CBBT 1/2/03, NO Grebe's at Fort Story

[Peregrinus01@aol.com]

Birders,
5 gull species total: in order of abundance, Ring-billed, Herring, 
Great-black Backed, Laughing, Bonaparte's.
Scoter species in order of abundance: Surf, Black, White-winged
hundreds of Red-breasted Mergansers
2:1 ratio with Common and Red-throated Loons
hundreds of N. Gannets
Highlights:

Island 1:
Common Eider-1
Scaup sp.-60
Bufflehead-40
Oldsquaw-19
DC Corm.-1
scoters
Ruddy Turnstone-30

Island 2:
Oldsquaw-15
scoters
Great Corm.-12
American Oystercatcher-50
Purple Sandpipers-50

Island 3:
scoters
more Oldsquaw
more G. Corm
American Oystercatcher-50
Purple Sandpipers-50

Island 4:
Common Eider-3, two females, one male
Harlequin Duck-1 male
high #'s of White-winged Scoters
Purple Sandpipers

Did NOT find the Clark's or Red-necked Grebe at Fort Story, but the security 
was very high, and no beach access is allowed.

Around Kiptopeke St. Prk, we found both loons, LB Heron, thousands of fly 
over Snow Geese, AM. Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded 
Merganser, thousands of RB Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Black Vulture, Northern 
Harrier, Am. Kestrel, American Coot, Pileated Woodpecker.

A great visit, thanks for direction in those that offered it. I just wished 
we had found some rare gulls, but believe me, we searched through EVERY gull 
on those islands.

Alan Kneidel 
Charlotte, NC