This morning was the hoped-for morning on the Eastern Shore, where spring
migration is a little more fickle than it is south or west of the Chesapeake
Bay.
A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at the feeder for several hours in the
early morning here at the house, and the trees here in Cape Charles were full
of Blackpoll Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, American Redstarts, Northern
Parulas, Great Crested Flycatchers, a Pine Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Orchard
Orioles, several Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes (also noted yesterday),
and a few Northern Waterthrushes. On the harbor, at least seven pairs of
Northern Rough-winged Swallows have set up shop on the seawall that used to
support the old ferry terminal (north side of the harbor); they're nesting
again in the circular drain holes, as first noticed in 1999.
Hundreds of swifts and swallows again are congregating over the beachfront
north of the harbor, as in past three springs, and it is in these flocks,
which often contain Bank and Cliff Swallows in May, that we've twice seen a
Cave Swallow (worth a quick check if you're passing by). The beaches and
jetties in town have held hundreds of Royal Terns, a Sandwich Tern, a
Semipalmated Plover, several Dunlin, and up to 10 Sanderling, 30 Ruddy
Turnstones, and 21 Purple Sandpipers (in breeding plumage, here at arm's
length from the fun pier). Offshore in the Bay, we have not yet seen the
first Wilson's Storm-Petrels in the deeper water but will check again this
afternoon.
At Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR this morning, three Lincoln's Sparrows were
watched singing (absolutely gorgeous song) at the head of the Butterfly
Trail, next to the Winslow Bunker parking lot, amongst abundant Swamp
Sparrows, several White-throated and Field Sparrows, many Blue Grosbeaks (a
male and a female bore bands, apparently from last year's banding operation,
as none have been banded this year!) and many Indigo Buntings,
Yellow-breasted Chats, Prairie Warblers, and White-eyed Vireos. The
Lincoln's typically migrates at this time of year, but we sometimes go a
spring without one (the first spring record here was made by Jamie Cameron in
1999), so to have three was incredible and suggests a strong migratory push
last night.
Early in the morning, a strong diurnal flight of Eastern Kingbirds and
Bobolinks (and perhaps 14 Common Loons, 3 Great Blue Herons, 2 Snowy Egrets,
and one Belted Kingfisher) swept northwestward over the southern tip. The
ponds in the area all had Lesser Yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpipers, several
of which flew over to the northwest in the morning flight.
In the bunker woods, scores of Common Yellowthroats and Gray Catbirds and
Ovenbirds (many in the nets), about 10 Northern Waterthrushes, some in song,
one Louisiana Waterthrush that got flushed into the net (a nice capture of
this usually very early migrant), at least two Magnolia Warblers, two
Black-throated Blue Warblers, a Black-throated Green Warbler (large bill, so
not a Wayne's), American Redstarts, Yellow-rumped Warblers, one Worm-eating
Warbler, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, as well as Wood Thrush, Veery,
Gray-cheeked Thrush, and Swainson's Thrush. Other migrants included Northern
Parulas, Black-and-white Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, A Marsh Wren at
the banding station was another good capture, as was an Orchard Oriole.
Surprising two days ago was a Hermit Thrush in the nets here! It should be
time for Bicknell's Thrush to begin showing up as well, through late May.
The first Eastern Wood-Pewee and Acadian Flycatchers on the refuge were noted
yesterday by Calvin Brennan.
The Eurasian Collared-Doves are still at it, just south of the 645 x 600 jct,
east of the Kiptopeke turn-off. Looks like it's official!
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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