Tina Trice and I did the long walk from the Back Bay NWR visitor's
center to the False Cape State Park visitor's center in Virginia Beach
today. We walked the bay side on the way down and the beachfront on the
way back. Overall, it was kind of quiet with mostly expected birds.
The most interesting birds were actually lingering winter birds which
included a flyby RED-THROATED LOON, 2 BLACK SCOTERS, a female
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and about 7-10 NORTHERN GANNETS, all immatures.
Migrant warblers included BLACKPOLL WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. We had 17 species of
shorebirds highlighted by a WHIMBREL and 3 RED KNOTS on the beachfront.
Terns were few but included CASPIAN, ROYAL, SANDWICH, COMMON and LEAST
TERN. Several sightings of adult BALD EAGLES rounded out a nice day.
Good birding.
Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie County
