About 7-8 inches of snow fell over much of Northampton County between 0600
and 1700 yesterday, and it's not melting much today. Rural roads such as 600
and Arlington Rd have drifts well over a foot, some up to 2 feet this morning.
In a few patches, farmers have plowed stretches on the bayside, but the
seaside (east of Rte 13) roads are mostly impassable without a high-clearance
4wd
vehicle (many of which are in ditches today). Most of this is supposed to
melt by week's end.
Birds around the southern part of the county today include hundreds of Snow
Geese around Kiptopeke and the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, where 15 Blue
Snows and one white Ross's accompanied the flocks; thousands of blackbirds in
the
few bare patches in cornfields and in backyards; and a Yellow Palm Warbler at
Fairview. Very few sparrows have been in evidence along roadsides; the only
Fox Sparrow I've seen was in Cape Charles. The only pipit was in Food Lion
parking lot. Crystal Lake in Cape Charles has Ruddy Duck, Lesser Scaup,
Hooded Merganser, American Black Duck, Mallard, and plenty of Canada Geese,
along
with Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, and Killdeer. Few raptors are conspicuous - I
saw 1 harrier, 2 Red-taileds, and 1 kestrel in three hours of birding this
morning.
Four hardy volunteers counted seabirds and other fare from the northern
islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel for the 11th Chesapeake Bay CBC
yesterday, between 0701 and 1400, after which the islands were closed for
birding
because of the storm. Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks called as snow fell on
them, gannets and Bonaparte's Gulls swarmed over fish and tidelines, and small
numbers of cormorants and loons braved the blizzard out in the Bay.
Highlights
were a jaeger (probably Pomarine), three Harlequin Ducks, Tundra Swan, Common
Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Horned Grebe, Sanderling, Forster's Tern, Lesser
Black-backed Gull, American Oystercatcher, and flocks of blackbirds and
Killdeer
crossing the Bay during the storm. A Peregrine Falcon on Christmas Day may be
counted for "Count Week" but wasn't seen yesterday. If anyone sees an Iceland
Gull (or rarer) on 27, 28, or 29 December, please send word and we can
include it in "Count Week".
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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