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VA BIRDers,
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PJ Dunn, Dave Hewitt and myself joined Ruth Boettcher (VGDIF) and assistant
Carissa (sorry, I did not get your full name) for the Aug 20 shorebird survey
out of Oyster.? The weather was fine: the sky was blue and the sun was hot. ?A
fine day for birds (or fishing as the presence of many other boats attested!).?
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PJ and I drove down the day before and got up, albeit a bit late, and birded
Ramp Road at Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR.? Highlight was an American Bittern
in classic pose at the little pond along the road along with 18 Black-crowned
Night-Herons and one Yellow-crowned (HY).? We could not stay long and also meet
our 7AM meeting time at the Oyster boat launch, so out we drove, listening to
Northern Bobwhites, Blue Grosbeaks, and Common Yellowthroats as we left the
park ? the Black Vultures were still on the tower and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo
flew over the car.
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Arriving at Oyster, we soon motored out to the islands.? Ruth is developing
statistics of shorebird migration counting several sites on the islands during
high tide.? These trips, as well as others next month, are designed to measure
migrating shorebird usage of Virginia?s outer banks.? Our first stop was an
island on the other side of the ?shell flats? that many of us have viewed from
the TNC Shell Road location at the end of Oyster?s main street.? We quickly
located Whimberl and Marbled Godwit plus skads of Willets.? Over the course of
the next ca. 5 hrs (Ruth extended the trip to check an 8th site not on the
original itinerary) ?we saw a good selection of birds including very close
looks at Gull-billed Tern (plus vocalization), adult Sandwich Tern being chased
by 2 youngsters, very young Black Skimmers (gray-white fluff balls), etc.
Several times Whimberl flew over our boat as we motered between sites.? ?A fine
time was had by all!? (Especially since we brought sunscreen!)? We send many
thanks to Ruth and Carissa for their hospitality and the opportunity to
experience these unique eastern shore habitats.
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Below is the list we compiled from our shorebird survey with unofficial numbers
from my notes.? Ruth assures us that diversity will continue to increase next
month!? The next trip is Sept 3 out of Quinby with rain dates of Sept 4 from
Oyster and Sept 5 from Wachapreague.? After that, Sept 18 is out of Quinby.(no
rain date).? Also please note that Dot Field (Va Natural Heritage Eastern Shore
Steward) will be leading the popular Wreck Island Trip on Sept 10.? Check the
CVWO website for details on these and other trips open to the public.? Anyone
can go (and if you join the CVWO or support a Kiptopeke Challenge Team then our
hats are off to you, too!).? Sign up soon as space is limited!
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Kurt Gaskill
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Canada Goose 61
Am. Black Duck 6
Brown Pelican 36
Double-crested Cormorant 67
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 34
Snowy Egret 10
Tricolored Heron 4
Green Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 5
Clapper Rail 2
Black-bellied Plover 11
Semipalmated Plover 13
Killdeer 2
American Oystercatcher 248
Greater Yellowlegs 12
Willet 151
Spotted Sandpiper 11
Whimberl 51
Marbled Godwit 49
Ruddy Turnstone 39
Sanderling 17
Semipalmated Sandpiper 17
Western Sandpiper 1
?wesi sandpiper sp? (western/semipalmated) 175
Least Sandpiper 13
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 23
Laughing Gull 300?
Herring Gull 8
Great Black-backed Gull 10
Gull-billed Tern 2
Caspian Tern 1
Royal Tern 26
Sandwich Tern 4
Common Tern 14
Forster?s Tern 7
Black Skimmer 268 (incl 16 fluff balls)
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 40
C. Wren 2 (boat launch)
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
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