Work, familial, and communication constraints (in declining order of
significance) prevented me from joining several recent banding expeditions
but I have heard from John Weske and Dave Brinker about the results (these
are preliminary, unofficial totals).
On July 6 these two and various helpers banded 529 Royal Tern chicks on
Little Fox Island, Accomack County, VA, south of Crisfield, MD, and owned
by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Then they went to South Point Marsh,
also in Accomack, just S. of Smith I., MD, and banded 350 Brown Pelican
chicks. That makes a total of some 1,716 pelican young banded here this
year, which I think smashes the old high total considerably. On this same
date this crew ended the day at Skimmer Island, Ocean City, MD, where they
rounded up 577 royal chicks.
About 100 unhatched royal eggs remained at Little Fox, 36 at Skimmer I., so
a mopping up operation may take place in the July 27 - August 3 period.
On July 9 John and numerous helpers visited Wreck Island (a state W.M.A.)
in Northampton County, VA, banding 1,043 royals and 50 Sandwich Terns.
There is also a good number of Gull-billed Terns there as well as skimmers.
The royal colony at Wreck has greatly increased since last year. Wreck I.
lies between Ship Shoal and Cobb islands. I think that is one of the
highest sandwich banding totals ever achieved in Virginia.
I have not heard the results of operations on Fisherman Island N.W.R. but
my impression is that both the pelican and royal colonies there, although
still very substantial this year and last, were well below levels attained
in 2002 and for several years prior to 2002.
Thanks to Lynn Davidson for a couple of refinements of my recent Nanticoke
River & Hurlock posting. She and Hal Wierenga did not see a Rare Skipper.
She points out that the fritillaries I saw at Hurlock were probably
Variegated and not Meadow.
Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA
19119-1225. 215-248-4120. Please, any off-list replies to:
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com
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