Hello, Virginia birders,
This morning, Bob Ake, Mike Iwanik, and I spent 3 1/2 hours exploring extensive
shorebird habitat at Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA. The frequent and heavy
rains of the past few weeks have created wonderful mud flats and puddles in
several areas of the facility. The most productive spots currently are in the
northern and western sides of the south impoundment, the eastern end of the
middle impoundment, and the northeastern end of the north impoundment...just
inside the upper dike. Other tiny wet spots that held birds were just too
numerous to pinpoint each one. Some of these tiny spots were dry last Sunday,
and could be dry again soon. The puddles are producing a major hatch of
mosquitoes. They were much worse today than last Sunday, so be warned if you
visit Craney Island. Another warning: Major dirt hauling operations are
underway in the facility. Giant trucks have been in an endless procession from
one side of Craney to the other, loading and dumping, then returning for more
dirt. If you visit, please try to avoid the areas of highest truck, shovel and
bulldozer activity, for your own safety. But some of the best birding today was
near truck operations, so we parked well out of the tracks and were ready to
move away quickly if necessary. As usual after heavy rains at Craney, some
roads are treacherous and there are washouts on the dikes, so be careful and
only drive the perimeter.
Shorebirds seen today were: 80 SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER, 25 KILLDEER, 1 UPLAND
SANDPIPER (in grass road-edge along north end), 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 5 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 300 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 40 STILT SANDPIPER, 15 SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER, 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 12 SANDERLING, 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 300
LEAST SANDPIPER, 600 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, and 4 WESTERN SANDPIPER. Last
Sunday, we found 13 AMERICAN AVOCET and 1 BLACK-NECKED STILT, but they were not
seen today. Some of the numbers listed are conservative. Extensive mud flats
are teeming with birds that are not accessible and thus could not be identified
with certainty or counted.
Good birding!
David L. Hughes
Portsmouth, VA
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