Hello all,
We're back from a family Thanksgiving week vacation to Chincoteague.
We arrived there around 2 p.m. on the 19th and left around 2:30 p.m.
on Friday, Nov. 23.
As noted by others, the birding at Chincoteague NWR and Chincoteague
proper was o.k, but not as good as it could be for this time of the
year. The water levels in most of the fresh water ponds, etc. on the
refuge is very low. We did drive the Service Road, i.e. Wash Flats
drive (open from 12-3:30 to the general public Thanksgiving Day thru
the weekend) and found the larger areas, i.e. South and North Wash
flats had water. The smaller impoundments were mostly dry and
overgrown with vegetation. The weather was pretty nice each day, with
66 degree temp. for Thanksgiving Day, and very cold and windy on the
23rd. Since this was primarily a family get together, we did not
search every nook and cranny for birds, nor did we bird the mainland.
Surprises included not finding any Brants, Horned Grebes, Yellow-
bellied Sapsucker, missing out finding a Brown-headed Nuthatch, and
so few woodpecker sightings. What follows is our combined list for
our visit. For special sightings, we've noted the day.
SNOW GEESE--numbers increased each day we were there. We agree with
other posters that the numbers are lower so far this year than the
same time in past years. It is always a spectacular sight and sound
event when the Snow Geese are spooked and all take off in a swirling
cloud, circle a bit, and then land again. Weather conditions up and
down the flyway a factor?
CANADA GEESE--not large numbers, but that seems to be the case when
we visit this time of the year.
TUNDRA SWAN--6-10
AMERICAN WIGEON
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
MALLARD
BLUE WING TEAL
NORTHERN SHOVELER--North Wash Flat on Nov. 22
NORTHERN PINTAIL--very few so far
GREEN WING TEAL
GREATER SCAUP (sp)--at a distance, couldn't get a positive I.D. on
whether greater or lesser.
LONG TAILED DUCK--one, floating on Swan Cove Pool, viewed from turn-
out across from Tom's Cove Visitor Center on the 23rd. Has been there
at least a week.
BUFFLEHEAD
RUDDY DUCK--numbers increased during our visit
COMMON LOON
PIED BILLED GREBE
NORTHERN GANNET, a juv., viewed overflying the Wash Flat area
DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT
GREAT BLUE HERON
GREAT EGRET
SNOWY EGRET, at least 10 seen on the 23rd from same spot we saw the
Long-tailed Duck.
TRICOLORED HERON--one from the balcony of our rental house
BLACK VULTURE
TURKEY VULTURE
BALD EAGLE--four of the five days we were there.
NORTHERN HARRIER
RED TAILED HAWK
AMERICAN KESTREL
MERLIN--one of our sightings was of one perched on nest platform as
seen from "traffic circle" just before bridge between Chincoteague
and Assateague Island.
BLACK BELLIED PLOVER
KILDEER
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
WILLET
SANDERLING
DUNLIN--100+ viewed from the Service Road on the 22nd.
RING BILLED GULL
HERRING GULL
GREAT BLACK BACKED BULL
FORSTER'S TERN
ROCK PIGEON
MOURNING DOVE
BELTED KINGFISHER
RED BELLIED WOODPECKER (h)
NORTHERN FLICKER
BLUE JAY
AMERICAN CROW
TREE SWALLOW
CAROLINA CHICKADEE (h only--quite a surprise)
RED BREASTED NUTHATCH--along the Woodland Trail
BROWN CREEPER
CAROLINA WREN (h)
RUBY CROWNED KINGLET
AMERICAN ROBIN--along the Woodland Trail on the 23rd
EUROPEAN STARLING
CEDAR WAXWING
YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER--everywhere!
EASTERN TOWHEE (h), along the Woodland Trail on the 23
SONG SPARROW
WHITE THROATED SPARROW
NORTHERN CARDINAL
RED WINGED BLACKBIRD
BOAT TAILED GRACKLE
HOUSE FINCH
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
Jay, Carol, and Leslie (visiting) Hadlock
Herndon, VA
