Fellow Birders,
*Highlights*
3:45 to 6:35 PM - 9 Black Terns (Lifer!), 2 Piping Plovers, and 1 (possibly
2) Whimbrel though likely the same one seen heading south, then again on
the northbound trip. A couple photographs of each are posted at the link
below, many more photographs to go through before I post everything over
the weekend.
*Photographs*
*http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150809/
<http://www.rbnature.com/galleries/we-20150809/>*
*Additional Notes*
As I have done now 4 Friday in a row, I headed to Back Bay NWR to walk the
beach from the parking area to False Cape State Park, and back. This
outing, a very dark storm was setting up to the north, though the sun was
still shining for 1/3 of the sky allowing good views over the water. I
finally got my first Black Terns after targeting them specifically the last
few weeks! In addition to those, the Piping Plovers, and the Whimbrel(s),
the Black-bellied Plovers have arrived and I saw 4 of them for the first
time so far during the migration at the park. Ruddy Turnstones were in
higher numbers, but Sanderlings and Willets were still the dominant birds.
A large collection of terns about 2 miles down the beach yielded a Black,
some Common, Sandwich, Royal, and a pair of Caspians, with Least also being
seen over the water. The standard Gulls (Herring, Ring-billed, Laughing,
Lesser & Great Black-backed) were all present today as well. Still waiting
for a hopeful Marbled Godwit to show up on the beach, but seeing the Black
Terns today was incredibly exciting, and to see them scattered individually
along the way added to the excitement since it wasn't just one distant
bird. Hopefully some others can get out there this weekend to see some of
the birds that have showed up over the last week, it has been fun to track
each Friday and note the new species!
*Full Details & Photos (Posted each Monday for the previous Mon-Sun
Timeframe)*
*http://www.rbnature.com/blog-index/ ;<http://www.rbnature.com/blog-index/>*
Rob Bielawski
Virginia Beach, VA
