Folks,
After seeing some of the great sightings people were posting from the
Williamsburg Birding Club cruise on the Chesapeake Bay out of Lynnhaven
Inlet (Harlequin Ducks especially!), I went out on a cruise from Rudee
Inlet just to see what might be out there in the nearshore waters of the
Atlantic Ocean. The main purpose of the cruises aboard the Rudee Flipper,
are to see Humpback Whales as they pass through our stretch of ocean.
However, the cruises are also a great place to be able to see some birds
out on the water. The Virginia Aquarium here in Virginia Beach is supposed
to start hosting tours, but a phone call this morning explained that they
currently don't have a boat, so the Flipper is the only way to get out at
present. (Tickets are $28).
Leaving Rudee Inlet, we saw some Buffleheads, but no Common Eiders were
present this time. I'm not sure if others have noted them here recently,
but there was a pair hanging out earlier this month in the inlet. When we
got out on the ocean, I got my first good looks on the year of some
Red-throated Loons, which we saw plenty of, as well as some Common Loons.
Gulls were all over the place (Ring-billed, Herring, Great Black-backed),
and when we reached a debris line of sorts, there was a large number of
Bonaparte's Gulls sitting on the water. I'm curious if anyone knows what
causes these lines to exist? The waves actually broke along them, and they
paralleled the shore for miles in both directions. I wondered if it was a
change in depth, temperature, or just a line that had something to do with
the tides. If someone out there reading this has some knowledge on the
topic, please send me a message with your explanations! Either way though,
the birds loved it. I looked adamantly for Storm-Petrels, hoping to see
some (which would be my first), but I couldn't locate any. There was a
number of Northern Gannets out there as well, some providing great shots
(See photographs: http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150125).
We ended up seeing at least 5 different Humpback Whales on the cruise, and
the highlight was a mother/calf pair that surfaced just 50 feet or less in
front of the boat. Seeing the dark masses rise up, before even breaking the
surface is something I will always remember! So if you're interested in
wildlife around southeast Virginia, this cruise is definitely something to
consider, I'm very glad to have taken it today!
Rob Bielawski
Virginia Beach, VA
