Below are the results of our weekly shorebird/gull survey conducted at
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Thurs Aug 16, 2012. All water areas
(impoundments and beach areas) were covered in a 9 hour survey. All individuals
are counted for the target species; other birds seen or heard on the survey are
followed by a dash.
The highlight of the survey was a BUFF-BREASTED sandpiper on SOUTH WASH FLAT
IMPOUNDMENT. One individual was seen in the flooded borrow ditch alongside the
cross-dike road; it fed briefly alongside a Pectoral Sandpiper, making for a
good comparison. The impoundment is accessed by a several mile walk on the
Service Road, or via the Wildlife Tour Bus (note however that the bus is not
allowed to drop off passengers).
The impoundments, with the exception of Tom's Cove Pool, have very little
water, due to lack of rain. Even though numbers of shorebirds are using them
are low, except for semi-palmated plovers, diversity is high, with 24 species
of shorebirds recorded. Still good numbers of birds using the beach. Found 18
marbled godwits but no black-tailed godwit as was reported last week by other
observers. Number of sanderlings has fallen off, but 4623 are still present.
The beach south of the Parking Lot is open as far as the Coast Guard Station.
Joelle Buffa and Clyde Morris
