Another early morning. I was on my way to meet up with the Monticello Bird Club and join in their annual trip across the CBBT. This week was quite different than my previous attempt to pick up wintering ducks along the bridge-tunnel. The weather was perfect, although the warm temperatures still remained in the area. We birded islands 2, 3, and 4, and the results were not near as productive as I had hoped, although the number of Northern Gannets was staggering!
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| (USS George H.W. Bush) |
Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoters, and Great Cormorants were out in good numbers, but the variety of birds was lacking. Harlequin Duck? Eiders? We need a cold front to push some of these birds down south!
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| (Long-tailed Duck, CBBT, VA) |
The third island was where we found the most interesting species of the morning. A lone White-winged Scoter was bobbing up and down with the ocean, but just in front, along the rocky coast was a HUGE seal sitting among the much smaller harbor seals.
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| (Grey Seal among Harbor Seals, CBBT, VA) |
A Gray Seal? In Virginia? After receiving confirmation from the Virginia Science Museum, our photos do indeed show a female Grey Seal! Not to be outdone, a lone Humpback Whale gave the group a showing just as we were heading for island 4.
The rest of the afternoon was spent checking reliable spots along the Eastern Shore. Willis Wharf was productive, giving me quite a few year birds, including: Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, and an early Semi-palmated Plover.
The day ended at Chincoteague NWR, where I was able to pick up Green-winged Teal and succeeded in striking out completely on Brant.
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| (Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, & Short-billed Dowitcher, Chincoteague NWR, VA) |
The temperatures over the next 10 days look to be a tad colder than the past weeks. Winter is coming to a close fast, and there are still quite a few birds that I NEED! Which is exactly why I was EXTREMELY excited about the 2nd boat trip to the CBBT that the Williamsburg Bird Club has set up. February 19th. Cold front anyone?
