Lee Adams and I saw the black-billed Great Egret on Wednesday afternoon (May
26) at Snow Goose Pool near the first culvert after the entrance to the
Wildlife Drive. We also saw Purple Sandpipers at Cape Charles harbor on May
27, we both remarked on the lateness although eBird has records as late as May
30 in prior years.
Wendy Ealding
Powhatan County
-----Original Message-----
From: Will McPhail <willmcphail@xxxxxxxxx>
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, May 31, 2010 11:36 am
Subject: [Va-bird] Craney and Chincoteague (Phararopes and others)
VA Birders,
orry for the late report -- I returned home yesterday evening and have not yet
ad a chance to get this out until now.
had a great day and a half of birding with Andrew Baldelli and friends this
eekend. I met up with Andrew and Fenton Day at Craney Island by 10:00 on Sat
here we spent about three hours working the shorebirds. I was extremely excited
o have close views of two female RED-NECKED PHALAROPES that had been seen the
ay before! As an added bonus, there was a gorgeous female WILSON'S
HALAROPE feeding beside the two female Red-necked! For a brief period of time,
really did not know which Phalarope species to study/absorb. I find this to be
great prolem to have :-) The birds were in a mixed flock of Semi-sands which
lso included a STILT SANDPIPER. It was wonderful to watch the phalaropes
pinning while frantically feeding in close proximity of the Stilt Sand. Best
iews of Phalaropes I have ever had and my first in VA.
ther birds at Craney included: 6 lingering Ruddy Duck, a calling Bobwhite near
he gate, an additional female WILSON'S PHALAROPE(!), BB Plover, Black-necked
tilt, Semi Plovs, Oystercatchers, G Yellowlegs, Spotted Sand, Willets, Rutus, 1
east Sand (only other peep; an estimated 3,200 Semis total), Dunlin, a dozen or
o SB Dows, Gull-billed Tern, many Least Terns on colony, Skimmers, 1 Bank
wallow, 2 Warbling Vireos near the gate and Blue Grosbeak. It was an exciting
ew hours.
n the way to the Eastern Shore, a quick stop on CBBT island #1 produced a few
ingering Purple Sandpipers, one LBB Gull, but nothing else too extraordinary.
e then met Andrew's friends from NY on Chincoteague Island before ending up in
axis Marsh for the evening. As we watched beautiful sunset we were entertained
y the many Marsh Wrens, Seaside Sparrows as well as calling Virginia and
lapper Rails. A Northern Harrier was also of note.
n Sunday we first checked out Swan Cove from the north beach parking lot where
e had 3 Sandwich Terns associating with the Royal, Caspian, Common, Forster's
nd Least. We then walked from the Woodland Trail parking lot to the Wildlife
rive via Black Duck Marsh. The BH Nuthatches (as well as the usual
asserines) were as always fun to watch. Snow Goose Pool contained a decent
umber of shorebirds including: one Black-necked Stilt, SH Dows, Dunlin, many
emi Sands, some Semi Plovs, G Yellowlegs as well as two White-rumped Sands
icked out by Andrew and company. Waders were well represented and included: 6
hite Ibis, many Glossies, Little Blues, Tricolored, one BC Night-Heron on the
alk over, many Snowy Egrets, Great and a few Cattle but we could not locate the
nfamous "Black-billed" Great Egret. Also in the area was a Gull-billed Tern,
lack Ducks, one Blue-winged Teal, one Bobwhite (heard), Orchard Orioles and a
ew new trip birds.
efore leaving Andrew and I checked out Swan Cove and a bit of Tom's Cove before
t was over run with beach goers. 3-4 Piping Plovers had joined the cast in Swan
ove as well as a small flock of Skimmers and one Common Loon in Tom's. One
mmature Northern Gannet was seen over the ocean as well as small flocks of
anderlings. (The friends from NY had seen two distant Sooty Shearwaters from
he beach the day before but conditions were tough and we were not as fortunate.
hey had also previously seen two Red Knots and Whimbrel on the Refuge). About
0 Black-Necked Stilts were seen on the causeway as well as another adult White
bis on the way out.
e made another stop on island #1 heading south where we had up to 12 Purple
ands. This seems incredibly late for these guys. All in all it was a great
eekend with 105 species seen in total.
njoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
ill McPhail
ashington, DC
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