Sorry for this late report. I birded up and down the Eastern Shore from the
CBBT to Chincoteague NWR last Thursday & Friday.
Highlights were:
a.. a single late SPOTTED SANDPIPER at Willis Wharf (11/1)
b.. SNOW GOOSE numbers seemed to be down (conservatively 7000 on 11/1) at
Chincoteague
c.. only 2 TUNDRA SWANS were seen at Chincoteague (11/2)
d.. 2 LITTLE BLUE HERONS at Oyster landfill (11/2) & then 5 more at ESNWR
(11/2)
e.. a single TRICOLORED HERON at ESNWR (11/2)
f.. a GOLDEN EAGLE and later a PEREGRINE FALCON flying over me on Route 600
near Oyster (11/2)
g.. 2 SNOW BUNTINGS at Chincoteague (11/2)
High counts of:
a.. 500 WILLITS at Willis Wharf (11/2)
b.. 42 MARBLED GODWITS also at Willis Wharf (11/2)
c.. 5 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Chincoteague (11/2)
d.. 30 FORSTER'S TERNS at Willis Wharf (11/2)
e.. 40 BLACK SKIMMERS at Chincoteague (11/1) and then 50 flying around CBBT
Island 1 (11/2)
f.. 50 HORNED LARKS in a plowed field beside Route 600 near Oyster (11/2)
g.. conservatively over 2000 TREE SWALLOWS at ESNWR (11/2)
h.. at least 3 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES at Chincoteague (11/1)
i.. a mixed flock of about 20 PALM WARBLERS (mostly Western subspecies but a
few Yellow) & and PINE WARBLERS in a field along Route 6000 near Oyster
Rexanne Bruno
Lynchburg, VA
PS I have been pleasantly surprised to hear a GREAT HORNED OWL hooting outside
our VA Beach condo around 10 PM for the last week. I find this unusual because
this is in a heavily populated area on the Chesapeake Bay near the Lynnhaven
fishing pier. There are only a few small shrubs and trees outside our windows.
