Early July 2018 (1st-10th)

/

Carrying over from June, high temperatures and extreme humidity brought this expectedly uncomfortable weather into early July, but thanks primarily to a tropical system, we did experience a lovely cooldown for the latter half of the reporting period. On 7 Jul, strong northeast winds began buffeting our coastline as a low pressure cell churned counterclockwise to the south of Cape Hatteras, being quickly upgraded to Tropical Depression #3, then temporarily to Tropical Storm Chris on 8 Jul before attaining hurricane status on 10 Jul. The associated winds brought a much-needed cooldown to the region, keeping daily high temperatures in the 70s through the remainder of the period. Additionally, the direction of airflow provided for some suitable shorebird habitat, and we started to see the rudimentary beginnings of the fall migration, right on time! Top records for early July in Virginia Beach included first-of-year reports for WILSON’S STORM-PETREL, new unseasonal reports for PIED-BILLED GREBE and continuing reports for TUNDRA SWAN and AMERICAN COOT. Additionally, we saw early first-of-season arrivals for BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, as well as on-time arrivals for SPOTTED SANDPIPER, GULL-BILLED TERN, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER & LEAST SANDPIPER.

Two reports of WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS surfaced early on this period, with the first occurring 3 Jul off the coast of Cape Henry (obs. Andrew Hawkins), and an additional record the following day in the same general area during one of the Virginia Beach Aquarium boat trips (ph. Justin Fuller). This time of year, Wilson’s Storm-Petrels are annually observed entering the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, but are much more easily viewed while at sea. Shore-based observations are much more difficult to come by and given that the vast majority of eBird checklists in Virginia Beach come from land-based observers, this species needs to flag as a rarity to ensure only those in proper habitat are validated into the public database. Essentially, the farther offshore one goes during the summer, the more members of this species likely to be encountered. Many of our land-based records come from the first island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, however, that formerly public space has been closed to construction since the end of October 2017. Fort Story JEB, and the beaches of the North End (roughly 80th Street and north) tend to produce a couple of records each summer, so these are worthwhile stops if you can’t find a boat to get you offshore. Usually, records line up pretty well with easterly or southeasterly winds that help drive these tiny seabirds in closer to land. Of course, birding the coastline in the wake of tropical cyclones tends to be the best setup for finding them. Lacking that weather phenomenon though, the aquarium’s dolphin tours seem to be a productive, and cost effective, means to get into the proper habitat for this species, so it’s nice to have a public option to try for this species.

Unusual for early July, a single PIED-BILLED GREBE was discovered near Marina Shores in northern Virginia Beach on the third (ph. June McDaniels). This is a species that could potentially breed here in proper habitat, like the impoundments of Back Bay NWR, but tends to be very shy in the summer months and thus, difficult to record. Ironically, a Pied-billed Grebe was found 11 Jul 2016 at this exact location (obs. Andrew Baldelli) and one wonders if this could somehow be the same individual returning for a quick July stop. It appears likely that the 2018  individual was simply an early migrant rather than a breeder, as it was only observed through 4 Jul (obs. June McDaniels, ph. Rob Bielawski) at this location and no mate, or fledglings were observed unfortunately. Another individual was present on 25 Jun at Back Bay NWR, but otherwise, the last records for this species occurred all the way back on 7 May when an individual was viewed at Princess Anne WMA’s Whitehurst Tract. While we may have a stray record in the summer months, this is certainly a species that requires tracking in eBird, and requires well-documented records as a result.

Making for a first ever July occurrence here for the species (according to eBird at least), the continuing TUNDRA SWAN at Back Bay NWR was detected throughout the reporting period, with documented photographs on 1 Jul (ph. Rob Bielawski) and on 8 Jul (also ph. Rob Bielawski), and a most recent observation on 9 Jul (obs. Andrew Baldelli). Since this individual continues to inhabitat the eastern fringe of the C Storage Pool, it has remained too distant from the public viewing area along the West Dike to confirm if an injury exists. However, it has long been presumed that it has a wing injury as Tundra Swans typically depart the region by early April, and if it were healthy enough to fly, it surely would have left long ago. Fortunately, the C Storage Pool has provided several grassy islands and deep water on the edges to keep this bird safe from would-be-predators, but with the strong northeast winds beginning 7 Jul, the waters of Back Bay, and by extension those of the pool, receded and left much of the area dry. With the water levels expected to stay low until the winds switch to southerly, it might allow for a predator to move in, but we’ll know more next period as to whether it has continued to linger or not. Interestingly there are no eBird records for this species between the period close date and 1 Sep in any past years, so each day this bird persists makes a small bit of history for those of us who obsess over such trivialities. Also nearby at the refuge, an AMERICAN COOT was reported during the early July impoundment survey on the 5th, but there is no detail provided regarding the identification details or the specific location where was observed. It’s possible, or even likely that the observation occurred on a non-accessible portion of the A, B, or C Pools given their habitat is perfect for an individual to summer within, but that’s just a guess on my part.

With north winds, and several areas of suitable habitat suddenly available, the shorebird fall migration got off to a grand start this period with several exciting arrivals! The first SPOTTED SANDPIPER of the fall was photographed on 1 Jul near a dock on Lake Tecumseh (ph. Mary Catherine Miguez) during a kayak outing. While we did have two individuals recorded during June, these were likely birds that stayed put rather than late spring or early fall migrants. By the very end of June, we start seeing the true southbound migrants, so this fellow was right on time. The next to be observed occurred a few days later, also a first year bird, at Back Bay NWR on 7 Jul (ph. Rob Bielawski). Early for the species, three BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were also observed at Back Bay NWR on the freshly drained C Storage Pool on 7 Jul (obs. Andrew Baldelli). With an average arrival date of 15 Jul, this was the only of our truly early arrivals for the period. With typical arrival dates of 5 Jul, GULL-BILLED TERNS observed over the ocean from 85th Street Beach on 5 Jul (obs. Andrew Baldelli) were exactly on time. Showing very thick black bills, and a fully black cap, these birds are often confused with distant Sandwich Terns, so it is important to note these features while viewing. The yellow tip of a Sandwich Tern’s bill often becomes invisible at a distance, and the ‘missing’ tip can make the bill appear shorter and stockier than it truly is. Just a word of caution when it comes to separating the two species! Two other first-of-fall arrivals occurred inside their average expected arrival date of 5 Jul, with two flocks of SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS total 13 individuals observed on the mudflats off Pleasure House Point NA on 7 Jul (obs. Rob Bielawski) and individual LEAST SANDPIPERS popping up on 8 Jul at Back Bay NWR (ph. Rob Bielawski) and also at Princess Anne WMA’s Whitehurst Tract later in the morning (also ph. Rob Bielawski).

Breeding bird observations were still going strong through early July and the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas has continued to steam ahead with full momentum! Scattered breeding bird confirmations were photographically documented around the city this period as follows: a recently fledged RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD at Back Bay NWR on 1 Jul (ph. Rob Bielawski); an adult EASTERN BLUEBIRD feeding young at Ashville Park on 1 Jul (ph. Cindy Hamilton & June McDaniels); recently fledged TUFTED TITMOUSE at Stumpy Lake NA on 1 Jul (ph. Rob Bielawski); an adult NORTHERN CARDINAL carrying nesting material at Back Bay NWR on 2 Jul (ph. Charlie Bruggemann); recently fledged MALLARDS at Marina Shores on 2 Jul (ph. June McDaniels); recently fledged PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at First Landing SP on 4 Jul (ph. June McDaniels); recently fledged CLAPPER RAILS at Pleasure House Point NA on 5 Jul (ph. Charlie Bruggemann); an adult NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD carrying food on Dinwiddie Dr. on 7 Jul (ph. Rob Bielawski); adult PURPLE MARTINS feeding young on 8 Jul at Back Bay NWR (ph. Mary Catherine Miguez) and a nest with young OSPREYS on 10 Jul at Seatack North Park (ph. Laura Mae). Keep up all the great work Atlasing folks, and please remember, if you have any questions regarding the project, please check out the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas Website, the official Atlas Facebook Page, or the Facebook Group for more information!

WEATHER:  Picking up right where late June left off, extreme heat and humidity blanketed the early half of the reporting period, but thanks to a cold front and our proximity to a tropical cyclone (Hurricane Chris as of this writing), the latter few days of the period boasted much cooler than average temperatures and very dry air, a true blessing at this point in the summer season. Over all, average daily high temperatures dropped 1.5° from 87.1° F to 85.6° (-2.5° from prior 10-year average), with average daily low temperatures also falling, 1.9° from 72.4° to 70.5° F (-1.6° from prior 10-year average). Daytime temperatures ranged from a minimum of 57° F (10 Jul) to a maximum of 91° (1, 2 & 6 Jul). Interestingly, the low temperature of 60° F on 9 Jul was a new record low temperature on this date at Oceana NAS’ weather station. A total of 0.71” of rain fell during the period, spread across three days with measurement amounts, with a maximum of 0.63” falling on Friday, 6 Jul. Maximum sustained winds at Oceana this period were 35 mph and gusts reached 49 mph (6 Jul) as a very strong cold front passed over the region. No significant tidal surge events (2’ or greater) impacted the Sewell’s Point tide gauge during this reporting period. However, the extended period of strong northeasterly winds associated with Hurricane Chris pushed a large volume of water into the Lynnhaven River and caused localized flooding. Additionally, the same windfield pushed a significant percentage of Back Bay’s water southward, revealing expansive mudflats and allowing for the draining of the C and C Storage Pools. Sunrise/sunsets varied from 5:49 AM/8:28 PM (1 Jul) to 5:54 AM/8:26 PM (10 Jul), which means we lost 7 minutes of daylight during this period with a total of 14 hours, 31 minutes of ‘Length of Day’ to close the period.

For those hoping to view every photograph submitted for Virginia Beach during this period, please see the complete listing for the month of July located on eBird’s Media explorer by clicking here! Please remember, anyone with an eBird account also has the ability to rate these photographs (1-5 stars), and based on the average rating, this is how eBird populates anything media-driven on the website, particularly the Illustrated Checklists! So, if you're one of the many folks who enjoy looking at photographs of birds, take some time to click them all and rate them, it helps make eBird better and better each day!

LOOKAHEAD: With the start of shorebird migration underway, we have new arrivals to look forward to each period from now through November and given we won’t start seeing species depart for a while, the overall diversity of birds will continue to rise moving forward. All of our summer breeding species are still present, but keep in mind that many of the songbirds will likely stop singing fairly soon (if they haven’t already) so it is best to try and log observations for birds like Acadian Flycatcher and Wood Thrush while you still can; they’re much harder to locate in the thick summer vegetation when they’re silent! With regard to annually expected fall arrivals, as of the reporting period close date, we have not yet logged first arrivals for WESTERN SANDPIPER, WHIMBREL, BLACK TERN, LESSER YELLOWLEGS & RUDDY TURNSTONE (all 10 Jul average expected arrivals), PIPING PLOVER & SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (15 Jul), RED KNOT, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, STILT SANDPIPER & PECTORAL SANDPIPER (20 Jul) and DUNLIN (30 Jul). Since passerines aren’t yet on the move, this month is truly dedicated to a search for shorebirds! The coastal beaches of First Landing SP, the Resort Area & North End, Little Island Park and Back Bay NWR, as well as any low-tide marshes like those at Pleasure House Point NA and flooded fields will become highly sought-after locations to search for shorebirds as we move deeper into July. Following days and nights with sustained northerly winds, the water levels in Back Bay NWR’s C Storage Pool will afford a perfect landing ground for shorebirds, and the northern cell in Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract’s southern half is presently prime habitat (just remember to wear rubber boots here due to thick vegetation on the trails and a healthy population of Eastern Cottonmouths in the area).

Next Entry | Entry Index | Same Period Previous Year | Previous Entry

For further information regarding this thrice-monthly, online publication, please visit the Journal Overview Page which provides an in-depth explanation of the format, layout and composition of the journal. As always, thank you for reading, and please leave me a comment below (you may use your Facebook, Gmail or other accounts to easily do so), or just click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Late June 2018 (21st-30th)

/

Extreme heat and humidity permeated the region throughout late June, easily notching a new high mark for the average of daily high temperatures for a thrice-monthly period this year. Pop-up thunderstorms were common, occurring most evenings, with torrential downpours and impressive lightning storms noted along with high winds on several occasions. The unstable weather didn’t appear to dampen the efforts of local birds however, as the number of eBird submissions did rise over the doldrums of mid-June. Unusual finds were hard to come by, as expected during this time frame, but, knowing fall migration for shorebirds is about to begin, it’s hard to feel anything other than anticipation. Top records for late June in Virginia Beach included continuing rarity reports for the Ashville Park WARBLING VIREO as well as unseasonal occurrences for RUDDY DUCK, PIED-BILLED GREBE and TUNDRA SWAN. Only one late species was noted, with a single report for RED-BREASTED MERGANSER to kick off the period.

Continuing from the mid-June reporting period, the WARBLING VIREO first detected along Ashville Park Boulevard on 14 Jun (a.r. Michael Linz & Patty McLean), managed to stay in the same general area all the way through 26 Jun (obs. Karen & Tom Beatty). All observations of this remarkable individual have occurred in the willow oak trees just east of the clock tower roundabout (the first traffic circle east of Princess Anne Road). While the bird has, at times, been observed in flight crossing the storm water pond on the north side of the road, it hasn’t spent much time in the sycamore trees there before returning to the boulevard’s tree-lined edges. Given this remains the only summer individual of its kind so far noted in eBird on the coast south of Delaware, it seems highly worth the effort of continuing to track its presence. Virginia Beach has never had a July record for Warbling Vireo, and come Sunday, we may have our first legitimate shot at one!

A big surprise this period was the emergence of a report from Mt. Trashmore Park detailing a single RUDDY DUCK present on the lake on 27 Jun (obs. Kent Millham; later ph. Rob Bielawski). Highly unusual this time of year, with the last records for this species in the city occurring way back on 18 Apr (obs. Steve Myers). Interestingly, the last few spring reports all originated at this same location, and it makes me wonder if this individual actually stayed here all this time and was just never noticed. The other explanation would be that it is a dispersal bird from perhaps Craney Island in Portsmouth or Chincoteague NWR in Accomack, as these two locations see summer reports of individuals almost annually. Whatever the case, it is certainly a waterfowl species that we don’t expect to find here in summer, with the last Jun/Jul record occurring back in 2014, and the only others in 2002. Perhaps like the Warbling Vireo mentioned above, we’ll see this bird linger into July at this location.

During the late June impoundment survey at Back Bay NWR, a pair of waterbirds turned up that really shouldn’t be present at this point in the year. The first, a true surprise, was a single PIED-BILLED GREBE noted on the Back Bay NWR eBird account as being identified by Bob Ake. June records are difficult to come by for this species, but Back Bay surely provides the best habitat we have in the city for one to over-summer or attempt to breed. Usually by mid-to-late July, we’re starting to see these popping up again in the region, but this record stands out for being the only late June record since 2014. Additionally, the (likely) injured TUNDRA SWAN that has been present at Back Bay for about a month now appears to continue, having showed up also in the impoundment survey report. Just a couple of more days, and we could be documenting the first occurrence of this species here in the month of July.

At least one RED-BREASTED MERGANSER persisted into late June in Virginia Beach, while as many as three were noted in the early part of the month. The Gold Book notes the summer month distribution of this species as, “Small numbers often linger into late May and early June; relatively rare summer visitor along the coast (very rare inland)”, so given we’re now about to hit July, if one pops up again, it will be noted here as an unseasonal occurrence rather than simply a late bird, because at this point, it’s like the bird is going to attempt summering rather than simply being a late straggler. While the only report of a single female occurred at Pleasure House Point NA on 21 Jun (ph. Andrew Baldelli), it’s possible that we’ll see this one, or other again moving forward…there’s a lot of water out there, and even more vegetation to hide among. In an average year, we don’t typically see this species returning to the area until late October, so any reports between now and then will certainly be noted.

Now that we’re in the heat of summer, it feels important to remind all birders in Virginia Beach that the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas is moving full-steam ahead into its third season of data collection. For those folks who aren’t familiar, this five year project is aimed at mapping out the breeding ranges for every bird species that nests within the state of Virginia. It is intended to provide a comparison with data from the 1st Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas, which took place in the 1980s, to identify species whose populations have deteriorated, and to use this knowledge to build plans on how these species-in-need might be better assisted by federal agencies and conservation organizations. Co-sponsored by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fishers, the Virginia Society of Ornithology and the Conservation Management Institute at Virginia Tech, this project relies heavily on volunteers for data input using eBird, so if you’re already an eBird user, this project is a great way to help make your checklists potentially count for more than just numbers on your personal life list, by helping document the shifting distributional patterns of species that can directly benefit from your observations! A large array of information regarding the project is available online, with the Atlas Website being a great starting point for anyone who might be interested, as well as the Atlas eBird Portal News Page. Additionally, I help run the Atlas’ Public Facebook Page (where information is shared to the broader community of those folks who have shown an interest in the project), as well as the Atlas’ Facebook Group (where active Atlasers can share their sightings and discuss various aspects of the project with one another).

All that said, we had some great confirmations documented for the project during late June in Virginia Beach. Most notable was the that of a highly interesting record submitted for a species rarely seen outside of an expected portion of the city. While birding-by-kayak in the Lynnhaven Estuary just south of Pleasure House Point NA on 21 Jun, Andrew Baldelli discovered an adult LEAST BITTERN vocalizing from one of the marshy-vegetated islands that are inaccessible by any other means. While searching for the bird, it flushed along with a juvenile, which was then fed by the adult, allowing for the first confirmed breeding record for this species in the city for the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas! Least Bittern is a species known to inhabitat the marshes that surround Back Bay, but it is very rarely reported away from the southern portion of the city. To not only get a positive sighting documented by an audio recording, but to then get a breeding confirmation at this location is nothing short of incredible. Additionally, other scattered breeding bird confirmations were photographically documented around the city this period as follows: recently fledged WOOD DUCKS and MALLARDS in Southgate on 22 Jun (ph. Karen & Tom Beatty); an adult WHITE-EYED VIREO carrying food at Princess Anne WMA’s Whitehurst Tract on 23 Jun (ph. Rob Bielawski); an occupied nest of OSPREY, recently fledged KING RAILS, and an adult BLUE GROSBEAK carrying food at Back Bay NWR on 25 Jun (ph. Charlie Bruggemann); recently fledged KILLDEER at Camp Pendleton SMR on 26 Jun (ph. Mary Catherine Miguez); an occupied GREEN HERON nest in Kings Grant on 29 Jun (ph. Pamela Monahan); a female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD carrying food at Pleasure House Point NA on 30 Jun (ph. Rob Bielawski) and lastly, a recently fledged RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at Dam Neck NA on 30 Jun (ph. Karen & Tom Beatty). Keep up all the great work Atlasing folks!

WEATHER:  Easily our warmest reporting period for 2018 so far, and perhaps expectedly so as temperatures are typically on the rise from February through July, before dropping from August through January. The Summer Solstice occurred on 21 Jun, being our longest day and shortest night in the northern hemisphere. That said, we’re now on a path that will have us losing precious minutes of daylight until we reach the Winter Solstice in late December. Over all, average daily high temperatures rose 2.6° from 84.5° F to 87.1° (-0.1° from prior 10-year average), with average daily low temperatures also increasing, 4.4° from 68.0° to 72.4° F (+1.7° from prior 10-year average). Daytime temperatures ranged from a minimum of 70° F (26 Jun) to a maximum of 91° (23, 24 & 30 Jun). A total of 2.06” of rain fell during the period, spread across seven days with measurement amounts, with a maximum of 1.41” falling on Saturday, 23 Jun. Maximum sustained winds at Oceana this period were 29 mph and gusts reached 37 mph (24 Jun) as a strong front passed over the region. No significant tidal surge events (2’ or greater) impacted the Sewell’s Point tide gauge during this reporting period. Sunrise/sunsets varied from 5:46 AM/8:27 PM (21 Jun) to 5:49 AM/8:28 PM (30 Jun), which, for the first time in 2018 means we lost 2 minutes of daylight during this period (due to the Summer Solstice occurring) with a total of 14 hours, 39 minutes of ‘Length of Day’ to close the period.

For those hoping to view every photograph submitted for Virginia Beach during this period, please see the complete listing for the month of June located on eBird’s Media explorer by clicking here! Please remember, anyone with an eBird account also has the ability to rate these photographs (1-5 stars), and based on the average rating, this is how eBird populates anything media-driven on the website, particularly the Illustrated Checklists! So, if you're one of the many folks who enjoy looking at photographs of birds, take some time to click them all and rate them, it helps make eBird better and better each day!

LOOKAHEAD: Ironically, what makes late June such an exciting period, is that it officially ends the periods lacking in excitment! Moving forward, we finally have fall arrivals to look forward to from early July all the way through November. The month of July is typically dominated by observations of arriving shorebirds, which have already started departing from their breeding grounds in the Canadian tundra. Technically speaking, SPOTTED SANDPIPER is set as a 30 Jun arrival (our only June arrival for that matter), and while we did have two records for the species in June, we should expect far more moving forward into July. Additionally, during early July we have expected arrivals for GULL-BILLED TERN, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER & LEAST SANDPIPER (5 Jul average expected arrival date) and WESTERN SANDPIPER, WHIMBREL, BLACK TERN, LESSER YELLOWLEGS & RUDDY TURNSTONE (10 Jul). The coastal beaches, as well as any low-tide marshes and flooded fields will become highly sought after locations to search for shorebirds during July. So, please pay close attention to the weather, and to the status of crops in fields throughout southern Virginia Beach, as fall migration is now almost upon us!

Next Entry | Entry Index | Previous Entry

For further information regarding this thrice-monthly, online publication, please visit the Journal Overview Page which provides an in-depth explanation of the format, layout and composition of the journal. As always, thank you for reading, and please leave me a comment below (you may use your Facebook, Gmail or other accounts to easily do so), or just click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Mid-June 2018 (11th-20th)

/

The mid-June reporting period typically tends to be one of, if not, the most challenging periods of the year for birders here on the coast. Perhaps it can be blamed on many of us still being worn out from the extra effort put forth into finding good birds during the spring migration window of late March to late May. However, with no expected departures after early June, and no expected arrivals until late June, species diversity truly reaches its lowest point for the year. The breeding season has taken control, and many species aren’t as vocal as they were a few weeks ago, camouflaged well within the dense summer vegetation. Despite all this however, there is a major silver lining to be noted: that we’ve made it through the tough times, and species diversity will again start to rise soon! All that said, great birds still managed to be found in the city over the past ten days, and a remarkable third WARBLING VIREO for the year was even discovered! Like last period we had no expected arrivals/departures, but we had a number of unseasonal occurrences including records for HOODED MERGANSER, TUNDRA SWAN, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, AMERICAN COOT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER!

Leading the way this period, a remarkable WARBLING VIREO was documented in the Ashville Park neighborhood on 14 Jun (a.r. Michael Linz & Patty McLean). Incredibly, this is the first summer (Jun-Jul) record of this species in Virginia Beach, and according to eBird, it is also the first coastal summer record south of Sussex County, Delaware! This has been a truly banner year for this species locally, with other individuals noted previously at Back Bay NWR from 6-11 May (ph. Andrew Baldelli & Rob Bielawski) and in northern Knotts Island on 27 May (obs. Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate). In all years prior, combined, we had a total of four individuals noted in eBird, with one at First Landing SP, two at Back Bay NWR and one at Carolanne Farms Parks, so to note three individuals in the same year is shocking to say the least. Throughout the remainder of the period, the Ashville Park individual was observed by many locals and several times by the visiting birders who first found it! It has stayed within the same general area, roaming from the clock tower (which sits in the first roundabout east of Princess Anne Rd. on Ashville Park Blvd.) towards the forested tree line to the east, and across the storm water pond to the sycamore trees along Emelita Dr. With the last report for the period occurring 20 Jun (ph. Michael Linz & Patty McLean), it is very possible this bird will stay into late June (and potentially warrant a ‘probable’ breeding code for the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas if heard singing). Certainly a bird to keep tabs on as we near July!

While the Warbling Vireo was the only true rarity observed during mid-June, we had a number of unseasonal occurrences for species that are expected at other times of the year, but rare when it comes to mid-June records. Most unusual, a female HOODED MERGANSER was photographed on a cypress lagoon at First Landing SP on 19 Jun (ph. John Aguiar). Though eBird lists this as the only summer record for the species in the city, it was mentioned by Robert Ake that a female with fledglings was observed in this park perhaps 30 years ago. Knowing this, it seems possible that breeding may have occurred this summer at the park, and it might be worth a walk through the park’s Osmanthus Trail (and adjacent areas) to see if there is indeed a well concealed collection of youngsters near an adult female. Also unusual in the heat of June, a RUDDY TURNSTONE was photographed on the Chesapeake Bay’s beach at First Landing SP on 11 Jun (ph. June McDaniels), and this site also held one of the lingering RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS through 12 Jun (also ph. June McDaniels). The presumed injured TUNDRA SWAN at Back Bay persisted through at least 17 Jun (ph. Rob Bielawski) on the C Storage Pool, distantly visible from the West Dike. Back Bay also held several other unusual finds, as the thrice-monthly impoundment survey on 15 Jun yielded a very late AMERICAN COOT, a surprise SPOTTED SANDPIPER and also a single BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (obs. Robert Ake & David Hughes). The coot is excessively late, with the last prior record this year having occurred on 27 May (ph. Rob Bielawski) at Princess Anne WMA’s Whitehurst Tract. Spotted Sandpipers typically start showing up around 30 Jun, but it is possible that this one, and another observed 20 Jun at Rudee Inlet (obs. Andrew Baldelli) may have oversummered, or they departed their breeding grounds north of here very early.

Some other interesting reports came in this period, with a pair of KING RAILS found at Princess Anne WMA’s Whitehurst Tract on 12 Jun (obs. Andrew Baldelli); those being the first of their kind observed away from the main refuge area of Back Bay NWR. A vocalizing CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW was observed on 15 Jun (obs. Bill Oyler) and 19 Jun (a.r. Karen & Tom Beatty) along Colechester Rd., marking the second heard-record of one in the city this year (one previous early April record from False Cape SP). The only other 2018 record in Virginia Beach pertains to a surprisingly seen-only bird that was found at Marshview Park on 30 Mar (ph. Andrew Baldelli). During a seawatch at 85th Street Beach, a BLACK SCOTER and a JAEGER SP. Were observed on 17 Jun (obs. Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate). The 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas also received some confirmations of breeding birds during this period, including: Great Crested Flycatcher at Sandbridge on 13 Jun (ph. Mary Catherine Miguez), a Prairie Warbler carrying food & a recently fledged White-eyed Vireo at Back Bay NWR on 17 Jun (ph. Rob Bielawski), as well as a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron carrying nesting material and an Osprey feeding young at Carolanne Farms Park on 18 Jun (ph. Charlie Bruggemann).

WEATHER:  Mid-June expectedly proved to be the hottest reporting period thus far for the year. The 97° F high on 19 Jun dethroned the former 2018 high temperature of 90° F set way back on 12 May! Average daily high temperatures were higher as a whole from early June, increasing 2.3° from 82.2° F to 84.5° (-0.7° from prior 10-year average), with average daily low temperatures following suit, rising 1.6° from 66.4° to 68.0° F (-0.7° from prior 10-year average). Overall, temperatures ranged from a minimum of 63° F (12 & 16 Jun) to a maximum of 97° (19 Jun). During the period, 1.19” of rain fell, spread across four days with measurable amounts, with a maximum of 0.63” falling on Monday, 11 Jun. Maximum sustained winds at Oceana this period were 24 mph and gusts reached 33 mph (19 Jun). The passage of a front and associated winds on 11 Jun produced a storm surge of just over 2 feet at the Sewell’s Point tide gauge in Norfolk, which caused a preliminary storm tide of 4.71 feet (the highest achieved since the 4.96 foot mark on from 11:54 PM on 20 Mar to 12:00 AM on 21 Mar. Sunrise/sunsets varied from 5:44 AM/8:23 PM (21 May) to 5:45 AM/8:26 PM (20 Jun), which means despite losing a minute off sunrise as we near the Summer Solstice on 21 June, we still gained 2 minutes of daylight during this period with a total of 14 hours and 41 minutes of ‘Length of Day’ to close the period!

For those hoping to view every photograph submitted for Virginia Beach during this period, please see the complete listing for the month of June located on eBird’s Media explorer by clicking here! Please remember, anyone with an eBird account also has the ability to rate these photographs (1-5 stars), and based on the average rating, this is how eBird populates anything media-driven on the website, particularly the Illustrated Checklists! So, if you're one of the many folks who enjoy looking at photographs of birds, take some time to click them all and rate them, it helps make eBird better and better each day!

LOOKAHEAD: With mid-June completed, we can once again look forward to arriving birds, as the “fall” migration season begins soon for shorebirds. In late June, we lead off with Spotted Sandpiper’s expected 30 Jun, though there was already a pair of reports this period. In the next report, we’ll be truly back in business with expected arrivals for numerous shorebird species, so stay tuned!

Next Entry | Entry Index | Previous Entry

For further information regarding this thrice-monthly, online publication, please visit the Journal Overview Page which provides an in-depth explanation of the format, layout and composition of the journal. As always, thank you for reading, and please leave me a comment below (you may use your Facebook, Gmail or other accounts to easily do so), or just click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Early June 2018 (1st-10th)

/

The summer reporting season has now begun, and birders across the city began to focus their attention towards our breeding species now that the spring migration has officially ended. Fear not though, by the end of June, we should once again begin seeing returning species (mostly of the shorebird variety) as their average “fall” migration begins as early as 30 Jun (Spotted Sandpiper). For the next several weeks though, it’s a good time to seek out summer rarities. Last year we were all kept busy by the Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Back Bay NWR; who knows what might steal the show this summer. For the first reporting period though, top records in Virginia Beach included new rarity reports for ROSEATE SPOONBILL and continuing rarity reports for WHITE-EYED EASTERN TOWHEE! New arrivals were nonexistent as expected, but we had quite a few unseasonal occurrences (species that aren’t typically observed during the summer here) including TUNDRA SWAN, RING-NECKED DUCK, GADWALL & PEREGRINE FALCON. Additionally, there were several reports perhaps more appropriately labelled as late occurrences for SURF SCOTER, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER & RED-BREASTED MERGANSER that eclipsed the expected departure date for the species.

For the second reporting period in a row, we find ourselves highlighted by the discovery of a large, pink, wading species: the ROSEATE SPOONBILL! This time however, two individuals were observed together, foraging in the shallow waters of the Lynnhaven estuary at adjacent to Pleasure House Point NA on 3 Jun (ph. Hugh Davenhill). Incredibly, this now makes potentially three individuals for the year that have been observed in Virginia Beach (it is possible that one of these may have been the Back Bay bird (ph. Charlie Bruggemann), or that both were present at Back Bay, and only one was observed; unfortunately no way to be certain). For a species that was only recorded once in Virginia Beach prior to last year (one was photographed at Back Bay NWR on 12 Jun 1996 by refuge staff), it is utterly astonishing that we’ve experienced back-to-back years that mirror reports in an eerie fashion. In 2017, a pair was observed at Pleasure House Point on 25 Aug (obs. Eric & James Marcum), and then a single individual was found at Back Bay NWR from 3-5 Sep (ph. Timothy Burnett). We’ve apparently received the reverse situation in 2018, down to the counts and locations. A single bird was seen later in the week in a flooded field in the City of Fredericksburg, and of course, we’re left to wonder if this might be one of the Virginia Beach birds, or yet another individual that was pushed outside its normal range. Farther away, an individual was noted in Indiana (an apparent second state record), and one was also fond in New Jersey. Whatever the reasons for their dispersal (some suspect a link to sub-tropical storm Alberto could exist), it certainly means we as birders need to scrutinize every group of distant waders we come across moving forward. Who knows when the next one might show up at this rate?

Also rare for Virginia Beach, and only the second of its kind reported so far this year, a vocalizing DICKCISSEL was observed at the north tip of Knotts Island on 7 Jun (obs. Tracy Tate). The northernmost 0.7 miles of Knotts Island Road sits within the state of Virginia, and is a part of Virginia Beach, in contrast to the remaining bulk of the island which is part of Currituck County, North Carolina. This stretch of road also yielded a Warbling Vireo last period, and perhaps it benefits from geography as being a peninsula jutting out into Back Bay. Maybe northbound migrants stop here before deciding whether to head inland, or cross to the outer coast? Interestingly, a Dickcissel was reported a few days later on the NC side, near the Mackay Island NWR visitor center and one has to wonder if this is the same bird. Perhaps it’ll move back to the Virginia Beach side of the state line in the near future.

Aside from the spoonbills & the Dickcissel, the only other rarity logged this period was the continuing WHITE-EYED EASTED TOWHEE that has been present at Back Bay NWR (a hundred yards or so north of the waterfowl blind) since 12 May. The latest occurrence, 3 Jun (ph. Rob Bielawski), yielded an audio recording of the bird (perhaps the first audio of this race in Virginia?) and also a “possible” breeding code for the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas. If this individual is observed again singing in this location, it can be bumped up to a “probable” code, which would be exciting! To date, there is only one known record for this race of Eastern Towhee away from Back Bay NWR in Virginia, so it is certainly worth investigating every towhee that is heard to see what color eye it might have!

As mentioned above, we had quite a few records for species that aren’t typically observed in the summer season, and while a couple of these species are simply lingering a bit late, some were true surprises. The presumably injured TUNDRA SWAN first noted at Back Bay NWR on 19 May (ph. Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate) continued to be observed throughout early June on the C Storage Pool. Last sighted 8 Jun, this marks the first time a Tundra Swan has been logged to eBird in Virginia Beach during the summer season. Additionally, a pair of in-flight Tundra Swans were reported over Sandbridge Beach on 1 Jun (obs. Mary Catherine Miguez). That record is even more incredible, given the birds were healthy enough for flight. During the Back Bay NWR thrice-monthly impoundment survey on 5 Jun a female GADWALL and a female RING-NECKED DUCK were discovered (obs. Robert Ake & David Hughes). Both were first records here in the summer months, though a male/female pair of Gadwall also present at Eastern Shore NWR in Northampton County provides some additional context for this local find. There’s a lot of water and marsh around Back Bay, and not a lot of access, so it’s very possible that some of these have lingered in other years as well. Several weeks beyond its usual 15 May departure date, a PEREGRINE FALCON was reported over Lake Smith on 4 Jun (obs. Tracy Tate). This species nests on the Eastern Shore, and there are occasional summer reports from downtown Norfolk as well, so this is another that might possibly breed somewhere in the city; certainly one to watch for this summer around Town Center or the resort area’s tall buildings.

In addition to these truly unseasonal finds, several species lingered a bit beyond their typical departure dates. With an average late date of 25 May, an adult male SURF SCOTER found in the waters off 85th Street Beach on 8 Jun (obs. Andrew Baldelli) provided a nice summer record. Yet another species of waterfowl stayed late this year, with up to three RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS documented well at First Landing SP’s beach through 4 Jun (ph. June McDaniels), with one individual straggling through at least 7 Jun (ph. June McDaniels), and potentially a different individual at Pleasure House Point NA on 3 Jun (obs. Tracy Tate). Lastly, a beautiful YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was photo-documented via kayak in the swampy vicinity of Lake Tecumseh on 2 Jun (ph. Mary Catherine Miguez). That record provides only the second likely area in the city where the species might breed, having been confirmed carrying nesting material at Stumpy Lake NA earlier this spring. It’s very possible that the flooded forests along West Neck Creek and the North Landing River hold this species throughout the summer, but access is severely limited, with private property lining the watershed.

WEATHER:  Early June was surprisingly a bit cooler than the previous two periods. Average daily high temperatures dropped slightly from those in late May, 1.6° from 83.8° F to 82.2° (-1.0° from prior 10-year average), with average daily low temperatures following suit, 0.8° from 67.2° to 66.4° F (+0.7° from prior 10-year average). Overall, temperatures ranged from a minimum of 62° F (4 & 8 Jun) to a maximum of 89° (2 Jun). During the period, 0.45” of rain fell, spread across two days with measurement amounts, with a maximum of 0.43” falling on Saturday, 2 Jun. Maximum sustained winds at Oceana this period were 17 mph (3 Jun) and gusts reached 26 mph (10 Jun). No noteworthy tidal surge events (>2’) affected the Sewell’s Point tide gauge this period. Sunrise/sunsets varied from 5:46 AM/8:17 PM (1 Jun) to 5:44 AM/8:22 PM (10 Jun), which means we gained 7 minutes of daylight during this period with a total of 14 hours and 38 minutes of ‘Length of Day’ to close the period!

For those hoping to view every photograph submitted for Virginia Beach during this period, please see the complete listing for the month of June located on eBird’s Media explorer by clicking here! Please remember, anyone with an eBird account also has the ability to rate these photographs (1-5 stars), and based on the average rating, this is how eBird populates anything media-driven on the website, particularly the Illustrated Checklists! So, if you're one of the many folks who enjoy looking at photographs of birds, take some time to click them all and rate them, it helps make eBird better and better each day!

LOOKAHEAD: With early June completed, we have now bid farewell to Red Knot, Blackpoll Warbler, Gull-billed Tern, Spotted Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Black-bellied Plover & Ruddy Turnstone (5 Jun expected departure) and White-rumped Sandpiper & Semipalmated Plover (10 May). Any records for these species moving forward will flag in eBird as ‘rare’, though techinically they are flagging for being found past their usual date of departure. If you observe any of these species near or after those dates, please try to document their occurrence to the best of your ability; it helps make eBird data & filters more accurate! From now through late June, we will not have any expected species arrivals, but from there moving forward, fall arrivals will be listed here each period (so stay tuned).

Next Entry | Entry Index | Previous Entry

For further information regarding this thrice-monthly, online publication, please visit the Journal Overview Page which provides an in-depth explanation of the format, layout and composition of the journal. As always, thank you for reading, and please leave me a comment below (you may use your Facebook, Gmail or other accounts to easily do so), or just click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!