Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Wed June 11, 2014. All water areas
(impoundments and beach areas) were covered in a 6 hour survey. All individuals
are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on the survey are
followed by a dash.
The day started and ended in the fog but the rest of it was filled with a
surprisingly high number of shorebirds using the excellent water levels in the
Refuge's impoundments. We counted 1,833 individuals of 13 species. We expect to
see the local nesting species such as piping plovers, American oystercatchers
and willets. But 1,219 dowitchers, 190 sanderlings, 178 semi-palmated
sandpipers and 60 red knots seems like high numbers for this late in the season
when you would think shorebirds would be far north in the breeding grounds. It
appears that the least, Forester, and common terns are all nesting on or near
the Refuge. The 31 black skimmers, all on one section of the Hook, makes one
believe they are at least thinking of nesting. The highest number of shorebirds
can be found on North Wash Flats which is a hike up north on the Service Road.
Fewer numbers but good diversity (including a marbled godwit) in the pond
across from Tom's Cove. Plenty of gulls
and terns on the beaches. The next survey will be in 2 weeks. Joelle Buffa and
Clyde Morris
Canada Goose --
Gadwall --
American Black Duck --
Mallard --
Ruddy Duck --
Wild Turkey --
Common Loon 1
Double-crested Cormorant 43
Brown Pelican 25
Great Blue Heron --
Great Egret --
Snowy Egret --
Little Blue Heron --
Tricolored Heron --
Cattle Egret --
Green Heron --
Black-crowned Night-Heron --
White Ibis --
Glossy Ibis --
Black Vulture --
Turkey Vulture --
Osprey --
Bald Eagle --
American Oystercatcher 24
Black-bellied Plover 34
Semipalmated Plover 24
Piping Plover 8
Killdeer 10
Greater Yellowlegs 8
Willet 56
Marbled Godwit 1
Ruddy Turnstone 10
Red Knot 60
Sanderling 190
Semipalmated Sandpiper 178
peep sp. 5
Short/Long-billed Dowitcher 1,219
Laughing Gull 441
Ring-billed Gull 6
Herring Gull 118
Lesser Black-backed Gull 9
Great Black-backed Gull 27
Least Tern 99
Gull-billed Tern 2
Common Tern 13
Forster's Tern 36
Royal Tern 1
Black Skimmer 35
Mourning Dove --
Yellow-billed Cuckoo --
Eastern Screech-Owl --
Ruby-throated Hummingbird --
Belted Kingfisher --
Northern Flicker --
Eastern Wood-Pewee --
Great Crested Flycatcher --
Eastern Kingbird --
Red-eyed Vireo --
American Crow --
crow sp. --
Tree Swallow --
Barn Swallow --
Carolina Chickadee --
Brown-headed Nuthatch --
House Wren --
Carolina Wren --
American Robin --
Gray Catbird --
Brown Thrasher --
Northern Mockingbird --
European Starling --
Cedar Waxwing --
Ovenbird --
Common Yellowthroat --
Pine Warbler --
Prairie Warbler --
Yellow-breasted Chat --
Eastern Towhee --
Field Sparrow --
Song Sparrow --
Summer Tanager --
Northern Cardinal --
Blue Grosbeak --
Indigo Bunting --
Red-winged Blackbird --
Eastern Meadowlark --
Common Grackle --
Boat-tailed Grackle --
Brown-headed Cowbird --
Orchard Oriole --
