8 (more) DAYS ON THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE, OCTOBER 15-22, 2012, mostly in the Kiptopeke, VA, area. Good people, good food, good birds. A most satisfying sojourn.
Part 1, October 15 - mid-way into October 19. MD is only in the 1st 2 days here. Part 2 is on VA-BIRD.
Most of this, esp. October 17-21, is part of the first American Birding Association Rally, at Kiptopeke, organized by George Armistead (as part of his job as Events Coordinator for the A.B.A.) et al., where I play a supporting role as an assistant field trip leader. For the Rally days the notes below are primarily only birds I see (ergo not necessarily the complete totals for the field trips I’m on), but there are a few records below of what others see, too, on the other A.B.A. trips, since each day there were 3 groups with mutually exclusive travel plans each day.
I don’t have the dates and observers but know that during the Rally a Clay-colored Sparrow is seen at the entrance to the ESVNWR Visitor Center and presumably another on the CBBT (the latter photographed). Based on the fragmentary information I overheard the Rally achieved these species totals: 25 shorebirds, 15 raptors, 9 heron types, 13 waterfowl, 11 sparrows, and 12 warblers, the latter 2 groups represented here, especially, may actually total several more each. In any case, as it stands, that’s 85 species right there.
GAZETTEER and ABBREVIATIONS. BCNH - Black-crowned Night Heron. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Dorchester County, MD. Box Tree Road E of Machipongo, Northampton County, VA. CBBT, Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel. d.o.r., dead on the road (requiescat in pavement). Egypt Road, Dorchester County, MD. ESVNWR, Eastern Shore of Virginia N.W.R. KSP, Kiptopeke State Park, Northampton County, VA, the center for fall birding activity in the Cape Charles area. Oyster Landfill, Northampton County, VA, near Kiptopeke. The “platform,” the hawkwatch platform at KSP. Ramp Lane, at the S end of ESVNWR. Rigby’s Folly, Armistead property, Talbot County, MD. Sunset Beach Resort, Northampton County, VA, just N of the CBBT toll plaza. Taylor Pond at KSP, acquired through the generosity of singer James Taylor. Willis Wharf, Northampton County, VA, E of Exmore, c. 25 mi. N of KSP (sometimes fondly referred to by some of us as Willets’ Wharf). YCNH - Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
OCTOBER 15, MONDAY. Startin’ off. Rain on the way down. 800 Canada Geese in the Calhoun M.E.B.A. (Marine Engineers Benevolent Association) fields off of Route 33.
Armistead place, Rigby’s Folly, Talbot County, MD, late afternoon only. 66-65° F., mostly overcast, winds light and variable, close to calm, 0.2” in the rain gauge, has dried out a lot since the last visit (September 24). The sun breaks through c. 5 P.M., illuminating the dark green Loblolly Pines to the east with very dark gray clouds farther off to the east over the forest. Beautiful.
Bald Eagle 4, Wood Duck 1, Common Loon 2, American Kestrel 1♀, minor feeding frenzy at the Choptank River mouth: Laughing Gull 54, Royal Tern 2, Forster’s Tern 11.
Non-avian Taxa: A ♀ Box Turtle on her back (thanks to a raccoon or fox?) but otherwise O.K. on the Choptank Trail. 4 deer in Field 2. 2 Gray Squirrels. Hundreds of Sea Roaches on the dock and nearby on the lawn (high tide at 4:17 P.M.). In The Pond: 4 Southern Leopard Frogs, 6 Green Frogs. Kill 12 small, black crickets, 10 on the 1st floor, first-of-the-year.
Way out in the ‘Tank is a large sailing vessel, 2 masts, perhaps 100’ high, slightly raked back, a bowsprit c. ½ the length of the masts, a mizzen spar about 1/3 the length of the masts, and 2 horizontal spars on the mainmast. Sorry, I’m ignorant of sailing terminology. She is hove to, stationary, but eventually gets under way by power up Harris Creek. Impressive.
OCTOBER 16, TUESDAY. Getting’ down there. Rigby’s Folly: 4 does in Field 4, 2 in Woods 2.
Dorchester County, MD:
Egypt Road, 430 Tree Swallows on the ground in a big field, 5 American Kestrels, 8 bluebirds, 21 Mourning Doves, an imm. Bald Eagle, 7 Horned Larks, 18 Chipping Sparrows, and 11 Savannah Sparrows.
Blackwater N.W.R. 8:15 – 11 A.M. Water in impoundments high, tidal areas lowish. Mute Swan 5, Northern Pintail 210, Dunlin 105, Forster’s Tern 235, Pectoral Sandpiper 25, American Wigeon 30, Green-winged Teal 510, Least Sandpiper 2, Bald Eagle 21, Northern Harrier 2, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Tree Swallow 70, Ruddy Duck 6 (Sewards), AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN 1 (the disabled bird continues to maintain station on the Blackwater River), Savannah Sparrow 2, cormorant 5, Canada Goose 1K, Great Blue Heron 5, Greater Yellowlegs 9, Turkey Vulture 20, and Mallard 475.
Non-avian taxa at Blackwater: flutterbys (a Kyle Wright - ism) - Orange Sulphur 13, Viceroy 1, Monarch 2. 1 deer, 1 Fox Squirrel, 1 d.o.r. skunk, 1 d.o.r. ‘possum. Painted Tutle 2, Red-bellied Slider 2. Still some nice patches of Tickseed Sunflowers brightening up the place.
Decoursey Bridge (road) general area & Middletown Branch Road, 11:15 AM.: Forster’s Tern 45, Bald Eagle 3, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Great Blue Heron 1, bluebird 4, starling 575, Gray Squirrel 1, Painted Turtle 2, American Kestrel 2, and Chipping Sparrow 16.
Chapel of Ease, Vienna: the sunflowers are all dried up but there are still 9 American Goldfinches here plus a Bald Eagle.
Route 50 borrow pit at Vienna: a Bald Eagle, 65 Canada Geese, 2 Red-bellied Sliders, 2 Buckeyes, a Pearl Crescent. This pit usually has few birds.
Wicomico County, MD: Mardela Springs - 800 starlings.
Salisbury: sign says “Sore throat? Yes we do that.” Does that mean, then, that they make throats sore? No comma between the “Yes” and the “we.” I mean, really (or should that be: I mean really?).
VIRGINIA (ALL the following reports are from there):
Willis Wharf. 2:15 – 2:45 P.M. Low tide and falling. Willet 255, Marbled Godwit 9, Short-billed Dowitcher 2, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Pied-billed Grebe 1, Ruddy Turnstone 10, BCNH 3, Great Egret 3, Rock Pigeon 18, Forster’s Tern 35, kestrel 1, and Great Blue Heron 1. Clear, 61° F., NW 15.
IF YOU GO HERE park only by the post office or adjacent to the observation platform S of the bridge. Residents are a bit touchy if you park elsewhere (“I don’t park on your lawn; I don’t want you to park on mine.”) And you should have seen the “lawn.” Terry’s, next to the bridge is a great place to get fresh oysters and clams: H. M. Terry Co., 757-442-7777, www.sewansecott.com
Machipongo, specifically Box Tree Road, 3:15, low tide but rising (please stay BEHIND the fence, at the request of The Nature Conservancy, and respect the no trespassing sign), but a rickety picnic table gives one some elevation and a better view, but be careful, or, even better, stay off the thing.
The drive in here iprovides one of the most beautiful Eastern Shore prospects I know of, spectacular, low saltmarsh, and a long peninsula of Loblolly Pines extending south, sky visible under a sort of clerestory below their canopy. Marbled Godwit 7, Willet 135, Short-billed Dowitcher 1, Bald Eagle 3, harrier 1, Greater Yellowlegs 1, and cormorant 9. In the distance the observation tower on remote Hog Island is visible.
Ramp Lane. Love to do a dusk watch here. 5:30-6:45. White Ibis 46, Boat-tailed Grackle 62, Brown Pelican 85 (distant), Great Blue Heron 7, kingfisher 2, Cooper’s Hawk 2, Greater Yellowlegs 3, Bald Eagle 3, Caspian Tern 3, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Great Egret 13, harrier 1, Tricolored Heron 1, cormorant 11, Snowy Egret 8, unID’d sharp-tailed sparrow 2, black duck 2, kestrel 1, Pied-billed Grebe 4, and a large, dark ball of Tree Swallows getting ready to roost on Fisherman Island 2 miles away but easily visible even at 6:41 P.M. (sunset is at 6:25 P.M.)
Also: 1 deer, 31 Monarchs (coming in off the marsh, flying to the mainland). High 50s, NW5, clear, low tide but rising. Hard to believe I missed Clapper Rail.
OCTOBER 17, WEDNESDAY. KSP. Hawkcounter Steve Kolbe and others record 386 Red-breasted Nuthatches, a new state high count, by 10, slightly surpassing the 376 on the Lynchburg Christmas Bird Count of December 17, 1977. This 386 is way low since we undoubtedly miss many flying over, and the count is not started until after an hour or more of daylight. A few dolphins out beyond the concrete ships. American Robin 2,500, Blue Jay 145, flicker 27, and a flock of 30 Eastern Meadowlarks. The hawk trappers inadvertently net a Hairy Woodpecker. Blue-headed Vireo 1, Orange-crowned Warbler 1, Royal Tern 4, 250 siskins, and 5 snipe.
The A.B.A. Rally begins in the afternoon with a walk around KSP led by Nate Swick, George and me. Whoops. Right off, in front of most of the group, I misidentify distant Willets on the beach as Sanderlings. How many 1000s of each have I seen under every imaginable condition and distance? Partial redemption comes when I spot a lovely adult ♂ Cape May Warbler, seen, unfortunately, by only a few of us. Further redemption, after a fashion, when, I declare: “This is about the time when Golden Eagles are seen,” (i.e., c. 4 P.M., and at this time of the year). As chance would have it within seconds I spot an eagle at the base of a Turkey Vulture kettle and assume it is a Bald Eagle. But George puts the scope on it and calls out juvenile Golden Eagle, the first of the year here.
Other birds here: a rough-winged swallow, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 3 or 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers (seen almost every day), a Common Loon, a Chimney Swift, 2 deer, 100+ Cedar Waxwings. The Rally’s off to a good start. I’m good, but I’m in over my head a bit compared to the leaders of the Rally.
KSP raptor total: 344 with 25 harriers, 115 sharpies, 46 Coops, the Golden Eagle, 109 kestrels, 19 Merlins, and 12 peregrines.
OCTOBER 18, THURSDAY. A.B.A. President, Jeff Gordon, and I go with a van of Rally participants to Wachapreague (a.k.a. Whatchamucallit), where we load onto two skiffs under the direction of Capt. Rick Kellam, who does a great job, knows the waters, and the birds, very well. It’s up to the mouth of Finney and Rattrap creeks at 8 A.M. where the rising tide has concentrated a whole batch of shorebirds (estimates are my rough ones, not official): 60 Marbled Godwits, a Whimbrel, 475 Black-bellied Plovers, 100 Dunlin, 45 Short-billed Dowitchers, 30 Greater Yellowlegs, a few Willets, and 45 Western Sandpipers, most all of which we see at lose range. Also in the general area are 4 Bald Eagles, 5 Ospreys, a Pied-billed Grebe, a Ruddy Duck, 3 kingfishers, 2 harriers, and a Red-tailed Hawk.
Then we go farther out from the mainland and into the saltmarsh to “the Hummocks” where the highlights include 2 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, 8 Whimbrels, 45 Willets, 40 oystercatchers (2 are color-banded but we’re not close enough to see all the colors and band combinations), 2 Clapper Rails, 5 black ducks, 6 Caspian & 20 Forster’s terns, 30 Boat-tailed Grackles, 11 Brant (first of the fall; we’re able to hear their trumpeting), 2 Nelson’s, 1 Saltmarsh & a Savannah sparrow (plus 6 unID’d Sharp-tailed Sparrows), a kestrel, 8 Fish Crows, 5 Snowy & 2 Great egrets, and a pair of Peregrine Falcons around their hacking tower.
Capt. Kellam is able, on the risen tide, to plow right through the edges of the Spartina alterniflora on the banks of the tidal guts, affording us good looks at the rails and some of the sparrows. Clear, 50s – low 60s, SE 5-15 m.p.h.
The rest of the day, and for some of us the rest of the Rally, is anticlimactic, but our group heads for the CBBT, with a CBBT police escort, to hit all 4 of the islands. Out here landbirds, especially, are liteRally isolated and have little chance of hiding in the sparse grasses, although the goldenrod clusters over the walls are surprisingly lush.
Best are good looks at a Great Cormorant, a dapper Lincoln’s Sparrow (Island 3), a Winter Wren, a Common Loon, and an earlyish Purple Sandpiper. Also present: a junco, a Palm Warbler, a few Sanderlings, 2 Tree Swallows, an Osprey, 220+ Laughing Gulls, a few Brown Pelicans, several dolphins, some Myrtle Warblers, a peregrine on the railing before we get to the islands, and 55 Rock Pigeons on island 1 (and 6 on Island 2). I see a Red Admiral. Jeff picks out a Long-tailed Skipper, uncommon in this region. He stages a quiz/tutorial on identifying a dead Clapper Rail and the foot of a deceased coot. 1000s of Sea Roaches swarm over the rocks in the intertidal zone.
Meanwhile an AUDUBON’S WARBLER has been located at Sunset Beach Resort and photographed, only the 7th Virginia record. An apparently different-from-yesterday Golden Eagle is seen, and, tantalizingly, lands in front of the raptor trappers, and, on its own, [I like commas] springs a bow net but is not captured. Steve Kolbe sees the 1st Northern Goshawk of the year fly by, one of 15 raptor species he sees today, totaling 310, with 167 sharpies, 12 Merlins, and 5 peregrines. I see a group of 57 Brown Pelicans from the hawk watch platform. 100s, perhaps 1000s, or Myrtle Warblers.
OCTOBER 19, FRIDAY. An American Bitterns flies over the KSP lodges early in the day, then, it’s off to Bull’s Landing, 7:30 – 1:30 A.M., a restricted, and, nota bene, an off-limits area and section of ESVNWR, for marsh sparrow banding, a longstanding project of Fletcher Smith of the Center for Conservation Biology, based at the College of William and Mary. Over the years Fletcher has banded over 2,000 marsh sparrows. Trip leader Doug Gochfeld and I, 11 of us in all, are here. About half of us galumph through the saltmarsh, trying to drive the sparrows into a mist net. Mostly overcast and occasional sprinkles, poor visibility sometimes, variable weather.
Seven Nelson’s and one Saltmarsh sparrow are banded. Fletcher will oversee 2 more sessions today, so everyone in the Rally has a chance to witness this special project, which today captures, measures, bands, etc., a total of 26 sparrows. After all of this Fletcher then delivers a compelling presentation on his splendid work with Whimbrels, some of which have been found to fly 4 or more days nonstop in late May from the Virginia Eastern Shore to NW Canada. Their southbound migrations to the Caribbean and South America have also been tracked by satellite, are equally heroic.
Best to all. – Harry Armistead, Philadelphia.
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