VA BIRDers,
After reading Tim Hodge's fine May Big Day report, I wrote him suggesting
his route could yield a great Virginia June Big Day and I would join him if
he was interested. Tim was interested, and we got together and began at
midnight, 3 June. Highlights of our day were Red Crossbills at Locust
Springs Park in Highland Co, Whimbrel at Fisherman Island, and Parasitic
Jaeger off the Chincoteague Beach near sunset. We tallied 174 shared with
Tim/I noting 173/172 in 750 miles.
The weather for Friday was amazingly delightful - virtually no wind, clear
skies in the morning replaced by partly cloudy skies near noon, and the
evening on the Eastern Shore was clear skies and a bit chilly (although this
did not detour the mosquitoes!). With permission letter in-hand, we started
at Huntley Meadows and heard the Common Moorhen and nothing else. On our
way to Highland Co we notched a Barn Owl. We moved up VA 642 in Highland Co,
nabbing the Northern Saw-whet Owl before arriving at Straight Creek to
greet dawn - the sky took on a beautiful range of blues punctuated with
bright pinpoints of stars - and we hear the local Barred Owl as we climb out
of the car. Within minutes, this location nets us at least two Alder
Flycatchers, Whip-poor-will, Song and Field Sparrows, and Common
Yellowthroat. We headed up to Locust Springs Park and bird that area noting
about 4 Red Crossbills plus many juncos and Blackburnian, Magnolia and
Black-throated Green Warblers; a few Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted
Nuthatches and Brown Creepers; and single Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
White-breasted Nuthatch and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We headed back down 642
and tallied great birds such as Wild Turkey, Hairy WP, Acadian Fly,
Black-capped Chickadee, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Com Raven,
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Pine Warbler, Black & White Warbler, Ovenbird, LA
Waterthrush, Canada Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting.
When we entered the field in Blue Grass Valley we quickly notched Vesper and
Savannah Sparrows plus Yellow Warbler and the Bobolinks and meadowlarks. We
continued to a nice property near the W. Va border and found a pair of
Black-billed Cuckoos plus Am. Redstart and probably the best look we have
ever had of a Golden-winged Warbler. The nearby creek had Belted Kingfisher.
Near the headwaters of the Potomac we added an adult Bald Eagle and Orchard
and Baltimore Orioles plus Warbling and Yellow-throated Vireos.
We drove east to Afton Mtn and a stop on the east side produced Kentucky
Warbler - it was 1141 am and we needed to make tracks. The King Family
Vineyards adds a pair of Wood Ducks (with young), TWO Pied-billed Grebes, a
Spotted Sandpiper, another Green Heron and our first Eastern Kingbird. Zion
Crossroads gives up a Loggerhead Shrike and Grasshopper Sparrow. Driving on
I-64 towards Richmond produces Sharp-shinned, Coopers and Red-tailed Hawks
in a sky now patchy with white clouds. Newport News park had the Mute Swan
on nest (but no Prothonotary, argh!); Osprey began to dot the skies from
this point. Island 1 of the CBBT held Ruddy Turnstone and larids were
checked off as we crossed. Fisherman Island produced the unusual Whimbrel
somewhat close to the road (& we were driving somewhat slow).
We landed on the Eastern Shore at about 4 pm, motoring through the Eastern
Shore of VA NWR and notching our first Northern Bobwhite, Yellow-breasted
Chat, and Blue Grosbeak of the day. Next, along Seaside Rd we hear a Summer
Tanager and when we turn down Magotha Rd after we find no doves yet the
forested wetland produces Red-headed and Red-bellied WP (finishing the
woodpeckers for us) and adds Prairie Warbler and Carolina Chickadee. We
continued north on Seaside Rd finding an Eurasian Collared Dove near a house
about a mile from Magotha. A nice sandy field sprouting with green added
Horned Lark. Purple Martins flew about Oyster but the tide was low so we
moved on.
The tide was also low at Willis Wharf and it was a bust. So the Chinco
causeway was next. Upon arrival, we see Little Blue and Tricolored Herons,
catch a few Boat-tailed Grackles, spot an American Oystercatcher and note a
few flying Glossy Ibis - heading through town we spy a flying White Ibis.
We enter the refuge at 7 pm and head for the beach, going over some
shorebirds along the way (Least and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semiplover,
Greater Yellowlegs) and note Cattle Egret with the ponies. Originally
thinking we would find terns over tidal rips and perhaps something harassing
them, we see that the rips had dissipated as it was nearly low tide. Yet,
diligent scoping produces a Common Tern and a dark "larid" floating just
beyond the breakwater. We move in closer and see a rich dark brown bird
with slender short bill (dark on the tip), no cap, and when it flapped,
pointed wings. Yes! Parasitic Jaeger!
No time to dally, we did the wildlife drive and eventually found distant
shorebirds including Dunlin and Short-billed Dowitcher. When the
Chuck-wills-widow started, we left, re-checking the drive to the beach and
getting Black-crowned Night-Heron plus an American Woodcock taking off. We
drive back to the Chinco causeway and study heron profiles until we come up
with a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron flying past. We leave for nocturnal
birding part II.
We go for the "no miss Eastern Screech Owl spot" near Bullbegger Creek. The
owl made us wait 2 minutes before it began to whinny. We then drive to
Saxis, pulling over, unfolding chairs and sitting down 'neath the starry
sky. It was a touch chilly and buggy, but the incessant Virginia Rail calls
made up for the smell of DEET. A nearby Seaside Sparrow "zhurred", a Marsh
Wren did some Singer sewing, two distant Sharp-tailed Sparrows made their
musical hisses, and one or two American Bitterns oommp'ed. During this
chorus, we also heard a distant call that sounded like "po" (short o) that
left us baffled. It was 11pm and we headed south to the flat roofs of
Tansley and nearby hoping for nighthawks, but came up empty.
We ended with 174 species shared, a good total for a first time serious
Virginia June Big Day. With a bit of tinkering the route should produce 180
or more. We know this as we missed 8 staked-out species which still
surprises me even as I write this: Least Bittern (still at Huntley?), Winter
Wren (stymied at Ramsey's Draft), Yellow-rumped Warbler (supposed to be at
Locust Springs), Yellow-throated Warbler (there must be good spots on the
eastern shore!), Prothonotary Warbler (curses Newport News Park!),
Worm-eating Warbler (we must have been sleeping when we left Highland Co),
Mourning Warbler (a nice cut over area with lots of blackberry bushes on
Alleghany Rd), and Hooded Warbler (should have been on 642). Plus there are
many other non-staked out species that should be around. Let me just
mention 3: Marbled Godwit, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and White-eyed Vireo. There,
'nuff said?
I will post the list separately. If you have any questions (or if you have
a few good bird spots) be sure to write. Special Thanks to all who helped!
Tim and Kurt
