Hello VA-Birders,
I participated in the VSO trip to the Tidewater area this weekend, though only
was able to attend the CBBT event on Saturday. There was a nice assortment of
birds on the islands, though not the target Eiders. Two HARLEQUIN DUCKS are
now present on Island 2, and were nice to see again. Also on Island 2 was a
Peregrine Falcon with jesses, and I heard a second-hand report of it
successfully hunting a duck, so it appears that it may be just fine on its own.
After the CBBT, many of the participants visited the Eastern Shore. Larry
Meade, Russ Taylor and I hit various places in Northampton County. Notable
birds:
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD -- at Ned Brinkley's home (9 Randolph Avenue) in Cape
Charles, which I am hoping turns out to be an Allen's as it would be a new VA
bird for me.
REDHEAD -- at Northampton Co. Landfill, among other waterfowl and 2 EASTERN
MEADOWLARKS
Magotha Road was nice with two visits day and night. We had very close views
of one of at least 6 SEDGE WRENS. On our second visit as darkness fell, we
could see and hear the approx. 225 BRANT on Magothy Bay, 3 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS
flying overhead, and a BARN OWL heard toward the distant south. WOOD DUCKS
were heard here (as well as 6 flying over the KSP hawkwatch platform earlier).
A CLAPPER RAIL and 3 VIRGINIA RAILS were heard.
This morning I went home via Route 13 and stopped for an hour-and-a half at
Chincoteague NWR where I arrived just after sunrise. I was fortunate to find
two ROSS'S GOOSE (year bird #307 - or 306 pending the Selasphorus Hummer
finding) among 175 or so SNOW GEESE. Other nice birds were flocks of
BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 3 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, both LOONS, and a couple GANNETS all
flying by offshore. There were over 350 BRANT on the causeway and a few dozen
others just before the refuge entrance. It would have been a great morning to
see the Wildlife Loop.
The weekend produced 104 species, and the *Chincoteague-only* list is below. I
was in a hurry so the numbers may be on the low side. If anyone wants lists
from other locations, please e-mail me offline.
Jay Keller,
Arlington
Snow Goose 125
Ross's Goose 2
Brant 415
Canada Goose 225
American Wigeon 2
American Black Duck 35
Mallard 25
Blue-winged Teal 6
Northern Shoveler 3
Northern Pintail 8
Green-winged Teal 1
Lesser Scaup 15
Surf Scoter 10
White-winged Scoter 4
Black Scoter 15
Bufflehead 6
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Ruddy Duck 8
Red-throated Loon 1
Common Loon 2
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Northern Gannet 2
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 8
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 8
American Oystercatcher 5
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Willet 3
Sanderling 12
Laughing Gull 8
Bonaparte's Gull 35
Ring-billed Gull 25
Herring Gull 10
Great Black-backed Gull 8
Forster's Tern 25
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 5
Carolina Chickadee 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 2
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 12
Seaside Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 14
Boat-tailed Grackle 2
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