Folks,
*Highlights*
Princess Anne WMA - 7:40 to 9:40 AM - Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Indigo
Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat (some nice photos at link
below), Eastern Kingbird, American Goldfinch, Great Crested Flycatcher, No
Bufflehead this time, very quiet for shorebirds & waterfowl as expected,
only 3 Mallards seen (only waterfowl). Vegetation on trails is waist to
chest high around the impoundments, less on the entry trail.
Thoroughgood - 10:30 to 11:00 AM - Mississippi Kite NO
*Outing Photographs*
*http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150531/
<http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150531/>*
*Full Details*
Sunny skies and weather around 70 degrees F allowed me another nice morning
of birding today! I headed down to Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area
in southern Virginia Beach, hoping to maybe sneak in a less common
shorebird species like a Pectoral Sandpiper. I figured it was worth a shot
to explore the park since no one has posted any checklists on eBird from
here since May 9th (3 Saturdays ago). On the way along Munden Road, a pair
of Blue Grosbeaks flew off the overhead wires, landing in the field north
of the road which currently has corn (roughly a foot tall) growing up
across it. Earlier in the year I'd gotten a few Horned Larks on this field,
a life bird at the time, so I always pay close attention just in case. A
pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also flew across the road near here. At
the parking area, I headed down the entry trail to the south towards the
collection of 5 southern impoundments. Walking this trail, the vegetation
was about waist high in the center, though there are well worn tire tread
marks on either side of the road that make for easy walking. The forest
edge on the east side of this trail is a good spot for seeing birds in the
morning, with the sun shining from the east and lighting up all of the
canopy. Today, there was several Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, and
American Goldfinches seen along the trail, flushing several times,
typically staying out ahead of me no matter how silently I thought I was
walking along. A Great Egret and a Snowy Egret were seen in the
disappearing puddles on the east side of the trail. Reaching the pinchpoint
in the trail that separates the northern and southern halves of the
Whitehurst Tract, I headed into the southern section. Interestingly, the
forest that had grown to about 10 feet or more tall just south of here
(between the western pond and the northern & middle ponds) has been
clearcut. A portion of this had been done prior to my last May 9th outing,
but now the entire section is gone. I assume this has something to do with
providing suitable habitat for migratory songbirds as they pass through,
but since I don't work for the refuge I can't know for sure.
On the northern impoundment (where the Ruff was found last Fall), I could
make out a Greater Yellowlegs from the west side. Following the trail on
this western edge to the south, I walked to the southwestern corner of the
middle impoundment, then turned to the east. This section of trail has
quite tall vegetation, close to chest high depending on how tall a person
you are. I made sure to spray myself down with deet before venturing out
into the park, fearing chiggers & ticks given the height of the grasses, so
hopefully I don't wake up tonight with intense itching. I've had chiggers
once, and once was once too many times. Anyways, I'd highly recommend high
percentage deet if you're heading out into this park during the heat of
summer, though it is obvious that not too many folks (at least in terms of
birders) use this park in non-migration seasons. Back to the birds though,
heading east from here I walked the trail that splits between the middle
and southernmost impoundment. No birds could be seen on the southernmost
impoundment, which is now fully covered in vegetation and lacking water
except in the outlining ditches. On the middle impoundment, a single
Greater Yellowlegs was sighted, but this was the only bird present. Last
outing, a pair of Canada Geese were seen here with a Domestic Goose, but
were nowhere to be found this time. Reaching the southeastern corner of the
middle impoundment, I turned north, walking up the eastern edge of the
middle impoundment. It was along here that I had a pair of Killdeer flying
around in the air, calling out their rather ear piercing songs that their
name is derived from. I continued to encircle the middle impoundment,
heading west around its north edge, now split between the northern & middle
impoundment. Three Mallards could be seen on the northern impoundment,
another Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeers, and a pair of Snowy Egrets..and
that was it for the birds. The female Bufflehead that had been sighted
several times at the beginning of the month was not seen this time out.
Hopefully it moved northward on its own, as it didn't appear injured when
I'd seen it. Plenty of species of dragonflies were visible all across the
park, including Eastern Pondhawks, Needham's/Golden-winged Skimmers and
Halloween Pennants, with a few I just can't yet identify properly.
Reaching the pinchpoint of the two halves of the park, I headed up into the
northern half, following the treeline counterclockwise around. I finally
spotted an Eastern Kingbird near here, and more American Goldfinches were
seen. Red-winged Blackbirds were also fairly common. I ended up walking up
towards the old farmhouse, where segments of PVC piping are all laid out in
the yard, and two centrifugal pumps as well. The staff must be doing
something related to the pumping of water into the impoundments, perhaps
laying new segments of pipe to reach more impoundments than the current
system can handle? From the farmhouse, I walked down the road back to the
parking area, seeing Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Blue Grosbeaks, Mourning
Doves, Indigo Buntings, Northern Cardinal, and Turkey Vultures along the
wires & in the sky. At the parking area I decided to check out the Beasley
Tract to the north since I'd never walked it before. I didn't get too far
though, as I'd reached the first open impoundments, the grasses were chest
high and I just decided I'd had enough of walking through them. I could see
from there that at least 20 egrets were out on the now mudflats though. On
the way back again to the parking area, I found a snakeskin that was about
3-4 feet long, though whatever shed it had already moved on. From the
parking area this time, I opted to walk the entry trail one more time,
after seeing a sparrow near it that I couldn't identify (I'm still looking
for my first Chipping Sparrow of the year here in Virginia Beach). Walking
the entry trail again yielded the same species though I did find a
cooperative Yellow-breasted Chat on the first east-west cross trail. Also,
a Common Yellowthroat was seen in the same tree, kind of neat to see these
two 'warbler' species side by side momentarily. After swinging around south
again to the pinchpoint, I headed back to the car along the entry trail,
snapping some American Goldfinches along the way, showing off their
beautiful breeding yellows & blacks.
After my trip to Pungo, I spent a half hour driving around the streets of
Thoroughgood, attempting to locate the Mississippi Kite that has been seen
up there to no avail. I will have to give that one another shot here soon,
as this would be a life bird for me, and given that its right in my home
county, it'd be a bummer to miss out on again for the second year in a row!
Hopefully it cruises over to my neighborhood of Kings Grant just across the
Lynnhaven River, as others have in fact seen it on flyovers in the area.
*In-Depth Weekly Outing Details & Photographs:*
*http://www.rbnature.com/blog-index/ ;<http://www.rbnature.com/blog-index/>*
*Index of all of my eBird Reports (publicly viewable):*
*http://www.rbnature.com/lists/ebird-reports/
<http://www.rbnature.com/lists/ebird-reports/>*
Rob Bielawski
Virginia Beach, VA
