Greetings Virginia birders!
Register EARLY for this popular birding weekend in VA Beach. The
annual VSO field trip to VA Beach and environs features a Saturday
morning trip to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Islands. Three of the
four islands are closed to the public so this is a great opportunity
to visit a birdy spot that's not open to the public on a regular basis.
Field trip coordinator, Clark White, has made arrangements for us to
visit all four islands and has reserved security guards such that 45
people can attend this trip. Way to go, Clark!
As with all VSO field trips, they are open to the public --VSO members
and non-members -- newbies and bird nerds alike. No fees except those
for the CBBT islands trip (see note below) and hotel/food. Cheap in
the winter!
Visit the VSO Web site for hotel/logistics info:
http://www.virginiabirds.net/f_trips.html
Here are more details about the birding opportunities for the weekend:
Friday Afternoon -- December 4
As a special enticement to get an early start on the weekend, a field
trip will leave the hotel at 12:15 PM for the Whitehurst Tract, one of
the many good birding areas in Virginia Beach. The Whitehurst Tract is
a patchwork of marshes, weedy and cultivated fields, narrow freshwater
impoundments, and pine woodland. This affords the possibility of a
wide variety of bird species. Several sparrows, such as LeConte's, are
possible as well as numerous waterfowl and raptors. The trip will return
to the hotel by 6:00 PM.
Friday Evening -- December 4
Again this year an evening is planned at the Atlantic Wildfowl
Heritage Museum, hosted by Tom and Karen Beatty and members of the
Back Bay Bird Club. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30 and
there will be an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful displays at the
museum. At 7:15 there will be a slide presentation on some of the
birds that might be seen during the weekend field trips. The museum is
located at 1113 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, just a few short
blocks from the hotel.
Saturday Field Trip -- December 5
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel islands. The Saturday field trip to the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) islands will leave promptly at
8:00 AM from the parking
lot of the CBBT visitor center. Participants must check in at the CBBT
office by 7:45. Those staying at the hotel may want to meet near the
hotel entrance at
7:00 to form carpools. The trip should end about noon. Participants
should bring spotting scopes, lunch, snacks and beverages and be
prepared for winter weather.
Participation on this trip is limited to the first 45 people who sign
up since there is a requirement to pay a security guard to accompany
each group of 15. The cost is $10 per person to defray the cost of the
guard. A security information form will be mailed to each person who
registers for the trip. The completed form must be returned to the
trip coordinator no later than November 20, 2009. Contact Clark White
to get the form: cwbirds at cox dot net. Phone:
Sunday Field Trips -- December 6
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park. The tram
trip at Back Bay will begin at 8:00 AM. Those staying at the hotel may
want to meet near the front entrance at 6:45 to form carpools. This
will be a half day trip. Participants should bring spotting scopes as
well as lunch, snacks, and beverages. After a leisurely tram ride with
many stops to view a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl a good amount
of time will be spent birding and lunching at False Cape State Park.
The tram will leave False Cape at 1:00 PM for a slow return back to
the Back Bay NWR Visitor Center.
Participants may want to stop at the beach in Sandbridge to check out
the birds before returning to the hotel. Birds seen on this trip could
include both swans, American Bittern, Common Snipe, and numerous
waterfowl. This year the trip will be limited to the first 25
participants who register.
Alternate Field Trip -- Sunday morning.
For those who do not go to Back Bay, a trip to First Landing State
Park in Virginia Beach will be available. This trip will meet at First
Landing State Park at 8:00 AM. Directions will be provided to those
who sign up.
Hope to see you there! Contact Clark White if you have questions.
Check out the web link for hotel info.
Shirley Devan
Board member and Publicity Chair, Virginia Society of Ornithology
http://www.virginiabirds.net/index.html
Williamsburg Bird Club, President
http://williamsburgbirdclub.org/
Ph: 757.813.1322
