20 DAYS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA, SEPTEMBER
25–OCTOBER 14, 2013. Part 1, Sept. 25 –
Oct. 6.
UN-EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
A stalled low pressure system, especially during the ESB&WF festival
Oct. 11-13, accompanied by much rain and strong northeast winds, really hindered
the birding. It was a poor flight year
for flickers and blue jays (and Monarchs).
For much of the visit many landbirds were almost non-existent at the
hawk watch platform. But it’s always good
here socially and if you read carefully below there are still some pretty good
spectacles. Curiously there are some
big flights, 100+, of peregrines all the way down on the Florida Keys before
Kiptopeke has any such numbers.
The installation of RhinoDeck to replace the planking means
that there is much noise, hammering, a generator going full blast, but this
detracts
little from the enjoyment of the action, and sometimes endless conversation, on
the platform. There is to be only one
1,000+ hawk day here this fall, the day after I leave. Needless to say the
government shutdown threw
a wrench into the gears with the consequent closure of ESVNWR and Chincoteague
NWR.
With all this going on, or not going on, the ESB&WF of
October 11-13 was challenged. Some trip
leaders I talked with reported no one showing up for their scheduled trips. In
spite of prevailing, often stormy NE winds
for many days 3 visits to CBBT turn up no fancy seabirds such as jaegers or
phalaropes. Heck, even a little influx
of scoters, loons, or gannets would be encouraging. That doesn’t happen
either.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE (not intended to be a complete list, just
some of the folks I remember talking to, however briefly that might have been).
Lee Adams, Bob Ake, Bob Anderson & Thuy
Tran, Liz Armistead, Richard Ayers, John Bazuin, Joe Beatty, Ed & Peggy
Bowen, Ned Brinkley, Brent & Mary Byers, Bob Chapman (CVWO hawk trapper
assisted by an Alex, who I did not meet or even see), Bob & Ruth Cook,
Marty Daniels, Fenton Day, Shirley Devan, Carl & Carolyn Drasher, Elisa
Enders, Jen Elmer, Dot Field, Nick Flanders, Betsy & Chris Foster, Baron
& Tina Gibson, Forrest Gladden, Jamie Hale (Buteo Books), David Hughes,
Mike Iwanik, Steve Kolbe (CVWO morning Bay watch observer), Steven Living
(organizer of ESB&WF field trips),
Bob Lukens, Rea Manderino (CVWO butterfly tagger), Mark McCaig,
Ann McDowell, Carl & John McGonigle, Laura McKay, Greg Miller, Evan Morris,
Ellison Orcutt, Ray Peña & Sharron Montgomery (falconers & exhibitors at
ESB&WF), Evan Morris, Paul Nasca & Heidi, Ellison Orcutt, Zak Poulton
(point counts for College of William & Mary), the Right Honourable Sir
Studly Fauntlerrroy [the middle r is silent] Ramsbottom (a.k.a. the “Duke of
Earl”) OBE, DSO, 7th Earl of Nassawadox & his squeeze Roxanne
SusieQ “Sweet Pea” Ramsbottom [don’t bother looking these 2 up in Burke’s
Peerage], Jesse Reese (CVWO education coordinator), Katie Rittenhouse (CVWO
hawk counter), Ann Rutledge (Cape Charles librarian), Bob Schamerhorn
(photographer & exhibitor at ESVB&WF), Fletcher Smith, Brian Taber,
Clay Taylor, Steve Thornhill, Elizabeth & Mike Tove, Capt. Buddy Vaughn,
Bob Wallis, David Whitehurst, Bill Williams, Gary Williamson.
Merlin researchers on Fisherman I.: Jon Johannsen & Josh Hull. The GARGOYLES:
Harry Armistead, Lynn
Davidson, Deb & Keith Gingrich, Sue Ricciardi, Bob Rineer, Hal Wierenga.
Audubon Naturalist Society field trip
participants (Led by Hal & Lynn): Susan Blaha, Diane Jones, Barbara
Ricciardi & Brooke Smith.
ABBREVIATIONS & GAZETTEER. ANS, Audubon Naturalist Society (of Washington,
D.C.; not affiliated with the National Audubon Society). Barrier Islands
Center, Machipongo, VA
(concerned with cultural, not natural, history of the state’s barrier islands;
e.g., I have twice offered them large whale ribs and vertebrae but not heard
back). CBBT, Chesapeake Bay Bridge &
Tunnel. CVWO, Coastal Virginia Wildlife
Observatory. ESB&WF, Eastern Shore
Birding & Wildlife Festival. ESVNWR,
Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. Fisherman Island National
Wildlife Refuge
(administered by ESVNWR, off the S tip of the Delmarva Peninsula). KSP,
Kiptopeke State Park. Magotha Road, leads to Magothy Bay (note the
variant spellings) seaside and due E of KSP.
Landfill, Northampton County facility just N of Oyster. Oyster, small village
and harbor, seaside, c.
10 mi. NE of KSP. “the platform” is the
site of the hawk watch at KSP. Ramp
Lane, S end of ESVNWR. Sunset Beach
Resort (and its beachside corollary, Sunset Grille), lodging just N of the N
end of CBBT. Taylor Pond, in KSP,
acquired mostly through the generosity of singer James Taylor. Wise Point, the
extreme S end of mainland
Delmarva Peninsula and part of ESVNWR.
SEPTEMBER 25, Wednesday.
Salisbury, MD, a Pileated Woodpecker flying over Route 13. Deal I. W.M.A., MD.
Not much action. Basically just a drive through: 20 Savannah
Sparrows, 8 Boat-tailed Grackles, 8 Great and 1 Snowy egret. Chincoteague
N.W.R., the Bar-tailed Godwit
has left but there are: 237 Willets, 6 Marbled Godwits, 115 Black Skimmers (very
few of them immatures), 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 95 “white” herons (in decreasing
order of abundance: Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron), 145 terns
(also in decreasing order: Forster’s, Royal, Caspian, Sandwich [2]), a
Tricolored Heron, an imm. White Ibis, and a Great Blue Heron, most all of these
in Swan Cove Pool. Chincoteague
causeway: a Merlin, 10 Boat-tailed Grackles, 9 Great and 2 Snowy Egrets.
Willis Wharf, tide low, too low: 9
Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Killdeer.
SEPTEMBER 26, Thursday. The first day here is always exciting. 379 raptors
incl. 72 Ospreys, 22 peregrnes, 58
Merlins, 79 kestrels, 16 harriers, 66 sharpies, and 47 Coops. A male Merlin
tangles with a female
kestrel. Another kestrel tries to catch
a dragonfly. 1 Wilson’s Snipe. 1 Red-headed Woodpecker. 8 sharpies and 1
Cooper’s Hawk come over in
one rather tight grouping. On the near T
pole simultaneously are 10 flickers and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. 3 Greater
Yellowlegs and a Semipalmated
Plover. 25 flickers. Am on the hawkwatch platform 9.25 hours.
SEPTEMBER 27, Friday.
The best Merlin flight of 2013: 230 plus 10 Bald Eagles, 32 peregrines,
99 kestrels, 39 Ospreys, 21 harriers, and 44 Coops for a total of 557
raptors. Rea has seen a Giant Swallowtail,
unusual for here; the 1st one was seen on the Delmarva Tip Butterfly
Count back in July (compiled by Lynn).
Rea has also seen Gulf Fritillaries almost daily. Several hours today > 40
Merlins are seen:
54 3-4 P.M. DST; 45 4-5 P.M. & 54 5-6 P.M., representative of how, frequently,
the biggest Merlin numbers are seen late in the afternoon. You haven’t lived
until you’ve seen a male
Merlin jetting by at close range low over the treetops. See a Blue Grosbeak
and an unID’d
tanager. Am on the platform 8:45 A.M. –
6 P.M.
SEPTEMBER 28, Saturday.
A Pileated Woodpecker goes over the platform. 530 raptors incl. 56 Ospreys,
142 sharpies,
54 Coops, 106 Merlins, 19 peregrines, 15 harriers, and 125 kestrels. 50 Blue
Jays.
I’m on the platform 9:45 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. One Red-headed Woodpecker.
SEPTEMBER 29, Sunday.
Thank heaven for www.hawkcount.org
and Katie’s prompt and accurate posting each day. 956 raptors, the largest
flight during my
visit, with 147 Merlins, 224 kestrels, 68 Ospreys, 365 sharpies, 84 Coops, and
22 harriers. There is one group of 20
Sharp-shinned Hawks together, another with 7 Merlins. Three kingfishers. A
Red-headed Woodpecker. Am on the platform 8:45 – 6:00.
SEPTEMBER 30, Monday.
383 raptors including 135 sharpies, 40 Ospreys, 56 Coops, 103 kestrels,
and 32 Merlins. Only 4 peregrines and
but 8 yesterday. A Bald Eagle tangles
with a Black Vulture looking as if it wants to catch and eat it.
Ramp Lane 6-7 P.M., the only visit this time because of the
government shutdown, which of course involves ESVNWR here:
215 White Ibises, 8 Tricolored Herons, 155 Black Skimmers
off to the S towards Fisherman I., 30 Boat-tailed Grackles, 10 Clapper Rails, 3
Black-crowned Night Herons, 3 kestrels, 2 Bald Eagles, a Great Horned Owl
calls, a Merlin, 70 Snowy & 32 Great egrets, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 Great
Blue Herons, 1 Yellow-crowned Night Heron, a peregrine, a harrier, and 65 Brown
Pelicans plus 6 deer and an Eastern Cottontail.
Pretty good show for one hour, eh?
Witnessed by Baron & Tina Gibson, Bob Lukens, Bob Wallis, Bob
Anderson, Thuy Tran, and Liz Armistead,
OCTOBER 1, Tuesday.
Keith sees 14 deer when he’s out biking.
Steve does his first day at his Bay Watch, sees a Parasitic Jaeger and 5
early gannets. Bob Wallis, Bob Lukens
and I visit Magotha Road and find 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Royal & 7
Forster’s terns plus 3 Ospreys. After
dinner we hear a screech-owl at Oyster and see a fat Fowler’s Toad.
At the KSP platform “only” 308 raptors pass by with 20 Merlins,
157 sharpies, 21 Ospreys, 2 harriers, 23 Coops, 83 kestrels, and just 1 ea. of
Red-tailed Hawk and peregrine comprising the complete list.
OCTOBER 2, Wednesday.
Steve Kolbe sees a Great Cormorant and Lesser Black-backed Gull from
near Pickett’s Harbor, just N of KSP a mile or so, his Bay watch site. From a
dock in Oyster in the early morning
Bob Lukens, Bob Wallis, Liz, and I see 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 11 Ruddy
Turnstones, 2 Royal Terns, and a Great Egret.
Nearby we hear a Great Horned and a screech owl. I catch an adult Fowler’s
Toad after dinner.
In the afternoon we give the Oyster flats a good going over
from the mainland and see: 2 Whimbrel, 50 Willets, 14 oystercatchers, 15
Western Palm Warblers, 4 Semipalmated Plovers, a Great Egret, 3 Short-billed
Dowitchers, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 26 Royal & 8 Caspian terns, an adult Bald
Eagle, 2 Black-bellied Plovers, 16 imm. White Ibis, a phoebe, and 2 Great Blue
Herons. Nice, but not a terrific showing
for this, usually, prime spot.
The platform crew sees 513 raptors with 48 Merlins, 96
kestrels, 267 sharpies, 54 Coops, and 27 ospreys but only 2 peregrines. I am
only there 10:15 A.M. – noon and again
from 4:30-6 P.M.
OCTOBER 3, Thursday.
An immature Red-headed Woodpecker.
581 raptors seen from the platform, incl. 200 sharpies, 42 Coops, 8
harriers, 54 Broad-winged Hawks, 186 kestrels, 26 peregrines, 33 Ospreys, and
28 Merlins. c. 250 Blue Jays.
Liz and I visit the Oyster landfill 2-2:30 P.M. and see 43
Black Vultures (most within feet of us on the ground with wings spread –
impressive up close), 9 ad. & 3 imm. Black-crowned and 1 imm.
Yellow-crowned night heron, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 56 Canada
Geese, 21 Fish Crows, 11 Turkey Vultures, 8 male Boat-tailed Grackles, 6
cormorants, and 30 starlings plus a deer asleep on the other side of the pond,
2 feral cats, and a Painted Turtle.
Water level in the pond is high.
12 of us dine at Sting-Ray’s by combining several small tables.
OCTOBER 4, Friday.
This is a banner year here (and elsewhere I hear) for Stink Bugs. Clear and
hot, winds W 5-10, not ideal
conditions. 370 raptors with 19 Ospreys,
150 sharpies, 37 Cooper’s Hawks, 111 kestrels, 30 Merlins, and 19
peregrines. Liz leaves for Philadelphia.
OCTOBER 5, Saturday.
I am invited to join Hal & Lynn’s ANS group. We get on board the M.V.
Oystercatcher
embarking from Oyster for a 2-hour cruise through the marshes out tantalizingly
close (but not as close as I’d like) to the S end of Cobb Island, where there
is sometimes a high tide roost of 2,000+ shorebirds.
This is a sizeable wooden tub with a wheelhouse and plenty
of room that is used by the Barrier Islands Center of Machipongo, VA. The BIC
is located c. 10 miles N of
Cheriton. It’s a pretty good deal. Cost is $25 per head. Times are
tide-dependent so if interested
call 757-678-5550 (barrierislandscenter.com).
A Mr. Doughty provides an interesting narrative. Sometimes the boat’s name is
given as Oyster
Catcher. I think the boat only goes on
Thursdays and Saturdays Our complete
list:
Common loon 1, double-crested cormorant 225, brown pelican
3, great blue heron 3, great egret 25, tricolored heron 11, black vulture 3,
turkey vulture 17, bald eagle 1, northern harrier 1, black-bellied plover 750,
killdeer 2, American oystercatcher 50, greater yellowlegs 11, willet 235,
marbled godwit 14, ruddy turnstone 10, sanderling 7, laughing gull 40,
ring-billed gull 1, herring gull 3, great black-backed gull 3, Caspian tern 3,
royal tern 125, peregrine falcon 1, and sparrow unID’d 1 plus an unID’d
anglewing, a Monarch, and 2 Cloudless Sulphurs.
Afterwards we all go trooping off to the Sunset Grille below
the bluff of Sunset Beach Resort for a good lunch where we see 2 kingfishers
and 6 dolphins.
Meanwhile back at the platform ranch they see 449 raptors,
incl. 217 sharpies, 44 Coops, 88 kestrels, 29 Merlins, 23 peregrines, 15
harriers, and 23 Ospreys. Due to the
boat trip and luncheon I am only there 2 P.M. – 6:15 P.M.
OCTOBER 6, Sunday. At
5:49 A.M., well before first light, a Carolina Wren is foraging on the porch
where I am lodging. I am at KSP only
from 7:15 A.M. until 1 P.M. and then from 3:30 P.M. until 6 P.M. but see my 1st
Common Grackles for here, c. 90, plus 2 waxwings, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 5
meadowlarks, and 3 Wood Ducks. A Gulf
Fritillary and Red-spotted Purple go by the platform.
The ANS group led by Hal & Lynn invites me to tag along
again. At the CBBT pulloff at Wise
Point: 12 Sanderlings, 2 peregrines, 2 Sandwich, 1 Common, and several each of
Royal, Caspian, and Forster’s terns, 2 Sharp-shinned, 1 Red-tailed & 2
Cooper’s hawks, a Bald Eagle, 30 Brown Pelicans, a Boat-tailed Grackle, an
oystercatcher, and a Willet.
On CBBT island 1: 32 Sanderlings, 76 Rock
Pigeons, a peregrine, 2 oystercatchers, 14 Ruddy Turnstones, 125 Laughing
Gulls, and a Cooper’s Hawk plus 2 Buckeyes and 2 Monarchs. Good clam chowder.
This is the day of the best KSP peregrine flight with 132
plus 15 Merlins, 47 Ospreys, 12 harriers, 72 kestrels, and 105 sharpies. Total
of 409 raptors. As happens once or twice each fall the
peregrine is the most abundant raptor today.
I arrive back at KSP in time to see 44 of the peregrines.
Best to all. – Harry Armistead.
