50th CAPE CHARLES CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT,
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2014. 147 species (low).
SYMBOLISM. Now, this is where it gets a little clunky, so, bear with me,
please. The main purpose of these counts is to take stock of how the
birds are doing. This is an attempt to do this. Here is how to
interpret the so-called "symbolism". So ... "snow goose
3,000 (9, 30-777)" means that c. 3,000 snows were seen by 9 of the 11
parties, whose totals ranged from 30 to 777. If there's only 1 number,
that means the species was found by just 1 party, as with "northern
pintail 2". For a few species it's indicated on how many of the 50
counts they were recorded, as with "marbled godwit (41/50)".
For species seen by just 3 parties the total for the party total in between the
extremes is easily had by subtracting the sum of the extremes, as for
"brown pelican 112 (3, 3-75)" so the 3rd party total is 112 minus 78,
or 34.
For unusual species, and/or unusually high counts, the species name is in all
caps, as in "BALD EAGLE 60" or "LINCOLN'S SPARROW 1".
I hope this makes sense. These numbers constitute what might be seen as
the science of the counts. I like to think that recreation and
socializing are the 2 other components of Christmas Bird Count participation,
and that they are about as important as the science. It's supposed to be
fun, too.
PARTY VARIATION: Because of the varying habitats, party efforts, and birding
skills involved there is wide variation in what the differing parties
find. The remote Smith Island party is not going to get very many
landbirds. They'll miss most of the common ones. Several of the
mainland parties do not have a shot at getting most of the waterbirds.
Further complicating the issue: some of the single party totals are actually
comprised of the combined totals of 2 or even 3 sub-parties. As a result
only 8 species were seen by all 11 parties: Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle,
Northern Flicker, Carolina Wren, Myrtle Warbler, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow,
and Red-winged Blackbird. An additional 8 species were found by 10
parties.
the BIRDS. WATERFOWL: snow goose 3,000 (9, 30-777). blue goose 25
(5, 1-23). brant 1,498 (6, 30-450). Canada goose 1,600 (10,
13-703). tundra swan 125 (7, 2-31). wood duck 4 (2, 2-2).
gadwall 311 (7, 6-120). American wigeon 105 (5, 1-41). American
black duck 227 (low; 7, 5-120). mallard 192 (6, 3-100). mallard X American
black duck 3 (8/50).
northern shoveler 47 (4, 2-33). northern pintail 2. green-winged
teal 21 (3, 5-8). redhead 19 (2, 2-17). ring-necked duck 23 (4,
1-19). lesser scaup 2. COMMON EIDER 2 (17/50; Smith I.
party). surf scoter 224 (low; 4, 1-200). white-winged scoter 2 (2,
1-1). black scoter 607 (4, 1-600). long-tailed duck 25.
bufflehead 1,213 (10, 18-377). common goldeneye 4 (3, 1-2). hooded
merganser 249 (9, 5-77). common merganser 1 (at Pond Drain; 30/50).
red-breasted merganser 156 (8, 2-40). ruddy duck 148 (6, 1-86).
the PRIMITIVES, if you will: northern bobwhite 0 (48/50). wild turkey 10
(14/50). red-throated loon 14 (3, 1-10). common loon 66 (7,
2-18). pied-billed grebe 38 (6, 1-14). horned grebe 23 (4,
1-15). northern gannet 46 (5, 1-16). double-crested cormorant 224
(7, 1-66). great cormorant 4 (in serious decline here & on
CBBT). brown pelican 112 (3, 3-75). great blue heron 49 (8,
2-15). great egret 25 (6, 1-12; 48/50). tricolored heron 8 (48/50).
black-crowned night heron 8 (4, 1-5). white ibis 0 (19/50).
RAPTORS & RALLIDS: black vulture 200 (9, 3-132; most at the Oyster
landfill). turkey vulture 350 (11, 1-167). BALD EAGLE 60 (11,
3-13). northern harrier 56 (9, 1-20). sharp-shinned hawk 9 (7,
1-2). Cooper's hawk 13 (6, 1-4). red-shouldered hawk 12 (4,
1-8). red-tailed hawk 27 (10 (1-8). American kestrel 17 (9,
1-6). merlin 1. peregrine falcon 6 (5, 1-2). clapper rail 39
(2, 10-29). Virginia rail 18 (5, 2-6). American coot 41 (3, 4-33).
SHOREBIRDS: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER 924 (7, 1-725). semipalmated
plover 8 (2, 2-6; 44/50). killdeer 46 (3, 1-35). American
oystercatcher 234 (low; 6, 3-142). greater yellowlegs 103 (8,
1-31). WILLET 802 (7, 2-710). lesser yellowlegs 0 (48/50).
whimbrel 4. marbled godwit 6 (low; 2, 2-4). ruddy turnstone 41 (4,
1-36). red knot 43 (27/50). sanderling 168 (3, 43-80).
western sandpiper 269 of the little things (3, 1-256). least sandpiper 2
(39/50). purple sandpiper 2 (Cape Charles jetties, usually our only
chance for them). peep unID'd 200 (no doubt Western Sandpipers).
DUNLIN 11,474 (7, 14-9,901). short-billed dowitcher 143 (3, 3-125).
Wilson's snipe 9 (5, 1-5). American woodcock 53 (6, 1-38; most years CC
CBC achieves the national high for the "Labrador twister". 53
may not be enough; we shall see; as a footnote, they do not occur in
Labrador).
LARIDS: [this is not a good CBC for larids] Bonaparte's gull 0.
laughing gull 0 (22/50). ring-billed gull 430 (8, 3-180). herring
gull 301 (10, 2-185). lesser black-backed gull 2 (Fisherman
Island). great black-backed gull 274 (8, 3-182). gull unID'd
3. Forster's tern 5 (3, 1-3; 36/50).
TRANSITIONAL LANDBIRDS, so to speak: rock pigeon 569 (6, 2-436).
Eurasian collared-dove 7 (12/50). mourning dove 444 (8, 10-100).
eastern screech-owl 11 (5, 1-5). great horned owl 6 (4, 1-2).
short-eared owl 1 (South Townsend party; declining as a wintering species here;
38/50). belted kingfisher 18 (8, 1-9). red-headed woodpecker 2 (Cape
Charles [town] party; 33/50). red-bellied woodpecker 68 (9, 2-13).
yellow-bellied sapsucker 22 (8, 1-6). downy woodpecker 29 (8, 1-8).
hairy woodpecker 3 (low; 3, 1-1). northern flicker 156 (11, 1-50).
pileated woodpecker 8 (4, 1-4; 41/50; totally absent in the count's early
years). eastern phoebe 3 (2, 1-2). blue jay 132 (8, 2-58).
American crow 202 (9, 2-63). fish crow 214 (2, 2-210; 410 at the Oyster
landfill; 49/50). crow unID'd 53 (2, 12-41). horned lark 59 (3,
14-25). tree swallow 30 (37/50).
LI'L SPRITES: Carolina chickadee 83 (10, 1-23). tufted titmouse 45
(7, 2-17). red-breasted nuthatch 1 (42/50). brown-headed nuthatch 6
(2, 1-5; its continued presence still precarious). brown creeper 11 (5,
1-4). house wren 10 (3, 1-5; 50/50). winter wren 11 (3, 2-5).
sedge wren 8 (5, 1-2; 49/50). marsh wren 8 (5, 1-2; 49/50).
Carolina wren 147 (11, 1-37). golden-crowned kinglet 24 (6, 1-6).
ruby-crowned kinglet 37 (8, 1-19).
THRUSH TYPES + starling, pipit & waxwing: eastern bluebird 202 (7, 1-76; 2
in 1974; great comeback). hermit thrush 42 (8, 1-18). American
robin 309 (10-171). gray catbird 25 (7, 1-11). northern mockingbird
79 (8, 2-20). brown thrasher 13 (5, 1-4). European starling 1,281
(9, 4-445). American pipit 10 (low). cedar waxwing 14 (low). snow bunting 0
(21/50.
WARBLERS: orange-crowned warbler 0 (44/50). common yellowthroat 2
(2, 1-1; 45/50). palm warbler 40 (3, 1-31; low). pine warbler 8 (2,
1-7). yellow-rumped (myrtle) warbler 1,859 (11, 9-680).
SPARROW TYPES: eastern towhee 44 (8, 1-20). chipping sparrow 177 (all
of them so harmless and inoffensive as to be almost beyond belief; 6,
2-67). field sparrow 49 (5, 2-26). vesper sparrow 7 (46/50; in
decline as a wintering species here). Savannah sparrow 196 (9,
1-105). Savannah (Ipswich) sparrow 26 (48/50). Nelson's sparrow
3. saltmarsh sparrow 11 (2, 1-10). sharp-tailed sparrow unID'd
4. seaside sparrow 0 (48/50). FOX SPARROW 216 (9, 8-49; at sunset I
saw 10 hop down from the motel roof and begin feeding on grit within feet of
the doors). song sparrow 390 (11, 1-243). LINCOLN'S SPARROW 1
(27/50; near Devil's Ditch, Picketts Harbor Natural Area Preserve; GA,TF).
swamp sparrow 95 (11, 1-27). white-throated sparrow 663 (10,
1-215). white-crowned sparrow 5 (3, 1-2; 41/50). DARK-EYED
(SLATE-COLORED) JUNCO 608 (9-195). northern cardinal 274 (10, 1-87).
BLACKBIRDS & FINCHES: red-winged blackbird 1,002 (11, 3-210).
eastern meadowlark 40 (4, 2-22; low). rusty blackbird 0 (44/50).
common grackle 113 (4, 1-110; low). boat-tailed grackle 108.
brown-headed cowbird 41 (2, 4-37; low). blackbird unID'd 50.
BALTIMORE ORIOLE 1 (Arlington X Sand Hill roads; TF,GA; 16/50). purple
finch 16 (5, 1-4). house finch 77 (4, 1-63; 46/50; absent in the earlier
years of the count). pine siskin 54 (4, 1-50). American goldfinch
173 (9, 1-45). house sparrow 50 (2, 4-46).
PARTICIPANTS: Bob Ake, Bob Anderson, George & Harry (compiler)
Armistead, Paul & Susan Bedell, Ned Brinkley, Mitchell Byrd, Jack Carroll,
Julie Coari, Linda & Robert Cole, Dan Cristol, Mary Crozier, Terri
Cuthriell, Doug Davis, Brandon Dunkum, Sue & Wes Earp, Elisa Enders, Kit
Fechtig, Todd Fellenbaum, Nick Flanders, Betsy & Chris Foster, Steve Grimes,
Nancy Guttman-Tyler, Nathaniel Kahn, Teta Kain, Roberta Kellam, Michael Male,
Colin & Stephanie McAllister, Grazina & Michael McClure, Ellison
Orcutt, Karen Roberts, Tom Saunders, Dot Silsby, Fletcher Smith, Paul Sykes,
Thuy Tran, Shelley Vallone, Buddy Vaughn, Kim Voss, Bill Williams.
BIRDS SEEN DURING THE COUNT WEEK (Dec. 27-Jan. 2) BUT NOT ON COUNT DAY:
Ross's Goose 3 (Herbert Allen Larner, near Cheriton, Jan. 2 (& Jan. 3), and
some of these seen later by Ned Brinkley (NB) and Todd Day. Greater
White-fronted Goose 1 adult, Jan. 2, photographed by Lisa Carr Rose and seen
later by NB. Eurasian Wigeon, 2 males, Jan. 1, Bull's Ponds by NB.
Northern Bobwhite, 6 at Magothy Bay Natural Area Preserve (NB), Dec. 31.
Sora, Jan. 1, Cobb I. Station (NB). Bonaparte's Gull, Jan. 1, Oyster
harbor (NB). Orange-crowned Warbler, 1, Magothy Bay Natural Area preserve
(NB), Dec. 31, plus 1 at Eastern Shore of VA N.W.R., Jan. 1, plus 1 at Oyster
landfill, Jan. 2. BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER well-described by Kit Fechtig
s. of Cape Charles (town). Lapland Longspur, Jan. 1, Picketts Harbor
N.A.P. (NB). Additionally a 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull was at Bull's Landing
Jan. 7 (NB, Todd Day), 3 Cackling Geese, and a King Rail (Bull's Pond) were
found in the Jan. 3-7 period.
ACKOWLEDGEMENTS: Grateful thanks to these landowners for enabling some of
us to have access to their properties: Alita Bell, Jody & Mark Bundy, Greg
Cridlin, Patrick Hand, Tom Lewis, Tommy O'Connor, Bruce Richardson, George
& Virginia Savage. Most of the count circle land is private so access
is very important for the success of the count. Many thanks to Jill
Bieri, Bob Leffel, and Dot Field for granting access to restricted areas of The
Nature Conservancy/Virginia Coast Reserve, Fisherman Island & Eastern Shore
of Virginia National Wildlife Refuges, and Magothy Bay & Picketts Harbor
Natural Area Preserves respectively. My
thank$ to the members of the Smith Island party for helping to "float the
boat". Likewise to Sandra Moore and the staff of Sting-Ray's for
opening up early for us so we could get into "good field position" at
prime time. Paul Sykes has been on 49 of the 50 counts. The count
he wasn't on he was helping Jim Vardaman with his big year on a pelagic trip
out of Ocean City, MD. Even so, he showed up at the compilation! I
missed one year due to the death of my mother-in-law. Special mention should
be made of 2
participants: Dot Silsby, 91, and Mitchell Byrd, 85. Actually, anyone who
participated today deserves accolades for braving this adverse weather.
No ice, no snow.
WEATHER. Definitely. Overcast until 3-3:30 P.M., then a beautiful,
advancing arc of blue sky came from the north. Light rain for most of the
day until then. Winds, very strong 20-25, sometimes more, most of the
time, Magothy Bay a mass of seething whitecaps. 41-45 degrees F.
The Smith Island party, a band of merry men judging from Michael Male's several
photographs, deserves special mention for their fast walk up the island,
lugging 2 scopes, into the wind and rain: Dan Cristol, Ellison Orcutt, Jack
Carroll, Nathaniel Kahn, guide Buddy Vaughn, and Michael, then 2 hours scoping
the all-important Thoms Creek mudflats with a resulting splendid list and high
numbers of shorebirds. Less heroic was the hour or so Magotha Road marsh
drive 10 of us did under the direction of Fletcher Smith resulting in Saltmarsh
& Nelson's sparrows, a Virginia Rail, 5 snipe, a Marsh and a Sedge
wren. The rather low high tide meant fewer sparrows than might have been
seen or caught under normal circumstances.
FAMILY REPRESENTATION: waterfowl 26
(merely O.K.). raptors 11 (about average). shorebirds 18 (good,
even w/o Lesser Yellowlegs). owls 3 (so-so). woodpeckers 7 (all
that there are; O.K.). larids 5 (poor). wrens 5 (O.K.).
warblers 4 (not so hot, but, just barely O.K.). sparrows 12 (excluding
junco and towhee; good, even considering we missed Seaside).
NON-AVIAN TAXA: Gray Squirrel 3, White-tailed Deer 24, Harbor Seal 3, Eastern
Cottontail 5, and dolphin 2 plus the dead: 3 dolphins, a Northern Watersnake, a
Diamondback Terrapin, and 1 Loggerhead
Turtle. Not all parties chose to report non-avian taxa.
EFFORT: 46 observers in 11-15 parties (a good turnout). hours on
foot 76, hours by car 24, hours by boat 4. Miles on foot 57, miles by car
138 (low), miles by boat 15. 5:30 A.M. - 6 P.M.
THOUGHTS. This year the count had 36 more observers than the 1st year
(1965, 10 observers then) plus half a century of increased knowledge of the
area, and yet we only found 5 more species than in 1965. Some of this is
due to the atrocious weather. But there is just not the variety there
used to be. The 2nd and 3rd years of the count, 1966 and 1967, with not
much more effort or knowledge than in 1965, rather easily found 155 species.
I have been part of 135 or so May birding marathons, 300 some CBCs. 20
years or so ago we began to notice that, most of the time, our species totals
were not what they used to be in spite of increased knowledge, better optics,
more selective use of and much better audiolures, etc. There has been a
falling off.
Gut feelings that this was a good
fall/early winter for Blue Jays, juncos, Fox Sparrows, Red-shouldered and
Cooper’s Hawks were born out by several CBC results I’ve seen. It is
interesting that Cape May, which shares
some similarities with Cape Charles, also missed Lesser Yellowlegs as well as
Bonaparte’s and Laughing gulls, and this with their 91 observers, twice the
number of Cape Charles participants.
Also a good winter for Common Eiders.
MISTAKES. Probably a few. Please let me know if you spot any.
Or any suggestions for improving the count.
Best to all. - Harry Armistead, Philadelphia.
