This is not the kind of day or time of season that I would have guessed
would produce an excellent flight, but...despite the approaching strong storm
tonight and very chilly winds and heavy overcast, it was the second biggest
day in our 17 seasons...175...nearly the February total in a day. The day
record is 191.
There were seven species: TV (153); OS (4 migrating, but several more on
nest sites and fishing); BE (3 migrating, maybe 20 fishing); SS (5); Cooper's
(1); RS (3...very good, even though they breed here, we see few in
migration across the river...the average for the past 5 seasons is only 4);
and RT
(6).
A real bonus was 629 Tundra Swans, likely some of the same ones Bob Ake
reported this morning at Dismal, just south. We generally have only a few
days of swan flights.
There were hundreds of ducks and gulls moving, several Brown Pelicans and
Horned Grebes.
There were no other counters today and birds were moving soon after I
arrived, so I surely missed some.
Brian Taber
Coastal VA Wildlife Observatory
