VA Birders,
I spent some time on the eastern shore starting at the CBBT yesterday
and working my way north from there ending at Chincoteague today. There
were Spotted Sandpipers on every island of the CBBT and a least
sandpiper on #4. The tern colony at the south end of island 1 was
loaded with adult and juvenile Common Terns making for a good aging
study. At the tip of the peninsula best birds were 10 Black-crowned
Night-herons (mostly adults) at the pond on Eastern Shore of VA NWR and
a single juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron posing nicely on the gravel
road. Also at the pond a couple of Glossy Ibis and a hen Blue-winged
Teal with 8 youngsters unable to fly yet.
Along Seaside road just north of Indiantown road, a single Gull-billed
Tern was working a soybean field and a mockingbird gave me a start
because of it's extraordinarily long tail. Just a mocker though.
Willis Wharf had at least 25 Whimbrel, several calling Clapper Rails and
one that ventured out of the weeds for a drink of water, two cruising
Sandwich Terns (unusual, I usually see Gull-billed here), and the usual
assortment of other stuff. I was again unable to find a Marbled Godwit.
At Chincoteague I found a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron in the
marsh along the road on the southwestern corner of the island. On the
refuge, shorebird numbers were way down from Ned's post. About 20
Short-billed Dowitchers were working the flats on Swan Cove with two
gorgeous Stilt Sandpipers still in mostly alternate plumage. Many
Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and Semipalmated Plovers. A
nice assortment of terns including Royal, Sandwich, Common, Forster's,
and Least. Further down across from the visitor's center I found a
single Black Tern and two Piping Plovers in with the more usual mix of
stuff. I had to leave before the wildlife loop opened up but Greg
Miller was there with a group from Ohio so I'm sure they will let us
know if they found anything good.
Sue
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