Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday 22, 2015. All water areas
(impoundments and beach areas) were covered in a 9 hour survey. All individuals
are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on the survey are
followed by a dash.
Another wonderfully interesting 9-hour shorebird survey at Chincoteague NWR. It
has not rained lately so many of the impoundments are dry or filled with
vegetation but a few still hold water and sparse vegetation. Those impoundments
with water and the beaches were where we found 7,519 individual shorebirds of
22 species. Sanderlings were the most numerous with 2,957 followed by
Semipalmated Plovers (1,270), Peep (unidentified small shorebirds usually
Semipalmated, Least, Western or White-rumped Sandpipers too far away to ID
correctly) (1,062), Semipalmated Sandpiper (768) and Willet (684).
One UPLAND SANDPIPER was an exciting find (photograph posted on our E-Bird
Submittal) since it is a rarely seen on the Refuge and a species we have never
seen before in Virginia. It was in the short grass on the South Wash Flats
Impoundment, and was viewed from the cross-dike road, which requires about a 1
& 1/2 hour hike on the Service Road to reach. Though this species at least used
to breed in Virginia and has been seen in the past on the Refuge, it is
increasingly uncommon as a fall migrant on the Eastern Shore. The Refuge has
little short grass habitat which they seem to prefer, or at least where they
are easier to see in migration. The other highlight for us was an
immature-plumaged Yellow-crowned Night-heron on Tom's Cove, a species that
breeds in the Chincoteague area but witch we don't often encountered during our
shorebird surveys.
If you are looking for a place to see shorebirds in the near future, we suggest
the beaches (the beach south of the parking areas have opened to public use as
far as the Life Saving Station) and Swans Cove Pool (which still has a swan
using it this summer). These locations are also good for sightings of a good
diversity of terns including Least, Caspian, Common, Forester's, Sandwich,
Royal and Black Skimmers.
Our next survey will be August 28th.
Clyde Morris and Joelle Buffa
