VA BIRDers,
I took advantage of the relatively cool weather today and did the circuit at
Occ. Bay NWR starting at 7 am, heading east from the parking lot, then the
circumference road along the bay/river past the gazebo and banding station,
then to Painted Turtle Pond and thence back to the parking lot - about 3
hrs. Bugs were not too bad (save for the short section just beyond the
parking lot) and many birds were still active and singing. I managed 60
species and the highlights were No. Bobwhite and Dickcissel. Also a good
martin and swallow showing. Yet, the high river translated into no
shorebirds. The list follows.
Before starting at Occ. Bay NWR, I visited Meadowood near Harley Rd and
picked up the Dickcissel there. Other species found NOT at OBNWR were Blue
Jay, Wood Thrush, Summer Tanager, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark.
After Occ. Bay NWR, I viewed Belmont Bay from the Occ. Bay Marina area.
This added Mallard, Black Vulture, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian
Tern, American Coot, Song Sparrow and House Sparrow to the day list, which
ended at 73 species in about 4 hrs of birding. Not bad for No. Virginia in
the middle of July.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 1, a flyby
Wood Duck 4
No. Bobwhite 1
DC Cormorant 13
Great Blue Heron 5
Green Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 19
Bald Eagle 3, 1 ad, 2 3/4 th yr
Mourning Dove 7
YB Cuckoo 4
Chimney Swift 3
RT Hummingbird 3
Red-bellied WP 3
Downy WP 6
No. Flicker 5
Pileated WP 1
E. Wood Pewee 1
Acadian Fly 1
E. Phoebe 1
Great Crested Fly, juv
E. Kingbird 6, juv
White-eyed V 1
Warbling V 1
Red-eyed V 1
Am. Crow 1
Fish Crow 5
Purple Martin 25
Tree Sw 12
No. Rough-winged Sw 22
Barn Sw 12
C. Chickadee 2
T. Titmouse 3
White-br Nuthatch 2
C. Wren 5
H. Wren 1
BG Gnatcatcher 6, CF
E. Bluebird 13, juv
Am. Robin 26, juv
Gray Catbird 4
No. Mocker 9, CF
Brown Thrasher 4, juv & CF
E. Starling 38
Cedar Waxing 9
Yellow Warbler 6, juv
Prothonotary Warbler 2
Com. Yellowthroat 28, juv
YB Chat 6
E. Towhee 6, juv
Field Sp 3
No. Cardinal 15
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 15, CF
Dickcissel 1
Red-winged BB 50, juv
Com. Grackle 8
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Orchard O 13, juv
House Finch 4, juv
Am. Goldfinch 4
