[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

CBBT / CHINCOTEAGUE, VA



I just returned home from leading a Greenville, North Carolina - River Park 
North Bird Club fieldtrip to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and 
Chincoteague NWR, VA.  We had a great group including twelve participants (11 
from NC and one all the way from New Jersey).  We ended up with a very good 
weekend trip list of 91 species and the details / highlights are as follows.

We started the trip on Saturday morning by stopping at Portsmouth, VA and 
successfully found the two male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS that have been 
visiting a feeder there since mid December.  This was a great start since 
they were life birds for all participants but two of us.  (Thanks Shirley 
Bolinaga!!!)

We headed on to the CBBT where we found huge rafts of GREATER SCAUP along 
with numerous SURF SCOTERS and LONG-TAILED DUCKS (it sounds weird saying that 
name).  We hand fed bread to the Ruddy Turnstones on island #1, as we 
compared them to the numerous PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the rocks.  There were 
large numbers of GREAT CORMORANTS in breeding plumage allowing for fantastic 
comparisons to the Double Crested Cormorants close by.  Two female HARLEQUIN 
DUCKS were on island #2 and one spectacularly colored male HARLEQUIN DUCK was 
on island #4.  

On island #3, there were a few birders that had just seen the BLACK-TAILED 
GULL prior to us arriving, but it had flown out of site.  While waiting, we 
fed the other gulls bread and watched a large flock of Bonapartes Gulls.  
From that flock we spotted a LITTLE GULL that proceeded to come straight to 
us and make some very close passes by us allowing for incredibly convenient 
looks.  In the meantime, Jamie Glydon was able to relocate the BLACK-TAILED 
GULL sitting at a great distance on the water.  Some of the group was able to 
get on the bird, but not very good looks.

We stopped at Eastern Shore NWR on our way to Chincoteague, but it was 
extremely quiet.  By the time we arrived at Chincoteague, the fog had rolled 
in and covered the place like a blanket.  We hoped it would burn off by 
morning, but it did not.  This certainly hampered our long distance viewing 
of the ponds, but we did round out our trip list with a good number of puddle 
ducks and passerines.  The highlights at Chincoteague were an adult BALD 
EAGLE, two beautiful FOX SPARROWS and numerous MUTE SWANS (for the 
southerners in the group).  We decided to head back south since the fog was 
not being cooperative.  We stopped at Kiptopeake SP where the fog was not a 
problem, but the wind was gusting out of the South.  No new birds, so we 
pressed on to the CBBT again.

The return trip on the CBBT was almost identical to the ride up, but offered 
even better views of some birds.  Island #4 offered the highlight, which was 
great looks at the BLACK-TAILED GULL.  Unlike the distance views we had on 
Saturday, this time the gull was sitting on the rocks right in front of us.  
At one point the gull stretched it's wings and flew in a circle in front of 
us showing that diagnostic tail pattern and then proceeded to land even 
closer to us on the rocks.  There was a possible 1st Winter THAYERS GULL on 
island #4 taht I photographed.  We also were able to observe an extremely 
close-up male BLACK SCOTER which was a new species for us.

As we headed home on Rt. 13 South, we watched the fields for Wild Turkeys 
which I have seen on many occasions, but we were not succesful this time.  We 
did however see two GREAT-HORNED OWLS along the road just as it turned dark.

A great weekend of birding with a great group of Carolina birders!

- Brad Carlson
Winterville, NC
Bcar105390@aol.com