It was a fine, warm day for conducting a complete shorebird survey on the
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Water levels were good in the
impoundments with more waterfowl taking advantage then shorebirds. Still, we
counted 1,321 individual shorebirds of 10 species with dunlin leading the count
with 964 individuals. Not bad for winter and perhaps a hint of the spring
migration to come. Most of the shorebirds were on Tom's Cove on a falling or
low tide. A high count of 164 horned grebes on Tom's Cove is a high number for
the area. The "best" bird of the day for us was the 4 red-necked grebes; 3 on
Swans Cove across from the NPS Visitor Center and one Chincoteague Bay of the
Service Road.
Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Monday Mar 10, 2014. All water areas
(impoundments and beach areas) were covered in a 6 hour survey. All individuals
are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on the survey are
followed by a dash.
Our next survey will be March. 25th.
Clyde Morris & Joelle Buffa
Snow Goose --
Canada Goose --
Tundra Swan --
Gadwall --
American Wigeon --
American Black Duck --
Mallard --
Blue-winged Teal --
Northern Shoveler --
Northern Pintail --
Green-winged Teal --
Lesser Scaup --
Surf Scoter --
Black Scoter --
Long-tailed Duck --
Bufflehead --
Hooded Merganser --
Red-breasted Merganser --
Red-throated Loon 18
Common Loon 71
Horned Grebe 167
Red-necked Grebe 4
Northern Gannet 16
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron --
Great Egret --
Snowy Egret --
Black Vulture --
Turkey Vulture --
Northern Harrier --
Sharp-shinned Hawk --
Bald Eagle --
Red-tailed Hawk --
American Oystercatcher 18
Black-bellied Plover 10
Killdeer 4
Greater Yellowlegs 49
Willet 134
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Marbled Godwit 5
Ruddy Turnstone 19
Sanderling 86
Dunlin 984
Ring-billed Gull 105
Herring Gull 356
Lesser Black-backed Gull 17
Great Black-backed Gull 121
Belted Kingfisher --
Merlin --
Eastern Phoebe --
Blue Jay --
American Crow --
Fish Crow --
Horned Lark --
Brown-headed Nuthatch --
Marsh Wren --
American Robin --
Northern Mockingbird --
European Starling --
American Pipit --
Yellow-rumped Warbler --
Song Sparrow --
Swamp Sparrow --
White-throated Sparrow --
Dark-eyed Junco --
Northern Cardinal --
Red-winged Blackbird --
Common Grackle --
Boat-tailed Grackle --
Brown-headed Cowbird --
