I went birding this weekend around Hampton Roads. Due to computer trouble,
I was unable to post my sightings until today. My goal was to find
Redpolls, but I was unsuccessful. It did not seem very birdy, but I enjoyed
getting out and seeing some birds.
Saturday, I went to the Lynnhaven Inlet area, 85th Street at the oceanfront,
Rudee Inlet area, and Back Bay NWR (all places in VA Beach). It was very
cold and windy with few birds seen. I am glad someone posted about the Snow
Geese along the road to Back Bay NWR. I stopped at the field hoping to find
Snow Buntings. It was quite a beautiful scene in that field, but no
buntings. I was surprised that someone stopped and told me that there were
hunters setting up in the field (they thought I was a hunter). There are at
least 2000 geese out there. I saw some blue phase, but no Ross' Geese. I
was unable to check every bird. At 85th Street, many Northern Gannets were
headed north while flocks of scoters were headed south. I saw hardly any
birds at the oceanfront at Back Bay NWR. There were a few small flocks (3-5
birds) of Field Sparrows at the refuge dunes. I saw some Dunlin,
Sanderlings, and Wilson's Snipe at the canoe launch at Little Island Park,
just north of Back Bay NWR. I saw few gulls the entire day and only a few
Common Loons.
Sunday, I went to the Tidewater Community College (Portsmouth campus),
Chesapeake Ave (Newport News and Hampton), and Grandview Preserve in
Hampton. Chesapeake Ave and Grandview Preserve are listed in the coastal
portion of the Virginia Birding Trail. I saw a lot of Surf Scoters, a few
Common Goldeneyes, a flock of Canvasbacks, a few Ruddy Ducks, some Gadwall,
some Bufflehead, a few Common Loons, a Red-throated Loon (Chesapeake Ave),
flyby scaup, a male Long-tailed Duck (Grandview), some Red-breasted
Mergansers, good numbers of American Wigeon, and a few Horned Grebes. It
was still cold, but not windy. I saw a Winter Wren at Grandview -- what a
cute bird! I usually only get to hear those little guys make lots of noise.
I saw a few Great Black-backed Gulls, some Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls,
and 2 Bonaparte's Gulls (at Grandview). I observed both Ring-billed and
Herring Gulls harassing Surf Scoters, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneyes. I
also saw 3 male Common Goldeneyes displaying (head throwing) to a female
Common Goldeneye.
Elisa Enders
Portsmouth, VA
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