I finally got around to looking for these bird which were first reported over
two weeks ago. I walked to the very end of the beach without seeing either
species. However, shortly after turning back I encountered the flock of 10 to
12 Snow Buntings and two Lapland Longspurs. They were located north of the
third "Dune Access" sign and west of the fourth breakwater. The walk out was
about three miles and the return trip over the same ground seemed more like
six. I must be getting old.
Grandview Nature Preserve - CLP13, Hampton, US-VA
Jan 5, 2015 9:45 AM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
29 species
Gadwall 6
Mallard 5
Surf Scoter 6
Bufflehead 40
Red-throated Loon 7
Common Loon 8
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Northern Gannet 6
Brown Pelican 9
Bald Eagle 1
Black-bellied Plover 10
Ruddy Turnstone 8
Sanderling 200
Dunlin 1000 Probably a low estimate.
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 50
Great Black-backed Gull 12
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 2
Lapland Longspur 2 The Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings were very near
the end of the spit. I had walked to the very end of the beach without seeing
them but shortly after turning back they were observed. They were in the area
north of the "Access Dunes" sign and west of the fourth breakwater.
Snow Bunting 10 The Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings were very near the
end of the spit. I had walked to the very end of the beach without seeing them
but shortly after turning back they were observed. They were in the area north
of the "Access Dunes" sign and west of the fourth breakwater.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Savannah Sparrow 19
Swamp Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 5
American Goldfinch 1
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S21210899
Jim Marcum
Virginia Beach, VA
