Greetings...
Friday afternoon I drove down to Kiptopeke to bird Saturday through Tuesday
on the Eastern Shore. I was birding at times with various combinations of
Ned Brinkley (ESB), Brian Sullivan (BLS), George Armistead (GLA), and Zach
Smith at the hawk watch platform. A lot of ground was covered, hitting some
favorite spots of Ned, Brian and George. This being early November we were
hoping for some outstanding birds. We did get one, the Swainson's Hawk at
the hawkwatch platform at Kiptopeke State Park. Ned also spotted a Cave
Swallow at the GATR Tract, as reported previously here. Brian was able to
catch a glimpse of this bird but not enough to identify it, George and I
missed it completely. We did very well on other species as well with several
birds that I've not seen reported yet this fall. George managed to find a
Clay-colored Sparrow at the State Park while Brain and I were running late.
Areas covered were scattered all over the southern tip of the peninsula, with
a couple trips up to Chincoteague for a goose hunt. I guess the easiest way
to summarize the extended weekend will be via a list. Abbreviated locations
included the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Islands (CBBT), Chincoteague NWR
(Chinc), Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (ESVNWR). We
also spent a fair amount of time working edges around Arlington Road on the
west side of US 13.
Red-throated Loon: A decent flight was noted on the morning 3 Nov from the
CBBT with BLS, and on the afternoon of 4 Nov at Chincoteague while
seawatching with ESB, GLA and BLS.
Common Loon: noted on the bay and ocean in decent numbers.
Pied-billed Grebe: one in the middle of the bay off of CBBT 4 on 3 Nov with
BLS.
Northern Gannets: many seen streaming to sea over Chesapeake Channel on 3 Nov
with BLS, all ages. Fair numbers from Chincoteague.
Great Cormorant: at least 7 on 3 Nov with BLS at CBBT 4.
Double-crested Cormorant: good numbers observed in lines overhead at various
times.
Green Heron: one bird at Ramp Road with GLA on 5 Nov.
Glossy Ibis: one at Chincoteague with ESB and BLS, 2 Nov.
Snow Goose: as expected there are thousands at Chincoteague. Interesting was
lines of them flying south overhead at Sunset beach on the morning of 5 Nov
(with GLA and BLS).
Ross's Goose: one picked from the flock at Swan Cove at Chincoteague on 4 Nov
(with ESB, BLS, GLA). That bird was good for my 335th of the year in
Virginia. An attempt was made to find one on 2 Nov, however the flock had
departed by four PM. Another bird was seen with the lines of Snow Geese
heading south on 5 Nov (with BLS, GLA).
Canada Goose: one small bird picked from a line at Chincoteague (with BLS,
ESB) on 2 Nov.
Wood Duck: ESVNWR had a couple, and Eyre Hall had a few on 5 Nov.
Green-winged Teal: large flock of hens at ESVNWR, but also had one in a
scoter line off of Chinc.
Northern Pintail: seen a few times in lines migrating, also on the ground at
ESVNWR and Chinc.
Greater Scaup: at least one in with about fifteen Lesser Scaup at Swan Cove
(Chinc).
Harlequin Duck: one hen off of CBBT 3 Tuesday afternoon on my way home, first
reported by Bob Anderson I think on 27 October.
Long-tailed Duck: one seen off CBBT 4 on 4 Nov with BLS.
Black and Surf Scoter: good numbers of both on CBBT 4 on 4 Nov with BLS.
Lines noted at Chinc also on 2 and 4 Nov.
White-winged Scoter: one drake at CBBT 4 on 4 Nov with BLS flying into the
bay alone.
Red-breasted Merganser: one on CBBT 4, 4 Nov with BLS.
Swainson's Hawk: outstanding looks at this juv. bird from the platform on 3
Nov. Credit to Brinkley here.
Golden Eagle: 3 juvs at ESVNWR on 3 Nov, two together flying south, one later
seen going north.
Marbled Godwit: 2 at Chinc on 4 Nov with ESB, BLS, and GLA.
Red Knot: a small flock (I forget how many) on the beach at Chinc on 4 Nov.
Pectoral Sandpiper: one bird circling above a field and calling near
Cheapside with BLS on 4 Nov.
Purple Sandpiper: I watched six of these birds fly onto the rocks on CBBT 3
Tuesday afternoon.
Bonaparte's Gull: A decent migration of this species was noted at
Chincoteague, many just at dusk looking over the ocean on 2 Nov.
Lesser Black-backed Gull. GLA and I had a first, second, and third winter at
Northampton Landfill on 5 Nov. I had a first and third winter at CBBT 3
later that day.
Worth noting here is the first indication of food moving into the mouth of
the bay for gulls, gannets and such. During east winds and foggy drizzle on
Tuesday afternoon, I spent about 75 minutes between islands 4 and 3 watching
thousands of gulls feeding in the channels and the lees of both islands.
There were additionally about another thousand gulls on the rocks on the
windward sides of both islands. Large numbers of Laughing and Herring Gulls,
smaller numbers of Ring-billeds, with only a couple hundred or so Great
Black-backed Gulls. Hard as I tried, I couldn't string any jaegers.
Caspian Tern: seen at a couple locations including Chincoteague and around
the southern tip of the peninsula on 4 and 5 Nov.
Black Skimmer: two crossing the bay from CBBT on 4 Nov.
Long-eared Owl: this is the way to start a birding weekend. Owl bander
Fletcher Smith was processing this owl when I was getting ready to go birding
on Saturday morning. Saw-whets were being caught in nets as well throughout
the weekend.
Tree Swallow: thousands of these birds were scrutinized for something rarer,
mostly at the ESVNWR as the birds wheeled through the pond there. There is a
good flow of birds, and sitting at that location for hours may never exhaust
all of them as they seem to keep moving after getting water. This certainly
seems like a good set up for a vagrant Violet-green Swallow or a Cave. Many
other individuals seen throughout the peninsula, including another large
flock at Chincoteague, also closely scrutinized.
House Wren: one at GATR Tract on 5 Nov with GLA.
Sedge Wren: one on CBBT 3 on 4 Nov with BLS.
Marsh Wren: two heard at Eyre Hall on 5 Nov with GLA.
Hermit Thrush: several around, with one on CBBT 3 on 4 Nov.
American Robin: thousands seen on the morning of 3 November streaming over
the western side of the peninsula going north. As many as could be seen well
were combed through for other possible vagrants. Far fewer were seen the
rest of the weekend, but their movement was noted repeatedly.
American Pipit: several heard at various locations on all days.
Orange-crowned Warbler: one at GATR Tract on 3 Nov (ESB, GLA, BLS).
American Redstart: banded at the Kiptopeke Banding Station on 2 Nov.
Clay-colored Sparrow: seen by Armistead alone at Kiptopeke State Park.
Lapland Longspur: one rattled overhead a couple times between US 13 and
Cheapside along Route 624 on 3 Nov. Great pick by Sullivan.
Snow Bunting: one well seen and heard bird on CBBT 4 on 4 Nov, another good
pick by Sullivan.
Purple Finch: various individuals heard several times on all days.
Pine Siskin: heard on the morning of 5 Nov at Sunset Beach.
Cheers...
Todd
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Todd Day
Jeffersonton, VA
Culpeper County
Blkvulture@xxxxxxx
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