Today I got an early start, crossing the CBBT at sunrise. The bridge tunnel
didn't have much exciting to report just a goodly number of Double-crested
Cormorants and quite a few Northern Gannets, all adults, flying south in
formation particularly as I approached Fisherman's Island. At the Eastern
Shore of Virginia NWR I drove to Ramp Lane, where the pond had a female Hooded
Merganser and 7 Green-winged Teal. At the boat launch ramp parking area I
heard a Nelson's Sparrow singing immediately after getting out of the car. It
sang a few more times, but never popped into view. Two Royal Terns flew by.
On the way back past the pond there was a Tri-colored Heron that had come in
since my first pass. Sunset Beach held more cormorants, pelicans, and gulls.
Along Arlington Road a Horned Lark lifted off the road in front of me. In Cape
Charles I picked up Ned Brinkley and we motored to Willis Wharf, arriving on
the incoming tide. There was the usual large number of Marbled Godwits, a
smaller number of western Willets, a good number of Dunlin, and a single
Whimbrel and a lone Black Skimmer. Further north along the causeway coming
into Chincoteague we had 2 Black-necked Stilts. At the refuge itself there
were good numbers of Northern Shovelers, more godwits, both yellowlegs,
dowitchers, Dunlin, and 4 Piping Plovers seen from the beach road. After lunch
we walked out onto the wildlife drive since it was too early to drive there.
We had excellent light to help us as we scanned the birds. There were hundreds
more Northern Shovelers, hundreds of Green-winged Teal (but none of the
eurasian subspecies), many yellowlegs and dowitchers, and perhaps a thousand
Dunlin. A Peregrine Falcon got them all into the air as did a couple of Bald
Eagles. During one of the settled periods, we found a couple of Least
Sandpipers among the Dunlin. As we walked back toward the parking lot, I
noticed an odd shorebird. It turned out to be one of three Stilt Sandpipers,
the first in March for Virginia. When we drove the wildlife loop we didn't
pick up anything new except a pair of Blue-winged Teal. All in all a great day
on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Robert L. Ake
6603 Catherine Street
Norfolk VA 23505
I did an ABA Big Year in 2010 - If you'd like to review it, my blog is at
http://bobsbirds.blogspot.com/
