VA BIRDers,
Rich "Grandpa" Rieger and I visited a few locations before and after the Wreck
Island Field trip (see previous post). We started early-ish on Ramp Road at
the ESVNWR (0600) noting 13 White Ibis. A few Brown Pelican flew in the
distance along the channel and the nearby pond held Gadwall, Am. Wigeon, Am.
Black Duck, Mallard, No. Shoveler, Green-winged Teal and Bufflehead. An adult
Bald Eagle flew over the saltmarsh and Wild Turkey gobbled close by. Other
flyovers were Horned Lark and a couple of Tree Swallows. A Palm Warbler flew
out of the phrags and Pine Warblers sung in the nearby pines.
Our drive up Seaside Road (600) netted the singing E. Collard Dove on a wire
near the customary intersection. We also noted a few Am. Kestrels and one No.
Harrier plus 30 or so Chipping Sparrows in a lawn.
We drove to Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve. This small but wonderful,
quiet area of ca. 300 acres has a natural fresh water pond in woods which held
several Wood Ducks. Pine Warblers sung from the trees. We walked to the beach
and noted No. Gannets flying two hundred yards offshore, a Forster's Tern, a
small flock of Sanderlings and 50 Dunlin that flew over us.
The woods yielded Hermit Thrush, a calling Pileated WP and the usual 3
woodpeckers. A Winter Wren broke into its bubbly song as we walked the edge
where we found a small group of Field Sparrows hanging out. A pair of E.
Bluebirds were in the nearby field.
Savage Neck Dunes NAP is of great interest to the NAP program and visitors
should consider submitting notes of their sightings to me or Dot Field
(dfield@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, directions on the NAP website, see
www.dcr.state.va.us/dnh). No hunting will take place in this area until fall
(contact Dot during the fall for hunting dates). A Field Trip and census of
this location will take place June 5th - see www.cvwo.org for more details.
After the Wreck Island Trip, Rich I stopped at CBBT Island number 4. Here we
quickly found 3 Harlequin Ducks as well as several hundred Surf Scoters with
Black and White-winged Scoter mixed-in, plus Long-tailed Duck. We noted a
single Great Cormorant on the jetty rocks and 50 or so DC Cormorants. A few
Common Loons were sprinkled about. The skies and sea were filled with Northern
Gannets - I estimate 350 individuals.
Kurt Gaskill
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