Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday Oct 30, 2013. All water
areas (impoundments and beach areas) were covered in a 6 hour survey. All
individuals are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on
the survey are followed by a dash.
Water levels were good for shorebirds and the increasing number and diversity
of waterfowl. The snow geese are back! Numbers of shorebirds were up from last
week (1,433) mostly because of the large number of dunlin (881) in the pond
across from the National Park Service visitor center. The surprise find was two
piping plovers on the Hook. It is a bit late for that species to still be this
far north. The number of gulls on the Refuge (mostly on the beaches) is quite
impressive with 979 herring gulls and 784 greater black-backed gulls being
observed. Large flocks of tree swallows and black scoters were impressive to
see flying south. The first horned grebe seen this year is a sure sign of
approaching winter.
Clyde Morris & Joelle Buffa
Snow Goose --
Canada Goose --
Gadwall --
American Wigeon --
American Black Duck --
Mallard --
Northern Shoveler --
Northern Pintail --
Green-winged Teal --
Black Scoter --
Common Loon 3
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Horned Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 80
Great Blue Heron --
Great Egret --
Snowy Egret --
White Ibis --
Glossy Ibis --
Osprey --
Northern Harrier --
Bald Eagle --
Clapper Rail --
Black-bellied Plover 30
Piping Plover 2
Greater Yellowlegs 20
Willet 77
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Sanderling 432
Dunlin 881
Laughing Gull 20
Ring-billed Gull 179
Herring Gull 979
Lesser Black-backed Gull 112
Great Black-backed Gull 784
Royal Tern 13
Belted Kingfisher --
Northern Flicker --
American Crow --
Fish Crow --
Tree Swallow --
Carolina Chickadee --
Carolina Wren --
American Robin --
Northern Mockingbird --
European Starling --
Yellow-rumped Warbler --
Song Sparrow --
White-throated Sparrow --
Northern Cardinal --
Red-winged Blackbird --
