This afternoon around 3:45 PM, Adam D'Onofrio, Karen (Adam's friend), my wife
Sandra, and I found a first winter Iceland Gull on island #4 of the CBBT. The
bird was first noted in front of our vehicle by Sandra just as I was about to
run over it as the bird sat in the parking lot on the northeast side of the
island. When I finally came to a stop, the bird took flight and was observed
by Adam and me as it flew over to the west side of the island. A few minute
later, we relocated the bird sitting on the rocks off the northwest side of the
island. Over the next thirty minutes, Rexanne Bruno, Robert Ferrell, and Gene
Satler also got good looks at the bird on the rocks and in flight. Lesson
learned, stop the vehicle when your non-birding spouse tells you you are about
to run over an "odd looking gull".
Earlier in the day, we had liesurely looks at the Black-chinned Hummingbird
(including great scope view compliments of Mike Stinson) that has been
frequenting the yard of Ned Brinkley's B&B in Cape Charles and got great looks
at about 25 Cave Swallows (with a single Barn and a few Tree Swallows) flying
around the fields along Rt 600 just north of Latimer Siding Road (which is
south of the usual Eur. C-Dove spot).
Great birds, fantastic weather, and much good company..it just doesn't get much
better. By the way, the hummingbird was #334 on my year list (for anyone still
keeping tabs).
Good Birding,
Mike Boatwight--
Amherst, VA
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