nearby Chuck-wills-widow.  We 
then drove to the Saxis area (after a quick stop to get motel keys) for Part II 
of the day's nocturnal birding.  Bob was driving and he detected a "kik-i-doo" 
at the first stop!  And so, Saxis came through with several key species: Black 
Rail (about half way between the last residence and the town Saxis), Virginia 
Rail, Marsh Wren, and Seaside Sparrow.  Unfortunately, the wind kicked up 
from a storm centered over Virginia Beach, and so our efforts to find Common 
Nighthawks did not produce positive results.

On behalf of my teammates, I would like to encourage everyone in Virginia to 
consider doing a Big Day: in a park, city, county, or region (or for the 
Kiptopeke Challenge, hint, hint) and at any time of year.  You don't have to 
set 
records (we certainly did not) for these Big Days to have value.  These types 
of 
events are challenging to our abilities, help us and others learn about the 
abundance and diversity of birds along our chosen routes, and are just simply 
fun to do.

I would like to extend a well-deserved thank you to my teammates, Bill, Bob 
and John for an outstanding job in scouting the route and making a first pass 
on the timing we required.  Sunday's result would not have occurred otherwise!  
I will post the species list separately.

Kurt Gaskill


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