Folks,
*Quick Notes*
Stumpy Lake Natural Area - 4:20 - 6:55 PM - FOY Wood Thrush, FOY
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, FOY Great Crested Flycatcher, heard several
Ovenbirds.
Other sightings from the Trip - 1 Snow Goose on the southwest quadrant of
the Princess Anne Road & Independence Boulevard intersection (photos as
link below).
*Outing Photographs*
*http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150419/
<http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150419/>*
*Last Week's Recap (Will Post Tonight)*
*http://www.rbnature.com/blog/we-20150412
<http://www.rbnature.com/blog/we-20150412>*
*Full Outing Details*
This week started off with gorgeous weather on Monday, so I brought my gear
to work, and at 4 PM headed out for Stumpy Lake. Warblers and other
songbirds have been showing up here on eBird reports so I wanted to see if
I could see some of the colorful birds here in my hometown. This being my
first outing to the park, I didn't quite know what to expect. Traveling
into the park along a causeway, I saw a Pied-billed Grebe and a few
Double-crested Cormorants out in the swampy waters. The parking area for
the hiking trail is immediately to the left when you cross the causeway,
and the trail picks up right at its side. The trail itself, roughly 1.5
miles long, is a figure 8 of sorts, with a larger loop on the west, and
smaller on the east. I headed west initially, which takes you clockwise
around the main loop, and skirts the edge of the golf course at first. I
tried my best to pay close attention to the birds high up in the canopy,
seeing a number of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a few Carolina Chickadees, a
Pine Warbler, and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers along the first quarter mile
stretch. After passing the middle cut-through trail of the figure 8, still
heading clockwise, I encountered a Hermit Thrush, and about a hundred feet
further west, heard something rustling on the ground. I watched intently as
the bird, which I was hoping might be an Ovenbird, hopped out into the
open. It wasn't an Ovenbird, but instead was a Wood Thrush! This was the
first of its kind that I've seen in Virginia Beach since getting interested
in birding, so it was tough to collect myself and try for a photograph. I
snapped a few as it rose ever higher into the trees, but the sun was
shining right at me from this direction, so they weren't the best, but good
enough to verify ID.
The next half mile or so I followed the trail westward, as it approached
the backside of a neighborhood. Sun shining in my eyes, and loud music from
someone's house meant it was almost pointless to stare upwards, so I just
walked this stretch. When I made the turn to the north, then again to the
east on the loop, I began searching for birds once again. My first
observation was a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that came zooming
through the canopy, stopping briefly on a branch, then again cruising out
of view. Along this northern part of the loop, there is a swamp off the
path, at times very close, so I tried standing still in spots along this
part of the loop to see if the water was attracting more species. Several
more Hermit Thrushes were seen in this area, and quite a few Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers, but no migrants warbler species unfortunately. I could hear a
couple Ovenbirds calling from a distance, but never when I was near enough
to search them out. Clever birds. A few Common Grackles moved through the
marsh, as did some American Crows, and a Black Vulture and a pair of Tree
Swallows were seen hovering high up above the canopy. I listened very hard
for my favorite song, that of the Prairie Warbler, but did not hear, or see
any of this species. When I'd reached the east end of the loop, I turned
180 degrees, and walk it all in reverse, this time, walking quickly along
the half I'd just birded, knowing the sun would be in my face. Along the
way, I kept hearing a bird giving a call every 10 or 15 seconds, one I
didn't recognize. I stared from tree to tree for about 10 minutes searching
out the source of the call, when finally it flushed from its spot high in a
tree, and landed slightly lower. Through the binoculars I could identify it
as a Great Crested Flycatcher, another first of year species. Being so high
up, my photos (see link above) weren't the best, but still good enough for
an ID. After it moved back up into the canopy, I continued on westward.
Again the loud music at the far west end was quite annoying, but I turned
the west edge of the loop and headed back eastward, now watching intently
for small birds moving through the trees. It was all quiet until I got near
the spot where I'd seen the Wood Thrush. Yet again, it came hopping out of
the vegetation growing close to the forest floor, posed, and jumped up into
a tree. This time, the sun at my back, I got much nicer photographs of the
beautiful bird.
The sun was now getting pretty low in the sky, so when I hit the middle
cut-through of the figure 8 again, I took it up to the marshy side, then
decided to do one final loop counterclockwise (seeing if I could get a 3rd
photo opportunity with the Wood Thrush with the sun at my back). This time,
walking quickly, and stopping for a couple of shots of Tufted Titmice and
Carolina Chickadees, I again spotted the Wood Thrush, back in its same
location. I only grabbed a photo or two, but spent more time watching it in
my binoculars. Their white undersides with black spots, and beautiful brown
backs make them just a striking bird to see in person. As with most birds,
field guide photos do them little justice. After a few minutes watching, I
moved past it, without spooking it off so it may very well be in this same
spot today. I headed over to the parking area after checking out the
eastern portion of the marsh, but finding nothing new. From the boat launch
pier, about 20-25 Double-crested Cormorants had taken up a roosting spot
atop a Cypress Tree, and a pair of Canada Geese flew in as well. I left the
park about 6:55 PM, heading out down Indian River Road, and up Independence
Boulevard. Thinking my birding for the day had come to a close, I was
surprised when I saw a small group of 22 Canada Geese on the southwest
quadrant of the intersection with Princess Anne Road...with 1 white bird
clearly visible among them! I pulled a u-turn at the intersection, and
parked just south of there on the street, put back together my camera,
grabbed the binoculars, and walked up closer. The white bird, a Snow Goose,
is the latest occurrence of one I've seen in Virginia Beach (see photos at
link above). It was quite a surprise, and a highly unexpected way to finish
off my Monday excursion!
Rob Bielawski
Virginia Beach, VA
www.rbnature.com
