Hope everyone is having a nice Memorial Day weekend so far! I decided to
head out the Chincoteague for the long weekend. Along the way, on Route 13,
I had four Black Scoters on the ocean side of the CBBT, off Island #1.
Also, quite a few Ruddy Turnstones - no Purple Sandpipers, though. I then
proceeded to Eastern Shore NWR. The highlights there included 8 singing
Indigo Buntings (in various places), Northern Bobwhites calling (FOY), a
good look at a pair of Orchard Orioles (both male - one adult, 1 immature),
a Ruby-throated Hummingbird seen as I was trying to call out a White-eyed
Vireo, and at least two immature Bald Eagles. There were also several
Prairie Warblers singing.
A brief stop at Mockhorn/GATR WMA (off of SR's 600 and 750) netted five
White Ibises that flew up in front of me into a tree and gave me great
looks. I think this was a state bird for me. I got several photos of them,
but can't upload photos until I get back to Richmond. Also picked p a
Red-headed Woodpecker and a Summer Tanager doing his pikituk call. I think
that was the first time I ever heard one call (rather than sing). I got a
quick look at it - enough to know what it was.
Ended the day at Chincoteague NWR. Tons of peeps but the only ones I could
ID were Semipalmated Plovers AND Semipalmated Sandpipers. There were also a
number of Dunlin, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Short-billed Dowitchers. Saw over
a dozen Glossy Ibises - no White-faced, unfortunately. As I was leaving
around 8:30 or so, I heard a pair of Chuck-Will's-Widow's (FOY) in the
parking lot. The highlight was about 50 Snowy Egrets with about 5 Glossy
Ibises taking off en masse and overhead when an adult Bald Eagle got too
close for comfort.They all eventually settled down right back where they
were.
66 species altogether today, as well as about a dozen butterfly species,a
Red Saddlebag dragonfly, and two mammals (2 Gray Squirrel and 2 Eastern
Cottontails). Good birding!
Alyssa Freeman,
Richmond, VA
