Happy New Year. I spent four days on the Eastern Shore this weekend. Sunday
morning found me on the causeway between Chincoteague proper and the NWR.
Before day break I heard rails and saw one flying and kek kek keking. I don't
know the calls well enough to say which rail it was. The air was alive with
bird sounds. I could hear Tundra Swans, Snow Geese and Canada Geese and even
the whistling sounds of duck wings as they flew over in the dark.
As I drove toward Tom's Cove I saw Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets in
abundance. There were Ruddy Ducks and Northern Shovelers, Brant and
Red-breasted Mergansers and Tundra Swans, Snow Geese and Canada Geese in Tom's
Cove or Swan's Cove Pool.
I walked along the ocean for three hours. I could identify the Surf Scoters and
the Common Loon. I saw three Red-tailed Hawks perched in trees overlooking
Shoveler Pool and Mallard Pool. A female Northern Harrier chased a male from
the snag where he was sitting and perched precariously, bobbing up and down.
There were Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Gadwall and
American Black Ducks in the pools.
I walked the boardwalk at the Tom's Cove visitor center and saw a Marsh Wren
and, Song and Swamp Sparrows. After three million Yellow Rumps I stopped
counting. I saw American Oystercatchers on the oyster flats leaving
Chincoteague. Two Common Loons and a Bufflehead were diving near the boat ramp.
I drove to Assateague Island National Seashore. On the way to and from I saw
several Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels, some in Virginia, some
Maryland. I saw Hooded Mergansers as I drove back onto Chincoteague. A quick
check of the Wildlife Loop before the sun faded afforded views of the same
waterfowl as earlier and feathers of a snow goose that had been eaten by
something. Part of a wing was left and lots of feathers. The day ended with a
gorgeous sunset.
Monday morning found me back on the causeway just after 6 a.m. Rails answered
to my pitiful imitation. Just before sunrise a Great Horned Owl called from the
woods. A piercing whistle or scream came close to the owl call. I don't know
whether it was breakfast or competition. I walked the Marsh Trail and heard
Brown-headed Nuthatches but could never see one. I did see a Downy Woodpecker.
I didn't mean to walk the entire Wildlife Loop. An American Kestrel kept
tantalizing me with close views and I hoped to see it catch a meal. I finally
saw the Green-winged Teal along with all the others. They had been so abundant
when I was at the NWR in early December. A Bald Eagle was perched in a tall
pine overlooking Snow Goose Pool. At a pool in the scrub shrub where there were
greenbriar berries I saw a White-throated sparrow with Song and Swamp sparrows,
and a Gray Catbird.
I made a last pass to the ocean before heading home. It had begun to drizzle.
There were three American Coots near the Brant in Little Tom's Cove. To my
surprise a male Long-tailed Duck was preening next to the road in Swan's Cove
Pool in the company of a preening Ruddy Duck.
At the ocean I was checking out the gulls and saw a tight flock of 39 resting
Dunlins wobbling slightly side to side. One or two Sanderlings ran around like
wind-up toys.
Driving out of the refuge I saw one female Northern Bobwhite beside a ditch
near Woodland Trail. A Belted Kingfisher rattled exuberantly as it flew from
one perch to the next.
Lee Loudenslager Adams
ladams42@xxxxxxx
