Last Thursday and this Saturday my friends Jenny Phillips,
Dave Hewitt and I traveled to Craney Island in search of
shorebirds. On Thursday, we found c. 350 peeps (Semipalm,
Least, and Western in decreasing abundance). Also present
were many yellowlegs (both), a few spotted sandpipers,
several molting sanderlings, and one white-rumped sandpiper.
Many, gulls, caspian and royal terns etc. were also
present. On Saturday, we conducted a survey for some
colleagues at William and Mary at the island. The numbers
had multiplied. Instead of just occupying the beach, peeps
were on the interior mud flats. There were c. 2000+ peeps.
In addition, there were dowitchers, stilt sandpipers and at
least one juvenile Baird's sandpiper.
On Saturday, we went to Bombay Hook, DE, to look for the
red-necked stint found there on Saturday. After the
spectacle at Craney island, we were amazed to find even more
shorebirds along the Delaware coast. At Bombay Hook, we saw
numerous American avocets, black-necked stilt, glossy
ibises, dowitchers(c. 2000), white-rumped, pectoral, and
stilt sandpipers(c. 1000). There were amazing numbers of all
three peeps but no red-necked stint. We're now headed back
west. Enjoy your amazing east coast birds!
Bert Harris
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
