A quick update from the last two days of my visit to Assateague National
Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The beach south of the
parking lots down to the old coast Guard's Station is now open to vehicles and
walkers. The Piping Plover chicks there have fledged. There is a loggerhead
turtle nest that is marked off -- ORVs are supposed to stay west of the nest --
most are complying but some are driving to the east at low tide -- they may
close it again next week.
Large numbers of sanderlings (hundreds), good numbers of semipalmated plovers
and ruddy turnstones, one black bellied plover, willits, american
oystercatchers, and a few semipalmated sandpipers. I counted at least 5 piping
plovers each day -- probably more (they don't stand still). One of the
highlights was 13 Red Knots. Many pelicans. A good number of terns of all
sorts -- highlights include black terns (3) and sandwich terns (3). The
proportions of common and forester's terns here is flipped what is elsewhere on
the refuge. More commons and fewer forester's. On friday there was one common
loon in the ocean.
Bill
From: elliety@xxxxxxx
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:06:19 -0400
Subject: [Va-bird] Chincoteague National Wildlife Reserve August 7-11
AMERICAN AVOCET
Many highlights to report this week from Chincoteague Island. So far, I've
not found the Black Bellied Whistling Duck that has been reported. I spoke to
two folks that had seen it... but both of these reports were from Saturday
8/6 (the day before I arrived).
Birding on the wildlife loop has been outstanding. Today, two American
Avocets showed up on the south end of the loop in a canal near where the
Black Necked Stilts have been nesting. Also today, there was a White Rumped
Sandpiper on the north side of the loop along with semipalmated sandpipers
and plovers. Yesterday we saw a Black Tern (again on the south side of the
loop) -- near where the Avocets were today. The flats that open up just after
Black Duck Marsh Trail (looking Southeast) are probably the best spot on the
refuge right about now. Tons of shorebirds including Stilt Sandpipers, piping
plover, and a Wilson's Phalarope earlier this week. Large numbers of
semipalmated sandpipers and semipalmated plovers. Many yellowlegs (mostly
lessers but some greaters) and a few SB dowitchers here. Lots of terns and
some Black Skimmers.
Many more SB dowitchers in the west end of Swan's Cove -- this is also where
I saw one long billed dowitcher.. a few stilt sandpipers were also present
here. Glossy and White Ibis are everywhere, along with lots of egrets (Great,
Snowy and Cattle), Little Blue and tri-colored herons, and so on.
Willets are here.. they mostly appear to be western (tall and grey). Only a
couple of Marbled Godwits in Swan's Cove earlier in the week.
A few days left.. A cold front came through last night ... we'll see what
else turns up.
Bill
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO.
http://www.virginiabirds.net/
