Hello VA-Birders,
Larry Meade and I birded Chincoteague and Saxis Marsh this weekend and we were
able to find many very interesting birds, a few of which are now returning
through on their migrations. We netted 90 total species despite barely
touching the woods all weekend. Best birds include BLACK TERNS, WILSON'S
STORM-PETRELS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BLACK-NECKED STILTS, and a NORTHERN
GANNETT.
Saturday morning, we visited Saxis Marsh hoping for Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrows, but we found none. Plenty of SEASIDE SPARROWS and MARSH WRENS,
however. We toured a couple of the minor roads of the area and foud ROYAL
TERNS, LEAST TERNS, and others on a sandbar. NORTHERN BOBWHITES were heard and
seen very close to us on a couple of occasions. Warblers included PRAIRIE,
YELLOW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. An EASTERN MEADOWLARK
was heard and briefly seen near one of the main marshes. Later that evening
after a visit to Chincoteague, we returned to find a few CLAPPER RAILS and
VIRGINIA RAILS, as well as a perched GREAT-HORNED OWL on a wire along the main
road. Black Rail was hoped for but not heard.
Chincoteague NWR proved fruitful on both days. Saturday we noted SEMIPALMATED
PEEPS, many SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER joined by a single LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and
a LESSER YELLOWLEGS on the Wildlife Loop. In addition, a single BLACK TERN
quickly made its way across an open area, offering excellent views. I also
noted a PECTORAL SANDPIPER fly across the flats and overhead, which seems
early. The Causeway held the BLACK-NECKED STILTS and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER.
Perhaps the most interesting part of our visit was the seawatches we did both
days. Today we found over a dozen WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS feeding just
offshore, a few offering fairly good views. A scope is necessary to get the
field marks. We also saw another BLACK TERN offshore, SANDWICH TERNS, LEAST
TERNS and the usual tern suspects, an immature NORTHERN GANNET (watched for
several minutes plunge-diving), and a WHIMBREL. No Piping Plovers showed
themselves, but we had an excellent time nevertheless.
Lists of observations follow. Chincoteague numbers are for both days.
Jay Keller,
Arlington
SAXIS MARSH - 7/16
Canada Goose 1
Mallard 1
Northern Bobwhite 4
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Egret 4
Green Heron 2
Turkey Vulture 15
Osprey 2
Clapper Rail 2
Virginia Rail 3
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Laughing Gull 35
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Royal Tern 2
Forster's Tern 10
Least Tern 2
Great Horned Owl 1
Chimney Swift 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 2
Purple Martin 4
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 35
House Wren 5
Marsh Wren 12
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 65
Cedar Waxwing 4
Yellow Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 10
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 4
Seaside Sparrow 15
Northern Cardinal 3
Indigo Bunting 1
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Common Grackle 10
Boat-tailed Grackle 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 8
CHINCOTEAGUE NWR - 7/16 and 7/17
Canada Goose 15
Mallard 53
Northern Bobwhite 2
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 15
Northern Gannet 1
Brown Pelican 35
Double-crested Cormorant 18
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 14
Snowy Egret 18
Little Blue Heron 15
Tricolored Heron 4
Cattle Egret 3
Green Heron 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Glossy Ibis 45
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 2
Clapper Rail 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 25
Black-necked Stilt 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Willet 21
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Whimbrel 1
Sanderling 42
Semipalmated Sandpiper 5
Least Sandpiper 22
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Short-billed Dowitcher 78
Long-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 375
Herring Gull 42
Great Black-backed Gull 15
Royal Tern 7
Sandwich Tern 8
Common Tern 25
Forster's Tern 15
Least Tern 125
Black Tern 2
Black Skimmer 185
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 4
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
White-eyed Vireo 1
Fish Crow 6
Purple Martin 13
Tree Swallow 15
Barn Swallow 35
Tufted Titmouse 1
House Wren 4
American Robin 14
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 3
Brown Thrasher 2
European Starling 8
Pine Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 13
Eastern Towhee 2
Seaside Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 22
Common Grackle 12
Boat-tailed Grackle 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
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