Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Monday April 27, 2015. All water areas
(impoundments and beach areas) were covered in an 8 hour survey. All
individuals are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on
the survey are followed by a dash.
We enjoyed an interesting shorebird survey on Chincoteague National Wildlife
Refuge. We counted 2,819 individuals of 16 species. While the total number of
individuals was not more then the previous week, there may have been more
shorebirds then we were able to count. We saw a large flock of multiple species
fly into a corner of Pond F near the Black Duck Marsh Trail that we were not
able to survey. Who knows how many individuals we would have tallied if we had
access to that area. The diversity of species was higher (16 vs. 14) this week
with first of the year Stilt and Semi-palmated Sandpipers making their
appearance. Of special interest was the largest flock of Whimbrels we have seen
together in one place on the Refuge: 140 on Wild Beach very near the border
with Maryland. Also noteworthy to us at least was the largest flock of Lesser
Yellowlegs in one place together on the Refuge: 140 at North Wash Flats with 74
Greater Yellowlegs in the same area. Were they all migrating together and just
happen to stop at the same place or was there a particularly large food source
in a small area? We do not know but enjoy seeing and wondering about such
things. Dunlin had the highest count of individuals (1,319) with Sanderling
next (609), Willet (184) and Lesser Yellowlegs (154). The largest
concentrations of shorebirds were on the beaches, tidal areas like Tom's Cove
and North Wash Flats. Many first of the year landbirds were also found
including Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-breasted Chat and Indigo Bunting.
Our next survey will be Monday, May 4th.Clyde Morris & Joelle Buffa
| Canada Goose | -- |
| Tundra Swan | 1 |
| Gadwall | -- |
| American Wigeon | -- |
| American Black Duck | -- |
| Mallard | -- |
| Northern Shoveler | -- |
| Green-winged Teal | -- |
| Surf Scoter | -- |
| Black Scoter | -- |
| Red-breasted Merganser | -- |
| Wild Turkey | -- |
| Red-throated Loon | 2 |
| Common Loon | 11 |
| Northern Gannet | 7 |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 171 |
| Great Blue Heron | -- |
| Great Egret | -- |
| Snowy Egret | -- |
| Little Blue Heron | -- |
| Tricolored Heron | -- |
| Cattle Egret | -- |
| Green Heron | -- |
| Glossy Ibis | -- |
| Black Vulture | -- |
| Turkey Vulture | -- |
| Osprey | -- |
| Bald Eagle | -- |
| American Oystercatcher | 23 |
| Black-bellied Plover | 40 |
| Piping Plover | 52 |
| Killdeer | 1 |
| Greater Yellowlegs | 147 |
| Willet | 175 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | 154 |
| Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs | 7 |
| Whimbrel | 126 |
| Marbled Godwit | 10 |
| Ruddy Turnstone | 7 |
| Stilt Sandpiper | 2 |
| Sanderling | 609 |
| Dunlin | 1,319 |
| Least Sandpiper | 36 |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | 26 |
| Short/Long-billed Dowitcher | 99 |
| Laughing Gull | 28 |
| Ring-billed Gull | 7 |
| Herring Gull | 215 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 67 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 20 |
| Least Tern | 20 |
| Common Tern | 13 |
| Forster's Tern | 66 |
| Mourning Dove | -- |
| Belted Kingfisher | -- |
| Northern Flicker | -- |
| American Kestrel | -- |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | -- |
| Eastern Kingbird | -- |
| American Crow | -- |
| Fish Crow | -- |
| Horned Lark | -- |
| Tree Swallow | -- |
| Barn Swallow | -- |
| Brown-headed Nuthatch | -- |
| House Wren | -- |
| Marsh Wren | -- |
| Carolina Wren | -- |
| American Robin | -- |
| Brown Thrasher | -- |
| European Starling | -- |
| Common Yellowthroat | -- |
| Pine Warbler | -- |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | -- |
| Prairie Warbler | -- |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | -- |
| Eastern Towhee | -- |
| Chipping Sparrow | -- |
| White-throated Sparrow | -- |
| Northern Cardinal | -- |
| Indigo Bunting | -- |
| Red-winged Blackbird | -- |
| Common Grackle | -- |
| Boat-tailed Grackle | -- |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | -- |
