A service of the Northern Neck Audubon Society---
INAUGURAL NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER (Virginia) CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT, TUESDAY 20
DEC 2016
37 Participants in 12 Parties in 8 Sectors recorded 91 Species.
Some new friends made, some birding skills honed, some gaps in birding skills
recognized, and some participants were introduced to “birdy” areas of the
circle many had never seen. As one of the “deans” of longtime birders on the
Northern Neck said “Very nice job all around and a very creditable total for a
bunch of rookies!”
Summary: This was the inaugural event for a circle focused on the far Eastern
end of Virginia’s Northern Neck. The Circle encompasses 30+ creeks, rivers,
coves, and bays facing the Chesapeake Bay or connected to the Eastern end of
the Rappahannock River. Fishing villages, farms, small towns, and a ferry are
features of the circle. By design the circle includes numerous natural
preserve areas, forests, marshes, and waters of the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to
the Northern Neck at the widest part of the bay. The circle includes portions
of Northumberland and Lancaster Counties. Many of the sites and sectors within
the circle - with the exception of Hughlett Point Natural Area Preserve and
Dameron Marsh Natural Area Preserve - are under-birded areas. We hope through
this event and birds walks in each of the counties in 2017 to increasing
birding participation.
Preliminary results (but in most cases this will be the final result): 91
Species and a count of 8,936 Birds of all Species. Good weather for birding:
clear skies, light winds, and most of the time in the high 30s to low 40s.
Some ice on some of the fresh water marsh areas.
For a Christmas Bird Count we saw the Pear Trees – but no partridges – but we
did see the doves (Mourning), geese (Canada), swans (Tundra), colling/calling
birds (Black Birds, Crows, etc.) and yes as we birded on farmland where the
French Hens went unrecorded but admired. Highlights were the various raptors,
Hooded Mergansers, rafts of Ruddy Ducks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Robins and Cedar
Waxwings feasting on Holly Berries, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, Brown Creeper,
Brown Pelicans, and Northern Gannets. “Best Bird” was the Green Heron
photographed by Teta Kain.
Participants included (*designates sector leaders): Lloyd Dodge*, Edyth Dodge,
Lance Johnsen, Maryalyce Johnsen, Ted Munn, Betsy Washington*, Kevin Howe, Tom
Saunders*, Beth Kendrick*, Teta Kain, Bryna Brennan, Paul Servis, Mike Andrews,
Judy Andrews, Bette Gruben, Roger Gruben, Bob Meadows*, Paula Boundy, Harry
Colestock, Rochelle Colestock, Ann Moss, Tom Teeples, Tom Sennott, Frank
Schaff*, Linda Hildebrand, Nancy Garvey, Diane Wrick, Jeff Wright*, Leslie
Fellows, Carla Bangs, Patricia McMurray, Melissa Gross*, Porter Washington,
Arlene Crabbe, and Kyle Langford.
General Comments: The “Eastern” end of the Northern Neck along the Potomac
River, Rappahannock River, and the Chesapeake Bay is a very good birding area.
Our plans to use a boat for the Chesapeake Bay portions of the Circle fell
through at the last minute. We recognize that a birding team going by boat
from Reedville to Fleets Bay would improve our species count. We missed some
otherwise common winter species such as wigeon, green-winged teal, red heads,
and especially our beloved and usually abundant double crested cormorants. It
is both amazing and inconceivable that we missed cormorants which in many cases
are the “national bird of the Northern Neck.” But as one veteran of CBCs said:
”every CBC has these inexplicable misses.” Our goal for the VANL CBC is to
threatened the species count century mark each year.
We have to thank home owners, businesses, and communities for letting us bird
on their properties and in some cases for providing some much needed
hospitality to the birding teams. Next year we are focused on expanding our
access to both private and commercial properties and involving additional
individuals, communities, and organizations within the two counties. We also
plan to have “warming hut” hospitality in each of the sectors. Special thanks
to Nancy and Will Garvey for hosting a mid-afternoon lunch break for all of the
participants (…and their yard birds were within the circle!)
The 2nd Northumberland-Lancaster Christmas Bird Count on Virginia’s Northern
Neck is slated for Tuesday 19 Dec 2017. We are sticking with a weekday so we
do not collide and compete with many of the established CBCs in Virginia which
are historically on weekends. Some of us historically have supported many of
the weekend CBCs and will continue to support them. So again next year the
VANL CBC will be during the week giving ample time to dry out our boots and
sooth sore muscles before the weekend counts.
Jeff Wright
Compiler for the Northumberland-Lancaster 2016 Christmas Bird Count
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