Late August 2016 (21st-31st)

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Shorebird migration really ramped up during this period, and with temperatures finally starting to “cool” a bit, birders made the most of it with some excellent finds! Back Bay NWR’s impoundments & beach, as well as Pleasure House Point NA and nearby Bayville Farms Park seem to be hotspots right now. Top birds during this  late August period in Virginia Beach included our first-ever eBird report of BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, early first-of-Fall arrivals of Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal & Wilson’s Snipe, as well as ‘expected’ first of Fall arrivals of White-rumped Sandpiper, Northern Harrier, Common Nighthawk, Yellow-throated Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Bobolink & Baltimore Oriole. WEATHER: While temperatures dropped considerably from the mid-August period, they were still well above what has come to be expected during this timeframe. Overall, the late August period’s average daily high temperature dropped to 89.2 degrees F (-7.2 degrees from the mid-August period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 73.7 degrees F (-7.3 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-August period were 84.7 & 69.9 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at +5.0, and +3.8 degrees when comparing to the averages. Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 88.8 & 71.7 degrees F (2006), making this year’s period the warmest in terms of both daily average high & low temperatures since at least 2005 (I haven’t looked beyond that point). Surprisingly, we only had a single day with precipitation, when 0.23 inches of rain fell on 21 Aug. I hadn’t realized just how dry the weather has been until writing up this article, but there it is folks, we’ve had no rain in about ten days. Last period, I mentioned that the north Atlantic basin sprang to life with regards to tropical cyclone activity. Interestingly, we had a very brief brush with Tropical Depression Eight as it moved northwestward towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Tuesday, only to be swiftly recurved back to sea; winds were minimal here as a result of the track angle. However, what is currently Tropical Storm Hermine is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before striking the gulf coast of Florida on Friday (2 Sep). As the system tracks northeast up the East Coast, right now expected over land for the most part, it could have severe implications on this coming weekend as far as birding is concerned. (As I’m writing this on 2 Sep, I already know that the Stormy Petrel II pelagic trip to Norfolk Canyon on Saturday (3 Sep) from Lynnhaven Inlet has unfortunately been cancelled, as has the weather date of 4 Sep due to the inbound storm system.)

OBSERVATIONS:  Late August is the time when shorebird migrations starts to reach its peak in Virginia Beach, and while the variety of species and counts swelled this week, there was one in particular that tops our list of sightings. On 25 Aug while performing an impoundment survey at Back Bay NWR, Robert Ake came across a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER in the off-limits section of the park, but according to his eBird report, the bird flushed and was later re-found on the H-Pool, along the publicly open East Dike where many individuals were given the opportunity of viewing it! Though this represents the very first record for the species entered into eBird for our county, the Gold Book does make mention of prior records in Virginia Beach. Hopefully at some point, whomever was fortunate enough to observe those earlier finds will get them logged into the system. This individual was present through the remainder of the period, and interestingly, it was joined by a second individual 28 Aug as reported by Eric Alton & Tamara Conklin. In addition to this rarity, we also saw some early Fall arrivals to the region. Two Blue-winged Teal were noted (22 Aug / Rob Bielawski) flying quickly down the creek at Pleasure House Point NA before making two wide-radius loops of the main Lynnhaven River basin allowing for photographs to be taken. Their expected arrival date is 25 Aug, so just a bit on the early side. Also on Robert Ake’s impoundment survey, a Northern Shoveler female was observed (25 Aug / Back Bay NWR), which is earlier than any shovelers during the previous 5-year period, and considerably earlier than the expect 10 Sep arrival date listed in the Gold Book. Continuing with early waterfowl finds, Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate observed the previously mentioned duck species (27 Aug / Back Bay NWR), along with a group of about 35 Green-winged Teal, which have an expected date of 5 Sep, so a little early on those as well. Lastly, a single Wilson’s Snipe was observed among a collection of other shorebirds near the parking area at Back Bay NWR (24 Aug / Karen & Tom Beatty). Snipe seem to show up a bit early each year, though their expected date of arrival is 5 Sep so we should start seeing their numbers rise on marshy impoundments. We also had several species make their first-of-Fall appearances, within expected dates! Viewed among the same group of shorebirds as the snipe, a White-rumped Sandpiper made for an excellent first-of-season find at Back Bay NWR (24 Aug / Karen & Tom Beatty). A Northern Harrier was observed at Pleasure House Point NA (30 Aug / Kathy Spencer), and like the snipe, we should start seeing harrier numbers rise steadily in the coming weeks with Back Bay NWR being their favorite local hangout. In suburban Virginia Beach, a Common Nighthawk was observed over Dodd Drive (27 Aug / Jean Rolke). With September closing in, songbird migration has also begun, which makes it even more exciting to be out birding on the coast! A first-of-season Black-and-white Warbler was observed at Back Bay NWR (27 Aug / Tommy Maloney & Jason Schatti), though it is worth mention that there was an earlier record for this species that was not accepted in eBird due to scant details being provided: A word of caution to eBirders, when you have a record that flags as rare (meaning it is either truly a rare bird, it is early, late, in higher counts than expected, or it is a species that is difficult to differentiate from others and requires detailed descriptions to validate, i.e., Baird’s Sandpipers from other peeps), provide as many details about how the identity was obtained as possible. Please understand that eBird reviewers receive items for review from a large number of users, and therefore the responsibility of documenting properly falls on the individual claiming the find. Another great songbird, a Yellow-throated Vireo was observed in a Kings Grant backyard (31 Aug / Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins); these are a tough to find transient in Spring & Fall along the coastline, so keep watch as they trickle through during their expected 5 Aug – 30 Sep window.  Lastly, while at Back Bay NWR, Jim Clinton manged to find two new Fall arrivals, being Bobolink and Baltimore Oriole, both of which should be observed in increasing numbers over the next couple of weeks if last year is any indicator.

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA submitted to eBird for Virginia Beach during this period included: 22 AUG – Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover & Short-billed Dowitcher (Back Bay NWR / Kim Harrell); Green Heron (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski); Blue-winged Teal & Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Willet (Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty); Black-bellied Plover (Pleasure House Point NA / Kim Harrell & Tracy Tate). 23 AUG – Clapper Rail & American Goldfinch (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski). 24 AUG – Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Cooper’s Hawk, Black-bellied Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe & Forster’s Tern (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Grosbeak & Baltimore Oriole (Back Bay NWR / Jim Clinton); Eurasian Collared-Dove (Sandfiddler Road / Jim Clinton); Canada Goose, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Song Sparrow & House Sparrow (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); Least Sandpiper (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty). 25 AUG – BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Back Bay NWR / Robert Ake); Ruddy Turnstone, Spotted Sandpiper, Forster’s Tern & Royal Tern (Fort Story / Karen & Tom Beatty); Least Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Karen & Tom Beatty); Mississippi Kite (Curtiss Dr. / Karen & Tom Beatty); Great Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Clapper Rail & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Jim Clinton). 26 AUG – Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Black-bellied Plover, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Pectoral Sandpiper & Blue Grosbeak (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Great Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Clapper Rail, Laughing Gull, Forster’s Tern & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Brandon Holland); Ruddy Turnstone, Spotted Sandpiper, Laughing Gull & Rock Pigeon (South Thimble Island / Jim Clinton); Killdeer, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER & Greater Yellowlegs (Back Bay NWR / Kim Harrell); Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher & Greater Yellowlegs (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski). 27 AUG – BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Back Bay NWR / Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate); Great Blue Heron, Semipalmated Plover, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Solitary Sandpiper & Willet (Back Bay NWR / Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins); American Oystercatcher, Ruddy Turnstone & Rock Pigeon (South Thimble Island / Janice Frye). 28 AUG – BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Lisa Rose & Jason Strickland); Great Blue Heron, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer & Short-billed Dowitcher (Back Bay NWR / David Clark); Sanderling, Willet, Lesser Black-backed Gull & Great Black-backed Gull (Back Bay NWR / David Clark); Glossy Ibis & Least Sandpiper (Back Bay NWR / David Clark); Wood Duck, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper & Lesser Yellowlegs (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski); Glossy Ibis, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER & Short-billed Dowitcher (Back Bay NWR / Tamara Conklin). 31 AUG – Clapper Rail & Seaside Sparrow (Pleasure House Point NA / Ezra Staengl); Little Blue Heron, Green Heron, Least Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski); Mississippi Kite (Curtiss Dr. / Ezra Staengl); Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Cooper’s Hawk & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski).

LOOKAHEAD: The first weekend of September looks to be a wet one, with the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine expected through Sunday. Due to the storm, the pelagic trip this weekend was cancelled, so there may be some stranded birders looking for viewing opportunities on shore. However, the storm could provide some interesting opportunities for those who are out and about around the region. Fallouts of migrating shorebirds could occur on agricultural fields and marshes, and many species of terns & gulls might get pushed inland by the strong onshore winds likely to occur on Saturday. If you do venture out, stay safe, and hopefully someone comes across something noteworthy! 

Of the species that have expected fall arrival dates we have not yet logged our first Northern Waterthrush (early August arrival), Canada Warbler, Blue-winged Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler & Sora (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Veery, Black-throated Green Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler & Cape May Warbler (late August arrivals), Nelson’s Sparrow, Nashville Warbler, Merlin, American Bittern, Peregrine Falcon, Broad-winged Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, & Sharp-shinned Hawk (early September arrivals) in Virginia Beach yet this fall. Shorebirds will likely continue to dominate the efforts of most birders (beaches and mudflats at low tide, agricultural areas at high tide), but early September should see more and more songbirds start to show up here (as noted above by all the potential arrivals). Songbird migration will pick up steadily through September, likely peaking around the first week of October if last year is an indicator. So, things should get more interesting this period, with the potential mix of new shorebirds & songbirds. Those seeking out non-annually occurring (essentially, rare) species should be mindful that the following species all have extreme arrival dates that make them possibilities here per the Gold Book: Long-billed Dowitcher, Upland Sandpiper & Wilson’s Phalarope (mid-July arrivals), Baird’s Sandpiper & White-winged Dove (late July arrivals), Rufous Hummingbird, Sandhill Crane, Golden-winged Warbler (early August arrivals), American Golden-Plover, Red Phalarope, Bridled Tern, Long-tailed Jaeger, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Mourning Warbler & Lark Sparrow (mid-August arrivals), and Parasitic Jaeger, American White Pelican, Swainson’s Hawk, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Western Kingbird & Yellow-headed Blackbird (late August arrivals), Pomarine Jaeger, Arctic Tern, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch , Clay-colored Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler (early September arrivals). So far, none of these rarities have been observed this year during fall migration in Virginia Beach. Most of these species require very specific weather patterns to bring them in, or can be found in only a very specialized habitat, so one should never expect to simply happen upon these species, but, they are species to be at least thinking about while birding the region.

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For more information on this thrice-monthly Birding Blog, please check out the Journal Overview Page on the website. It provides background information as to what sightings are considered for the blog, details about the format of the blog, and it will likely answer many other questions that readers might be wondering about as well! As always, thank you for reading, and please click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Mid-August 2016 (11th-20th)

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After a slight relief from the summer’s heat in early August, a lowering of temperatures was somewhat expected moving forward, however, we instead saw a steep rise through the mid-August period, with three days hitting 100 degrees F. Unhindered by the heat wave, shorebirds continue to move through the region, and species diversity has continued to increase steadily since July. Top birds during this mid-August period in Virginia Beach included first of season arrivals of Gadwall & Dunlin, and continuing reports of Piping Plover, Red Knot, Whimbrel, Black Tern, American Redstart & Yellow Warbler which are all expected in August, but are still sought after targets. Additionally, there was reports of Northern Bobwhite and Grasshopper Sparrow which can be somewhat difficult to find here, though they aren’t unexpected. WEATHER: Temperatures this period made a complete shift from what was anticipated. Overall, the mid-August period’s average daily high temperature rose to an extreme 96.9 degrees F (+6.6 degrees from the early August period); the average daytime lows also rose to 81.0 degrees F (+2.5 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-August period were 85.2 & 70.0 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at an incredible +11.7, and +11.0 degrees when comparing to the averages! Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 87.5 & 73.4 degrees F (2010), making this year’s period the warmest in terms of daily average low temperatures since at least 2005 where I’ve yet to analyze the weather data prior to. Notably, the average daily low temperature of 81.0 degrees F is the warmest average during any period of the year dating back to 2005, just 0.4 degrees above our late July 2016 period, which further points out just how hot this summer has been. The excruciating heat provided little in the way of precipitation, with rainfall occurring on only three of the ten days, with total accumulations of 0.87 inches, 0.84 inches of which fell on 19 Aug. Heavy localized downpours occurred on 17 Aug primarily along the Shore Drive corridor, though this wasn’t picked up by the Oceana Naval Air Station gauges. The north Atlantic basin also sprang to life in terms of tropical activity. Tropical Storm Fiona formed, but it is likely to break up completely or recurve out to sea near Bermuda. Invest 99L on the other hand, has some potential to track towards us in the next week or so, making it something to keep an eye on during the late August period.

OBSERVATIONS:  Several weeks early by Gold Book standards, 4 Gadwalls (16 Aug / Back Bay NWR / Robert Ake) were the most notable observation within Virginia Beach this period. Their average expected date of arrival is 10 Sep (Gold Book), though some do occasionally show up earlier, as in 2015 the first arrival was on 30 Aug. Sort of on the other side of the spectrum, we finally had our first Dunlin report of the fall season (14 Aug / South Thimble Island / Chad Kauffman) which is fairly late as the Gold Book lists their expected arrival on 30 Jul. However, it does also mention that “although very early postbreeding birds may be present by late July and the first week of August, most fall arrival occurs in September or later, and fall numbers do not peak until October.” So this sighting seems to fit in quite well. While these two species were the only first of season arrivals, we continued to see some interesting birds that have recently started to move through the area. One Piping Plover (15 Aug / Back Bay NWR / Rebecca Walawender) was observed during the International Shorebird Survey (ISS) efforts that monitor False Cape SP & Back Bay NWR throughout the year. As part of this same effort, there was also 4 Red Knots observed at False Cape SP to the south, which is a high count so far this fall with only individuals having been observed recently. A sizeable group of Red Knots over-wintered in 2015-16 on the impoundments at Back Bay NWR so maybe more sightings will continue, though these individuals may just be transients passing through; no way to tell for sure at this point. Individual Whimbrel were observed twice this period, one on Shore Drive (12 Aug / Karen & Tom Beatty) and one at Back Bay NWR (15 Aug / Rebecca Walawender). On any given day, finding one of these three species is always cause for excitement, but the real highlight during August is typically the reports of Black Terns as they pass along the coast heading south for the winter. After having no reports last period it was a welcome surprise that we had quite a few this period, ranging across Back Bay NWR (15-16 Aug), Camp Pendleton (12 & 15 Aug), Croatan Beach (19 Aug) and Rudee Inlet (19 Aug). A high count of 5 was observed (12 Aug / Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty), while lower numbers were reported elsewhere by Robert Ake, James Fox, Josh Lefever, Ellison Orcutt, Jason Strickland and Rebecca Walawender. 4 individuals were observed on 15 Aug during a mass feeding frenzy of gulls & terns at Camp Pendleton (Karen & Tom Beatty), after a large shoal of baitfish washed up on the beach, providing ample food; high counts of Common Tern in excess of 150 were noted as well. Continuing reports of American Redstart (15 Aug / Davenport Ln. / Tommy Maloney), and Yellow Warbler (same, 16 Aug / Back Bay Landing Rd. / Karen & Tom Beatty & also 20 Aug / Back Bay NWR / Tommy Maloney & Jason Schatti) point towards these species beginning to show up in increasing numbers. A Northern Bobwhite was heard along Ashville Park Boulevard (16 Aug / Karen & Tom Beatty), and later in the day a Grasshopper Sparrow was seen and heard on Back Bay Landing Road near the shelter by the boat launch. Mississippi Kites continue to be noted in Thoroughgood (Tracy Tate) as recently as 13 Aug, though their departure is certainly becoming near; these are worth tracking to help establish a true date of departure since at the time of the Gold Book’s writing, this species wasn’t as expected in the coastal plain of Virginia on an annual basis as it has become. Their range has shifted dramatically over the last few years it seems. In 2015 they were last noted on 5 Sep, so perhaps we have another couple of weeks to observed them locally. As with the past couple of periods, we continue to see very high counts of Clapper Rail and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Pleasure House Point NA, to the tune of 15 (12 Aug / Tommy Maloney) and 44 (17 Aug / Rob Bielawski), respectively. Low tide is when both species are observed foraging along the exposed mudflats in the greatest numbers, so if you would like to see how many you can tally, make sure to consult the tide charts before your visit; these are available on the Weather section of this website. Lastly, there was a group of individuals (Andrew Baldelli, James Fox, Kim Harrell, Ellison Orcutt, Jason Strickland & Tracy Tate) that took a ‘6-pack’ pelagic trip out of Rudee Inlet on 20 Aug to Norfolk Canyon. While their sightings all occurred in Northampton County (due to the nearest point of land policy of eBird), it is worth noting that they observed some great species including Black-capped Petrel, Cory’s Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater and Red-necked Phalarope as well as a White-faced Storm-Petrel which is a first for Virginia so far this year! Since these trips depart from Virginia Beach, I feel they are worth noting so that local birders are aware of what is being found offshore, accessible from our ports. For the true adventure seeking birders, there are three larger trips scheduled to leave Lynnhaven Inlet aboard Brian Patteson’s Storm Petrel II bound for Norfolk Canyon on 3, 10 & 17 Sep; see Seabirding’s website for further details.

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA submitted for Virginia Beach during this period included: 11 AUG – Green Heron & Belted Kingfisher (Beach Garden Park / David Clark). 14 AUG – Canada Goose, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Mourning Dove, Fish Crow, Song Sparrow & Brown-headed Cowbird (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland). 15 AUG - Canada Goose, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Mourning Dove, Eastern Kingbird, Fish Crow & Song Sparrow (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); Sanderling, Willet, Least Tern, Black Tern, Common Tern, Forster’s Tern & Sandwich Tern (Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty). 16 AUG – Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, Willet & Forster’s Tern (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Red-shouldered Hawk & Yellow Warbler (Back Bay Landing Rd. / Karen & Tom Beatty). 17 AUG – Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Clapper Rail & American Goldfinch (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Wood Duck & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski). 19 AUG – Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Spotted Sandpiper, Eastern Kingbird, Song Sparrow & Northern Cardinal (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); Great Blue Heron (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski). 20 AUG – Black-bellied Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Spotted Sandpiper & Willet (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski).

LOOKAHEAD: Temperatures are supposed to finally start to taper down this period, with highs mostly in the 80s expected for the next few days. Of the species that have expected fall arrival dates we have not yet logged a Long-billed Dowitcher (mid-July arrival), Northern Waterthrush, White-rumped Sandpiper (early August arrivals), Canada Warbler, American Golden-Plover, Northern Harrier, Baltimore Oriole, Blue-winged Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink, Sora, Lark Sparrow (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Magnolia Warbler, Veery, Blue-winged Teal, Parasitic Jaeger, Willow Flycatcher, Black-throated Green Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, American White Pelican or Cape May Warbler (late August arrivals) in Virginia Beach yet this fall. Shorebirds will likely continue to dominate the efforts of most birders (beaches and mudflats at low tide, agricultural areas at high tide), but late August also should see more and more songbirds start to show up here (as noted above by all the potential arrivals). Songbird migration will pick up steadily through September, likely peaking around the first week of October if last year is an indicator. So, things should get more interesting this period, with the potential mix of new shorebirds & songbirds. Those seeking out non-annually occurring (essentially, rare) species should be mindful that the following species all have extreme arrival dates that make them possibilities here per the Gold Book: Upland Sandpiper & Wilson’s Phalarope (mid-July arrivals), Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper & White-winged Dove (late July arrivals), Rufous Hummingbird, Sandhill Crane, Golden-winged Warbler (early August arrivals), Red Phalarope, Bridled Tern, Long-tailed Jaeger, Olive-sided Flycatcher & Mourning Warbler (mid-August arrivals), and Swainson’s Hawk, Western Kingbird & Yellow-headed Blackbird (late August arrivals). So far, none of these rarities have been observed this year during fall migration in Virginia Beach. Most of these species require very specific weather patterns to bring them in, or can be found in only a very specialized habitat, so one should never expect to simply happen upon these species, but, they’re possible for those seeking a challenge!

For more information on this thrice-monthly Birding Blog, please check out the Journal Overview Page on the website. It provides background information as to what sightings are considered for the blog, details about the format of the blog, and it will likely answer many other questions that readers might be wondering about as well! As always, thank you for reading, and please click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Early August 2016 (1st-10th)

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After a Late July where average daily high temperatures reached 97 degrees F, we were fortunate to get a bit of a cool-down during Early August. Southbound shorebird migration also scaled up significantly with much higher counts of expected species being reported. Top birds during first period of ‘ornithologic fall’ in Virginia Beach included first of year reports of MARBLED GODWIT, AMERICAN AVOCET & ANHINGA, first of season arrivals of Yellow Warbler, American Redstart and Stilt Sandpiper & a second report of fall transient Red Knot. WEATHER: As mentioned, temperatures finally started to taper off after an incredibly warm July. Though we ended on a couple of hot days, the Early August period’s average daily high temperature dropped to 90.3 degrees F (-6.8 degrees from the Late July period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 78.5 degrees F (-2.1 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the Early August period were 87.6 & 72.3 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at +2.7, and +6.2 degrees when comparing the averages. Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 92.6 (2007) & 74.9 degrees F (2006), making this year’s period the warmest in terms of daily average low temperatures since at least 2005. While it was hot, this was a relatively dry period and we experienced precipitation on only two of the ten days, with total accumulations of just 0.46 inches, 0.40 inches of which fell on 2 Aug. There was no extreme weather locally during the period, and the Atlantic hurricane season has not yet produced any tropical cyclones that have impacted our region or are expected to do so in the near future.

OBSERVATIONS:  For the first time in 2016, a MARBLED GODWIT was observed within our boundaries (4 Aug / Back Bay NWR / Liam Tsao), but unfortunately it was only sighted one time before it likely moved out of the area. Marbled Godwits were found wintering in high numbers (varying counts of 200-400+ individuals) this year at Northampton County’s Willis Wharf to our north, and at Pea Island NWR to our south but for whatever reason, we just don’t seem to log them here in Virginia Beach though I suspect the Lynnhaven River mudflats could easily hold some that just go unnoticed, especially during the transition months. Interestingly, a quick check of eBird during the winter months (Dec-Feb) only shows one record of this species in Virginia Beach (17 Dec 1993 / Back Bay NWR / John Gallegos)! In addition to the Marbled Godwit, we also had our first AMERICAN AVOCET sighting of the year at Pleasure House Point NA (7 Aug / Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate)! While there are consistently high numbers of this species in fall at sites like Pea Island NWR to our south and Craney Island to our west, individuals are rarely picked up within the borders of Virginia Beach. In fact, the last American Avocet to be observed here was an individual seen flying over Shore Drive (11 Sep 2015 / Timothy Barry) and then later observed on exposed mudflats at Pleasure House Point NA from 13-17 Sep. Sadly, the 2016 individual didn’t stick around for as long and there was only a single additional sighting reported the following day (8 Aug / David Beloff via Facebook). No other observations were submitted to eBird, and certainly not for a lack of effort as several local birders made the attempt since like all first-of-year (FOY) birds, no one likes to miss them! A remarkable third FOY species was also noted this period when an Anhinga was found (9 Aug / Jonathan Snyder) at Stumpy Lake NA. Unfortunately, this sighting wasn't as exciting as it could have been, as the individual was sadly wrapped up in fishing line and had to be immediately taken to a local rehabber to hopefully get it healthy again. This is the first Anhinga reported to eBird in Virginia Beach since 2012, though there was at least one more recent sighting that was just never input from 2015 I believe (Lake Tecumseh / Mary Catherine Miguez). Along with these great FOY finds, Virginia Beach also saw its first Yellow Warbler of the fall season at Munden Point Park (7 Aug / David Clark), with a second individual found the following day as well (8 Aug / Rosemont & Holland / Carolyn Page). Like the Black-and-white Warbler mentioned in last period’s article, Yellow Warblers are a species that is often shown as a breeder in Virginia Beach by field guides, but recent breeding confirmations are missing entirely from eBird, and this sighting and another in Hampton on the same date were the first observations since May for all of Hampton Roads as a whole, lending further credence to this species being a transient here rather than a true summer resident, at least in recent years. In addition to the Yellow Warbler, we also had our first American Redstart sighting of the fall season (8 Aug / Back Bay Landing Rd. / Karen & Tom Beatty), as no other individuals of this species had been observed here since spring migration came to a close in late May. Redstarts fall in with the Yellow Warblers in terms of issues with calling them summer residents here or not, but their June/July reports in recent times are scant as well. Our last new fall arrival for the period was a lovely Stilt Sandpiper (9 Aug / Andrew Baldelli) in partial molt between its breeding and nonbreeding plumages, found on a small marshy pond off Shore Drive in Bayville Farms Park along with a fair number of other shorebird species. This “pond” primarily acts as a sediment & litter trap, helping to prevent pollutants from entering Lake Joyce on the north side of Shore Drive but the water levels right now are perfect for shorebirds to use to rest & refuel along their southbound migration; it would be a spot worth checking if you’re in the area. This individual stuck around all day, being reported three additional times, but it was not observed the following morning so it has likely departed the area. Though the first-of-season (FOS) Red Knot for Virginia Beach was already noted (27 Jul / Robert Wood), potentially this same individual was observed on the beach at False Cape SP (5 Aug / Rob Bielawski) and any sightings of Red Knots are always worth mentioning since they’re a species observed somewhat infrequently, though they’re annually occurring. Though not technically ‘noteworthy’, there was a few more ‘interesting’ observations this period in Virginia Beach that warrant mention in this article. While Eastern Screech-Owls are a year-round resident of Virginia Beach, it isn’t all that often that at least 5 individuals are reported, like the 5 that were observed in the Kings Grant neighborhood (3 Aug / Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins), making this one of the higher counts of the species recorded in the city recently. Another permanent resident that popped up in reports this period was Seaside Sparrow. While the species as a whole is present here year-round, they’re a species that isn’t observed & reported with much frequency so a pair seen at Fort Story (5 Aug / Karen & Tom Beatty) and four individuals at Pleasure House Point NA (7 Aug / Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate) are worth mentioning because this might mean that individuals within the species population are now in a state of migration, which can bring higher than normal numbers into the region (similar to what was observed during spring along Rudee Inlet). Purple Martins appear to be grouping up for their fall migration, and counts in the hundreds have started popping up from Back Bay NWR and the rural sections of southern Virginia Beach primarily around Princess Anne WMA. Clapper Rails, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons & Semipalmated Plovers are being observed in very high numbers at Pleasure House Point NA and anyone interested in seeing these species should plan a trip around the low tide when the shoreline mudflats and primary sandbar provide the largest area of feeding habitat for these species. Despite many checklists submitted to eBird from the beaches surrounding our city, there was no reports of Black Terns this period; hopefully next period they are picked up again as they should continue passing us on their southbound migration.

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA submitted for Virginia Beach during this period included: 2 AUG – Little Blue Heron & Glossy Ibis (Back Bay Landing Rd. / Karen & Tom Beatty). 4 AUG – Wood Duck, Great Egret, Green Heron Glossy Ibis & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Andrew Baldelli). 5 AUG – Osprey, Barn Swallow & Song Sparrow (Fremac Dr. / Laura Mae); Black Scoter, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Willet, Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Royal Tern & Sandwich Tern (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski). 6 AUG – Yellow-crowned Night-Heron & Clapper Rail (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Sanderling, Spotted Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Common Tern & Rock Pigeon (South Thimble Island / David Clark); Carolina Chickadee (Milldam Creek Boardwalk / Rob Bielawski); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Prince Phillip Dr. / Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins). 7 AUG – Short-billed Dowitcher & Laughing Gull (Back Bay NWR / Lisa Rose); White Ibis & American Avocet (Pleasure House Point NA / Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate). 8 AUG – Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Clapper Rail, American Oystercatcher, Semipalmated Plover, Black Skimmer & Sparrow sp. (Pleasure House Point NA / Karen & Tom Beatty); Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant & Spotted Sandpiper (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); White Ibis (Pleasure House Point NA / Lisa Rose). Great Blue Heron, Sanderling, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Ring-billed Gull, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird & Eastern Towhee (Back Bay NWR / Matthew Echaniz); Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, Glossy Ibis, Stilt Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski); Laughing Gull, Purple Martin & Barn Swallow (Dam Neck Station Rd. / David Clark); Stilt Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Karen & Tom Beatty); Stilt Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Kim Harrell); Wood Duck, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Stilt Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper & Solitary Sandpiper (Bayville Farms Park / Ron Furnish & Marie Mullins). 10 AUG – Mallard, Spotted Sandpiper, Laughing Gull & Eastern Kingbird (Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); Wood Duck (Bayville Farms Park / Rob Bielawski); Green Heron, Semipalmated Plover & Black Skimmer (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski).

LOOKAHEAD: Temperatures might bounce around a bit during August, but overall we should continue to see a drop in the mercury. Of the species that have expected arrival dates during mid-August (or earlier) we have not yet logged a Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Northern Waterthrush, White-rumped Sandpiper, Canada Warbler, American Golden-Plover, Northern Harrier, Baltimore Oriole, Blue-winged Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink, Sora, or Lark Sparrow in Virginia Beach yet this fall. Birders should continue to search for shorebird species on beaches and mudflats around low tide, and in agricultural fields or any other habitat capable of holding large water puddles during high tide when they are forced to seek out new feeding grounds. Be mindful also that songbird migration will be starting to creep up on us, and forested parks will again start to become important spots to check in the near future. Those seeking out non-annually occurring (essentially, rare) species should be mindful that the following species all have extreme arrival dates that make them possibilities here per the Gold Book: Upland Sandpiper & Wilson’s Phalarope (mid-July arrivals), Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper & White-winged Dove (late July arrivals), Rufous Hummingbird, Sandhill Crane, Golden-winged Warbler (early August arrivals), and Red Phalarope, Bridled Tern, Long-tailed Jaeger, Olive-sided Flycatcher & Mourning Warbler (mid-August arrivals). So far, none of these rarities have been observed this year during fall migration in Virginia Beach. Most of these species require very specific weather patterns to bring them in, or can be found in only a very specialized habitat, so one should never expect to simply happen upon these species, but, they’re possible for those seeking a challenge!

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For more information on this thrice-monthly Birding Blog, please check out the Journal Overview Page on the website. It provides background information as to what sightings are considered for the blog, details about the format of the blog, and it will likely answer many other questions that readers might be wondering about as well! As always, thank you for reading, and please click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!

Late July 2016 (21st-31st)

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As with mid-July, the volume of eBird submissions was a bit low during the Late July period. Extreme heat is likely the cause, with four days reaching 100 degrees F and likely keeping many birders indoors. Shorebird migration has slowly started to ramp up, and some new species were observed as a result. Top birds during this final period of ‘ornithologic summer’ in Virginia Beach included a single Black-and-white Warbler, ongoing sightings of Whimbrel and Piping Plover, first of year reports of Black Terns, first of season arrivals of Semipalmated Plover & Red Knots and lastly, continuing reports of lingering summer species including Pied-billed Grebe, Common Loon & Black Scoter. WEATHER: On average over the previous 10-year time frame (2006-15), the Late July period has featured the highest temperatures of each respective year in Virginia Beach, and 2016 continued this trend. The previous period, mid-July, was the warmest thrice-monthly period since at least 2006, with an average daily high temperature of 94.1 degrees F. Somehow, Late July managed to top this though, and the average daily temperature rose to a remarkable 97.1 degrees F (+3.0 degrees from the mid-July period); the average daytime lows also rose to 80.6 degrees F (+3.8 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the Late July period were 88.1 & 71.9 degrees F, respectively, with maximum average daily highs & lows of 93.0 & 75.3 degrees F occurring in 2011, making this year’s period the warmest since at least 2005 (I have not gone further back than 2006 at this point). To fully drive my point home, the average daily high temperatures this period were an incredible 9.0 degrees higher than the previous 10-year average during the same period. Overall, we hit a peak high of 100 degrees F on four different days (24-26 & 28 Jul) and a low daytime temperature of 73 degrees F, on 21 Jul. We experienced precipitation on only two of the eleven days this period, with total accumulations of 1.85 inches though 1.41 inches of this total fell during heavy rains on 31 Jul during a deluge that caused widespread flooding across the northern portions of Virginia Beach (6.98 inches of rain was recorded at Norfolk International Airport, and 4.95 inches was recorded at a Weather Underground station near Great Neck Road & Shore Drive). As these figures indicate, depending on exactly where one lives in Virginia Beach, the amount of precipitation can vary quite dramatically. Continuing the trend of a lack of tropical activity this summer, no tropical systems were active during this period in the Atlantic Ocean, though low pressure systems Invest 96L & 97L were designated, with 97L reaching the Lesser Antilles by period’s end without developing into a tropical depression; 96L disintegrated about midway from Africa to the islands.

OBSERVATIONS: In looking through almost any field guide (whether it be Sibley, National Geographic, Stokes, or National Wildlife Federation) Black-and-white Warblers are consistently shown as breeders in Virginia Beach. However, their frequency of reports in eBird during the summer months (June & July) here are exceedingly low, so an individual observed at Back Bay NWR (26 Jul / Xavier Lachapelle Trouillard) is worth mentioning. Perhaps this species is just highly under-reported here in summer since very few of us are out birding forested areas during the heat and humidity that June & July bring? Since the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas is running from this year through 2020, it will be very interesting to see if this and other species of warblers with similar issues like Yellow, Kentucky, Worm-eating and Hooded are confirmed as breeders within the city boundaries. Some other highlights this period included several reports of Whimbrel at Back Bay NWR on 22 Jul (Rob Bielawski), 25 Jul (Karen & Tom Beatty), 26 Jul (Xavier Lachapelle Trouillard) and 29 Jul (David Gibson). While they are annual transients through Virginia Beach in spring & fall, they’re one of the species many birders will be out hoping to view. Along with the Whimbrel, there was also one report of a Piping Plover at Sandbridge beach (25 Jul / Xavier Lachapelle Trouillard), a species that doesn’t seem to breed here and is also therefore a sought-after transient during spring & fall on the coastline. Outside of these finds, the excitement this period continued to revolve primarily around the FIRST-OF-SEASON ARRIVALS that are trickling in from the north. During Late July, Virginia Beach recorded its first Black Terns (29 Jul / Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski) of not only the fall season, but of 2016 as a whole. Black Terns are transients, passing along our coastline in spring and fall between their wintering and breeding grounds, but they are not annually reported from shore during the springtime which makes them highly sought after during their one expected season of transience, the fall. Between Late July and mid-September is when they’re most often reported, and they are truly a bird of beauty if one can catch them still in breeding plumage (the earlier you can find one, the better the odds that it has retained this plumage). One individual was also observed on 30 Jul along the beach (Karen & Tom Beatty), so now seems to be a good time to stop in for a seawatch. In addition to the Black Terns, Virginia Beach also logged its first Semipalmated Plovers (26 Jul / Back Bay NWR / Xavier Lachapelle Trouilland & False Cape SP / Rebecca Walawender) and the first Red Knot (27 Jul / Robert Wood) of the fall season at Back Bay NWR.  In addition to the new arrivals, some LINGERING individuals of several species were observed. Most notable among this group again this period was the Pied-billed Grebe which were observed on 22 Jul (Karen & Tom Beatty), 25 Jul (Katherine Edison) and one individual was photographed on the bay at Back Bay NWR (22 Jul / Karen & Tom Beatty), while another report of an individual surfaced on 26 Jul (Katherine Edison). Yet another was seen & photographed on 29 Jul (Rob Bielawski), again on 30 Jul (Karen & Tom Beatty) and two pairs were observed simultaneously on 31 Jul (Rob Bielawski) on the C Pool & C Storage Pool along the West Dike trail . A single Common Loon in nonbreeding plumage was also observed at Back Bay NWR (22 Jul / Rob Bielawski) with likely the same individual also observed on 29 Jul. Black Scoters continued to be reported along the coastline at Fort Story (21 Jul / Timothy Barry), 87th Street beach (27 Jul / Luke Thompson), Back Bay NWR (25 Jul / Karen & Tom Beatty, 26 Jul / Rebecca Walawender, 29 Jul / Robert Wood and 30 Jul / Tamara Conklin) and at Sandbridge (25 Jul / Xavier Lachapelle Trouillard), completing a summer where this species was observed during all six periods (three periods in each June & July).

RELEVANT SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA submitted for Virginia Beach during this period included: 22 JUL – Pied-billed Grebe (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Osprey, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Ring-billed Gull & Gull-billed Tern (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski). 23 JUL – Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron & Clapper Rail (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Eastern Bluebird (Signature at West Neck / Pamela Monahan). 26 JUL – Pied-billed Grebe (Back Bay NWR / Katherine Edison). 27 JUL – Red Knot (Back Bay NWR / Robert Wood). 29 JUL – Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Black Tern, Common Tern, Royal Tern & Sandwich Tern (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski). 30 JUL – Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Willet, Sanderling, Ring-billed Gull, Royal Tern & Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Little Blue Heron & Orchard Oriole (Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract / Rob Bielawski); Eastern Kingbird, Purple Martin Carolina Wren (Lake Lawson and Lake Smith NA / Laura Mae); Black Scoter, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron & Ruddy Turnstone (Back Bay NWR / Tamara Conklin); Osprey (Northampton Boulevard / Laura Mae). 31 JUL – Brown Pelican, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Ruddy Turnstone, Ring-billed Gull & Common Tern (South Thimble Island / Laura Mae); Pied-billed Grebe & Great Blue Heron (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski); Osprey (Lake Lawson and Lake Smith NA / Laura Mae).

LOOKAHEAD: We likely reached the top of the temperature curve for 2016 during Late July, if the previous ten year averages are to be trusted that is. Hopefully we begin to slowly see temperatures dropping as we move forward, though it might be only a minor drop for the near future. Early August should afford more observations of arriving shorebirds and these will continue to be the birds that many birders will be targeting. It is also worth noting that some passerine species are beginning their southbound movements as well. Of the species that have expected arrival dates during Early August (or earlier) we have not yet logged a Long-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Dunlin, Northern Waterthrush or White-rumped Sandpiper in Virginia Beach. Birders should continue to search for shorebird species on beaches and mudflats around low tide, and in agricultural fields that are holding large water puddles during high tide when they are forced to seek out new feeding grounds. Currently, the soy beans have come up to a height where it is a bit difficult to see birds among them, so birders will need to focus primarily on recently tilled fields that are capable of holding both water, and as a result, shorebirds. Those seeking out non-annually occurring (essentially, rare) species should be targeting Upland Sandpiper & Wilson’s Phalarope (mid-July arrivals per Gold Book), Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper & White-winged Dove (late July arrivals), and Rufous Hummingbird, Sandhill Crane, Golden-winged Warbler & Marbled Godwit (early August arrivals). So far, none of these rarities have been observed this year during fall migration in Virginia Beach.

Next Entry | Entry Index | Previous Entry

For more information on this thrice-monthly Birding Blog, please check out the Journal Overview Page on the website. It provides background information as to what sightings are considered for the blog, details about the format of the blog, and it will likely answer many other questions that readers might be wondering about as well! As always, thank you for reading, and please click the Heart icon to the lower right of this post to let me know you stopped in!