Birding Virginia Beach – Almanac
This page includes a month-by-month summary of the species that were recorded to eBird and are considered to be notable, meaning they are species that are not typically expected to occur any time of year anywhere in Virginia Beach, they are species observed considerably earlier or later than when they’re expected to be observed in the city or they are species observed in areas of the city where they are not expected to occur at any time of year. Species names displayed in bold, capitalized text throughout this page are those species that are so rare or unusual that they have produced five or fewer total records over the prior 10 calendar year period (i.e., for 2025 this refers to 2015–24). A considerable amount of additional information on the status & distribution of Virginia Beach’s species can be found within the document, Birding Virginia Beach: Species Notes (2015–24), and on the pages contained in the Status & Distribution section of this website (particularly the Notable Observations Criteria page).
2025
Notable species observations during November included: Cackling Goose, Mute Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Eider, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (those on or after 20 Nov), Red Knot, Parasitic Jaeger (those from shore), Razorbill (those on or before 25 Nov), Brown Booby, Anhinga, Yellow-crowned Night Heron (those on or after 10 Nov), American White Pelican, GOLDEN EAGLE, Ash-throated Flycatcher, SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (those on or after 5 Nov), Snow Bunting, Clay-colored Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Rusty Blackbird, Prairie Warbler (those on or after 15 Nov) & Painted Bunting.
Notable species observations during October included: Cackling Goose, Mute Swan, Redhead, Red-breasted Merganser (those on or before 25 Oct), American Coot (those on or before 5 Oct), American Avocet, American Golden-Plover, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Long-billed Dowitcher, Solitary Sandpiper (those on or after 20 Oct), Red Knot (those on or after 20 Oct), Stilt Sandpiper (those on or after 20 Oct), BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, White-rumped Sandpiper (those on or after 25 Oct), Parasitic Jaeger, Anhinga, Least Bittern, American White Pelican, GRAY KINGBIRD, Horned Lark, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Snow Bunting, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Hooded Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak (those on or after 15 Oct) & Dickcissel.
Notable species observations during September included: Mute Swan, Surf Scoter, Clapper Rail (those away from the immediate coast), American Coot, American Golden-Plover, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, LONG-TAILED JAEGER, Parasitic Jaeger (those from shore), Gull-billed Tern, Northern Gannet, Roseate Spoonbill, Least Bittern (those on or after 20 Sep), Mississippi Kite (those on or after 20 Sep), OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, Acadian Flycatcher (those on or after 15 Sep), Alder/Willow Flycatcher, BELL'S VIREO, Yellow-throated Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch (those on or before 10 Sep), Clay-colored Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow (those away from the immediate coast), Lincoln’s Sparrow, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, Blue-winged Warbler, Tennessee Warbler (those on or before 25 Sep), Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler (those on or before 15 Sep), Yellow-throated Warbler, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, Painted Bunting & Dickcissel.
Notable species observations during August included: Mute Swan, Blue-winged Teal (those on or before 15 Aug), Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, White-winged Dove, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Marbled Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper (those on or before 25 Aug), Jaeger sp. (those from shore), Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (those from shore), CORY'S/SCOPOLI'S SHEARWATER (those from shore), Shearwater sp. (those from shore), Roseate Spoonbill, Lark Sparrow, Nashville Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler & Wilson’s Warbler.
Notable species observations during July included: Mute Swan, American Black Duck (those on or before 15 Jul), Surf Scoter (those on or after 5 Jul), Black Scoter (those on or after 10 Jul), Red-breasted Merganser (those on or after 10 Jul), Piping Plover (those on or before 10 Jul), Whimbrel (those on or before 5 Jul), Marbled Godwit, Stilt Sandpiper (those on or before 20 Jul), Black Tern (those on or before 15 Jul), Roseate Tern, Pied-billed Grebe (those on or before 25 Jul), CORY'S SHEARWATER (those from shore), CORY'S/SCOPOLI'S SHEARWATER (those from shore), shearwater sp. (those from shore), REDDISH EGRET, Peregrine Falcon & Dark-eyed Junco.
Notable species observations during June included: American Black Duck (those on or after 15 Jun), Green-winged Teal, Common Eider, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, White-winged Dove, Black-billed Cuckoo, American Coot, Semipalmated Plover (those on or after 20 Jun), Spotted Sandpiper (those on or after 15 Jun or those on or before 20 Jun), Ruddy Turnstone (those on or after 15 Jun), Bonaparte’s Gull (those on or after 10 Jun), Glaucous Gull, Pied-billed Grebe, Sooty Shearwater (those from shore), Swallow-tailed Kite, Yellow-throated Vireo, Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Black-and-white Warbler & Yellow-throated Warbler.
Notable species observations during May included: Mute Swan, Northern Pintail, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Common Eider, White-winged Dove, Black-billed Cuckoo, Common Gallinule, American Coot (those on or after 20 May), WILSON'S PLOVER, Long-billed Dowitcher, American Woodcock, Red-necked Phalarope, Willet (Western) (those on or after 25 May), Black Tern, Pied-billed Grebe (those on or after 15 May), Sooty Shearwater (those from shore), WHITE-FACED IBIS, Swallow-tailed Kite, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, ALDER FLYCATCHER, Willow Flycatcher, Alder/Willow Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Cliff Swallow, BICKNELL'S THRUSH, White-crowned Sparrow, SWAINSON'S WARBLER, Tennessee Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler (those on or after 25 May), Canada Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler & Painted Bunting.
Notable species observations during April included: Tundra Swan (those on or after 20 Apr), Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail (those on or after 10 Apr), Redhead, Lesser Scaup (those on or after 25 Apr), Common Eider, Common Gallinule, PURPLE GALLINULE, Black-necked Stilt (those on or before 10 Apr), Long-billed Dowitcher, Gull-billed Tern (those on or before 20 Apr), WHITE-FACED IBIS, Swallow-tailed Kite, SHORT-EARED OWL, Yellow-throated Vireo, White-crowned Sparrow & Lincoln’s Sparrow.
Notable species observations during March included: Cackling Goose, Mute Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (those on or before 20 Mar), Black-necked Stilt, Short-billed Dowitcher (those on or before 25 Mar), Long-billed Dowitcher, Little Gull, Iceland Gull, Royal Tern (those on or before 5 Mar), Red-necked Grebe, Anhinga (those on or before 25 Mar), Tricolored Heron (those on or before 10 Mar), American White Pelican, Swallow-tailed Kite, SHORT-EARED OWL, White-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's), Rusty Blackbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler (those on or before 10 Mar), Western Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak & Painted Bunting.
Notable species observations during February included: Ross’s Goose, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, Cackling Goose, Mute Swan, Blue-winged Teal (those on or before 15 Feb), Eurasian Wigeon, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Clapper Rail (those away from brackish marshes & the immediate coast), Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Parasitic Jaeger (those from shore), Dovekie (those from shore), THICK-BILLED MURRE, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, Red-necked Grebe, Least Bittern, Tricolored Heron, American White Pelican, AMERICAN BARN OWL, SHORT-EARED OWL, Snow Bunting, White-crowned Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Western Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak & Painted Bunting.
Notable species observations during January included: GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, Cackling Goose, Mute Swan, Blue-winged Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Eider, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Clapper Rail (those away from brackish marshes & the immediate coast), Semipalmated Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, AMERICAN HERRING X LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, Red-necked Grebe, Anhinga, Least Bittern, Tricolored Heron, Western Cattle-Egret (those on or after 15 Jan), American White Pelican, SHORT-EARED OWL, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, White-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's), Lincoln’s Sparrow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Rusty Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Western Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak & Painted Bunting.