Hello Fellow Birders,
Marie Mullins and I had a nice day birding, and enjoying the fantastic
weather in Virginia Beach today. I hope you don’t mind if we share a couple
of highlights.
Thanks to Matt Anthony of the Williamsburg Bird Club for alerting us to
the presence of the four Harlequin Ducks off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Tunnel, Island #1. We were able to enjoy them as a result.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m619/rfurnish/HarlequinDucks0125151_zps6
f104735.jpg
Other species sighted included all three Scoters, approximately two dozen
Long-tailed Ducks, many Northern Gannets, Red-breasted Mergansers, and a
lone Purple Sandpiper.
We followed this up with a visit to Pleasure House Point, where we ran
into several birders, including our friend Jason Strickland. One of the nicer
sightings was this cooperative Sedge Wren.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m619/rfurnish/SedgeWren0125151_zps64c80c
8b.jpg
The #1 prize of the visit was the Western Tanager, reported a couple of
days ago by Ernie Miller, and refound today by Marie. Jason and I were able
to obtain several photos of the bird.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m619/rfurnish/WesternTanager0125151_zps7
00cc836.jpg
Unfortunately, most of our fellow birders had left by the time it
appeared. It was in a slightly different location than reported previously.
Actually, just far enough away to be missed by the larger group. Entering the
park through the entrance at the bend of Marlin Bay Drive, walk along the
canal until you reach the end of the trail. Turn right at the deer carcass
and walk down this trail for 75-100 yards. The bird was working its way
across the trail, spending time in either Pine or Cypress trees. Unlike
Ernie’
s encounter, the bird was not associating with any other species.
I hope everyone else was able to get out and enjoy this beautiful winter
day.
Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins
