Early October 2016 (1st-10th)

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Fall songbird migration held firm at the start of the period, but was quickly replaced by poor weather preceding the landfall of Hurricane Matthew in South Carolina. Conditions across the region deteriorated swiftly, and Virginia Beach was again drowned in heavy rainfall, high winds, and coastal flooding. As the storm cleared at the close of the period, conditions turned favorable once again and one fantastic day of migration was observed on the 10th. A couple of finds stood above all others though this period, and our top birds were BROWN BOOBY & ANHINGA. First-of-season arrivals flooded in throughout the period and included American Coot (early), American Bittern, Philadelphia Vireo, Tundra Swan (early), Savannah Sparrow, Hermit Thrush (early), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ruddy Duck, Sedge Wren, Palm Warbler (Yellow race), Black Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser (early), Northern Gannet (early), Blue-headed Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Purple Finch & Tennessee Warbler! Continuing instances of late birds included Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat, Veery & Black Tern. Lastly, we saw high counts of Northern Parula, Pied-billed Grebe, Black Skimmer, Northern Flicker, and both Nelson’s & Seaside Sparrows. 

WEATHER: As with last period, we again found ourselves in the midst of devastating flooding due to a tropical system, this time being Hurricane Matthew. As Matthew trekked across the southern Caribbean, it attained Category 5 status, then made landfall in southwestern Haiti as a Category 4 storm before crossing land again in Cuba and the Bahamas as well. When it approached Florida, it somehow managed to essentially parallel the coastline all the way up to Charleston, SC before finally make landfall again as a Category 1 storm over South Carolina. The storm moved northeastward from there, and its counterclockwise-spinning wind field interacted with a cold front that had settled over our region, causing massive amounts of rain to fall (more than double what local weather crews were predicting). At Oceana NAS, 7.70 inches of rain fell on Saturday, 8 Oct. News stations and personal weather gauges reported amounts up to 12 or even 13 inches across the region so as always, depending on your specific location in the city, you could have seen varying rainfall. All of this precipitation fell onto soil that still hadn’t recovered from the effects of Julia in mid-to-late September, which only complicated matters. Coupled with the winds (a high gust of 62 mph was recorded at Oceana, with maximum sustained winds of 39 mph), a high number of trees uprooted, which caused widespread power outages leaving some 200,000+ residents without electricity as the period drew to a close (as of this writing, things have gotten much better, though not fully resolved). In terms of temperature values this period, overall, early October’s average daily high temperature dropped to 74.5 degrees F (-4.4 degrees from the  late September period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 64.9 degrees F (-0.2 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-September period were 75.9 & 59.3 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at -1.4, and +5.6 degrees when comparing to the averages. Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 83.1 & 69.9 degrees F (2007). As mentioned, Matthew decimated southeastern Virginia, dropping an incredible amount of rain during a very short period of time (mostly 3 PM through about 8 AM between 8-9 Oct). During the early October period, we received 7.91 inches of rain, with 7.70 of that falling just during the previously mentioned time frame! Oceana’s gauge did not pick up any rainfall on 9 Oct, so it may have gone offline during the storm event as well, so this total could be well under the final tally. Once the storm moved offshore, we were hit with northerly winds again and migration immediately began to pick back up. The forecasts for the coming few days all look excellent, and we should see large numbers of migrants sweeping through the region.

OBSERVATIONS:  With several days of overcast and dreary days preceding the impacts of Hurricane Matthew, one could have guessed that this would be a slow period. However, birding observations in Virginia Beach didn’t just maintain the levels from the past period, they managed to improve upon it. In the wake up Hurricane Matthew, the top bird of the period, a BROWN BOOBY (9 Oct / Kim Harrell) was observed flying near the pier on South Thimble Island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel complex. It was unfortunately searched for the following day to no avail, but this is the first record for the species in Virginia Beach since 2006 (6-8 Aug / First Landing SP / Kim & Matt Hafner [See Page 47, Vol. 80 of The Raven]) so even with only one observer, it is cause for celebration. Another rarity for the area, three ANHINGAS were observed flying over Lake Smith (4 Oct / Tracy Tate) on strong northerly winds that preceded Hurricane Matthew’s approach. So far in 2016, only one other Anhinga has been observed, that record being of an injured bird in July at Stumpy Lake. Interestingly, these three were not observed at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch site across the Chesapeake Bay’s mouth, so it makes me wonder a bit as to where they might have come from. We’re situated at basically the furthest north and east part of their breeding range, so perhaps these were local this summer and just were never found by any birders. As the introductory paragraph portrays, this was nothing short of an amazing period for first-of-season arrivals. To keep some semblance of order here, I’m going to list the arrivals chronologically, lest this article descend into truly unordered chaos. The first-of-season species observations were as follows: American Coot (3 Oct / Back Bay NWR / Tamara Conklin / slightly precedes expected 5 Oct arrival); American Bittern (3 Oct / Pleasure House Point NA / Timothy Barry); Philadelphia Vireo (3 Oct / Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty and Andrew Baldelli / the very first of its kind for Virginia Beach in eBird though an annually transient species that is likely under-represented here); Tundra Swan (4 Oct / Lago Mar / Mary Catherine Miguez / very early ahead of its expected 30 Oct arrival); Savannah Sparrow (4 Oct / Back Bay NWR / Robert Ake); Hermit Thrush (5 Oct / Old Donation Creek / Carolyn Caywood / early for its expected 10 Oct arrival); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (7 Oct / Glenmore Hunt Tr. / Karen Beatty); Ruddy Duck (7 Oct / Kempsville Lake / Brandon Holland); Sedge Wren (8 Oct / Pleasure House Point NA / Cheryl J Jacobson); Palm Warbler (Yellow Race) (8 Oct / Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Black Scoter (9 Oct / South Thimble Island / Andrew Baldelli / though they can over-summer, this is the first report for some time); Red-breasted Merganser (9 Oct / South Thimble Island / Andrew Baldelli / well ahead of expected 30 Oct arrival); Northern Gannet (9 Oct / South Thimble Island / Andrew Baldelli / slightly early of expected 10 Oct arrival); Blue-headed Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow & Purple Finch (10 Oct / Taste Unlimited Bayville / Andrew Baldelli); and Tennessee Warbler (10 Oct / Lauderdale Ave. / Timothy Barry). In addition to all the first arrivals, some late occurrences of summering and transient species also occurred this period including: Yellow Warbler (last observed 7 Oct / Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez), Yellow-throated Warbler (last observed 1 Oct / White House Ln. / Tracy Tate), Yellow-throated Vireo (last observed 3 Oct / Camp Pendleton / Mary Catherine Miguez), Veery (last observed 4 Oct / Taste Unlimited Bayville / Andrew Baldelli), Yellow-breasted Chat (last observed 10 Oct / Davenport Ln. / Tommy Maloney), Black Tern (last observed 9 Oct / Rudee Inlet / Andrew Baldelli). Since migration is reaching its peak, it came as no surprise that higher than typical counts of many species were reported. 36 Northern Parulas were observed at Lake Lawson & Lake Smith NA (6 Oct / Timothy Barry), 35 Pied-billed Grebes were near the visitor center at Back Bay NWR (7 Oct / Mary Catherine Miguez w/33 obs. earlier by Karen & Tom Beatty), and as Hurricane Matthews winds roared ashore, a massive flock of 175 Black Skimmers sought refuge on the Lynnhaven River (8 Oct / viewed from Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski). Nelson’s and Seaside Sparrows were also observed in high numbers thanks in part to the higher than typical tides we received due to the onshore winds and excessive rainfall. High water like this forces these marsh dwelling sparrows to move further up the grasses that they can be seen clinging too, putting them into a better spot for viewing. Northern Flickers have also started to move through in high counts, and as the period came to a close, it seemed as though a large movement of landbirds was looming, as seen through all the first-of-season arrivals on 10 Oct, notably along the Shore Drive corridor (the first land that these birds hit after their treacherous crossing of the Chesapeake Bay from the Eastern Shore). Depleted and exhausted, these birds seek both shelter and food to regain energy and will be easiest observed in and around thick vegetation as a result.

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA and submitted to eBird for Virginia Beach during this period included: 1 OCT – Nashville Warbler & Palm Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez); Yellow Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Lisa Rose). 2 OCT – Turkey Vulture & Red-tailed Hawk (Recreation Dr. / Clyde Wilson). 3 OCT – American Coot, American Kestrel, Eastern Phoebe, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler & Field Sparrow (Back Bay NWR / Tamara Conklin); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Back Bay NWR / Bob McAlpine); American Coot (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Carolina Chickadee & Northern Cardinal (Lake Lawson & Lake Smith NA / Rob Bielawski). 5 OCT – Hermit Thrush & Yellow-breasted Chat (Old Donation Creek / Carolyn Caywood). 6 OCT – Canada Goose, Brown Pelican, Osprey, Herring Gull & Caspian Tern (Fort Story / Karen & Tom Beatty); Belted Kingfisher, Red-headed Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker & Yellow-rumped Warbler (First Landing SP / Karen & Tom Beatty). 7 OCT – Black-throated Blue Warbler (Stumpy Lake NA / Betty Sue Cohen); Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, White-eyed Vireo, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler & Field Sparrow (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez). 8 OCT – Great Blue Heron, Nelson’s Sparrow & Boat-tailed Grackle (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Merlin (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski). 9 OCT – BROWN BOOBY (South Thimble Island / Kim Harrell). 10 OCT – Yellow-billed Cuckoo & Dark-eyed Junco (Taste Unlimited Bayville / Andrew Baldelli); Eastern Phoebe, Common Yellowthroat & Palm Warbler (South Thimble Island / David Clark); Golden-crowned Kinglet (Lago Mar / Mary Catherine Miguez).

LOOKAHEAD: Thankfully, it appears we are in for some nice weather over the coming days, which should allow for a lot of birders to be out in the field seeking out migrant songbirds. Waterfowl will also start making their moves soon, but the next period should be dominated by songbirds, which are likely now past their peak of migration, but should still provide excitement. Sparrows and wintering landbirds will also show up in good numbers moving forward, and this might be the period where we become overrun by Yellow-rumped Warblers. Thickets and small pockets of forest with several stories of vegetation should continue to give up great birds, and remember, of the species that are expected here during fall, we have not yet logged our first Blue-winged Warbler & Chestnut-sided Warbler (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler (late August arrival), Northern Pintail (early September arrival), Gray-cheeked Thrush (mid-September arrival), Orange-crowned Warbler & Winter Wren (late September arrivals), Purple Sandpiper, Brant, American Pipit, White-crowned Sparrow, Surf Scoter, American Woodcock, Bonaparte’s Gull & Horned Grebe (early October arrivals) & Rusty Blackbird, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoter & Great Cormorant (mid-October arrivals) in Virginia Beach yet this fall. There are plenty of rarities to be looking for also right now as we get closer to vagrant season in November!

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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 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 September 2016 (21st-30th)

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WARBLERS... they have finally arrived! Songbird migration finally stepped up to the plate this period, and hit a home run. After a lackluster fall migration for songbirds thus far on the coast, we were all very pleased when the winds finally made a shift out of the north, and brought down our first groups of migrant passerines. Despite the early period rains, some great birds were observed, and the top bird this period was a rarely occurring fall migrant here on the coast, a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH. Additionally we saw early first-of-season arrivals of Brown Creeper and Yellow-rumped Warbler, as well as on-time first-of-season arrivals of American Wigeon, Broad-winged Hawk, Veery, Cape May Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Nelson’s Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. To round out the new arrivals, right at the end of the period we were also treated to our first-of-season (and late), Canada Warbler! Several species have also persisted beyond their average expected departure dates, including lingering batches of Yellow Warblers (primarily at Back Bay NWR), a pair of Black Terns and Yellow-breasted Chat (at several locations). Red-breasted Nuthatches continue to be reported around the region and it continues to seem reasonably safe to state that this may be an irruption year for this species. WEATHER: Temperatures continued to expectedly fall through late September, and we started this period right where we left off in mid-September, with copious amounts of rain. The remnants of Tropic Storm Julia continued to stall to our south on 21 Sep, dumping a whopping 4.82 inches of rain (in addition to the 3.55 inches on 20 Sep, and the 1.17 inches on 19 Sep). In total, the storm was responsible for 9.54 inches of rain falling at Oceana NAS, with potentially higher totals in other areas of the region; an incredible amount of rain. Overall, the late September period’s average daily high temperature dropped to 78.9 degrees F (-3.4 degrees from the mid-September period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 65.1 degrees F (-4.2 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-September period were 78.4 & 64.2 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at +0.5, and +0.9 degrees when comparing to the averages (very close to average). Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 82.7 (2010) & 74.4 degrees F (2015). As mentioned, Julia’s remnants dropped incredible amount of rain during the 3-day period where it affected the region, but only an additional 0.94 inches of rain fell during the remainder of the late September period. The weather this coming period will require some intent tracking. Currently, Hurricane Matthew, which peaked as a Category 5 storm with 160 mph sustained winds, is trudging northward through the Caribbean Sea and impacts to our area from this storm are possible as early as 6 or 7 Oct. Depending on how the track of this dangerous storm plays out, this could have a major effect on the birding locally.

OBSERVATIONS:  As with the previous period, shorebird observations seemed to dwindle, while we finally got our first taste of fall passerine migration. Pockets of forest around Virginia Beach sprang to life once the remnant of Tropical Storm Julia finally released its hold on region’s weather patterns. Northerly winds took over, bringing down the first big push of transient songbirds.  The top bird of the period, a LOUISIANA WATERTHURSH (23 Sep / Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty and Mary Catherine Miguez), became the very first eBird observation in Virginia Beach for this species during the fall season, of any year! Perhaps there have been others recorded, but no one has taken to time yet to enter them, so this is an exciting find! In reference to the distributional status of this species in Virginia, the Gold Book states “Rare on coast in fall and rarely observed anywhere in state on fall migration, which may begin as early as late June-early July.”  So not only is observing one in Virginia Beach during fall impressive, but one being found so late into the season, in late September, makes this sighting all the more interesting. Camp Pendleton (a restricted access military installation) also managed to produce several other first-of-season arrivals this period which included Cape May Warbler (22 Sep / Karen & Tom Beatty) and Black-throated Blue Warbler (22 Sep / Karen & Tom Beatty and Mary Catherine Miguez), as well as Black-throated Green Warbler (23 Sep / Tom Beatty) and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (23 Sep / Karen Beatty & Mary Catherine Miguez), and an early first-of-season arrival of Brown Creeper (23 Sep / Karen Beatty). On 24 Sep, the 22nd annual Kiptopeke Challenge, sponsored by the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory, helped bolster eBird observations in Virginia Beach, as teams scoured the coastal plain in search of a wide variety of species. Very early in the morning hours, first-of-season Veery were identified by their nocturnal flight calls over Horn Point Road (Matt Anthony, James Fox & Nicholas Newberry). Also in the pre-dawn hours, a Barred Owl was observed at West Neck Creek NA, Great Horned Owls were observed at Horn Point Road & Catfish Road, and Eastern Screech-Owls were found at both Horn Point Road and West Neck Creek NA (all owls, Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate). While these species do not get reported often in eBird, they are all fairly common around Virginia Beach, and they likely just are underreported due to their nocturnal nature. When it comes to competing in a birding competition though, it is certainly important to start the day off finding these three species, or finish it off doing so. Once the sun did finally rise around 7 AM, a first-of-season Bay-breasted Warbler was found near the west end of the Bay Trail at Back Bay NWR (Rob Bielawski & Jason Strickland) with another individual being observed at Cape Pendleton shortly afterwards (Karen & Tom Beatty). The rest of the day kept up with the sightings as well, and first-of-season Broad-winged Hawk (First Landing SP / Karen & Tom Beatty), Blackpoll Warblers (Eldon Ct. / Brandon Holland) and a very early Yellow-rumped Warbler (Stumpy Lake NA / Betty Sue Cohen) were all documented. Typically when the Yellow-rumpeds start to show up here, it means the remainder of warblers’ migration is starting to taper down, but throughout the remainder of the period, only one other Yellow-rump arrived (28 Sep / Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); however, we should start to see LOTS of these soon, as when it comes to warblers they are our most abundant transient, and winter resident along the coast. In total on 24 Sep, an incredible 56 checklists were submitted to eBird in Virginia Beach, with a whopping 51 of these occurring before noon! Most teams that birded Virginia Beach started their day off here, then worked northward along the coast, stopping at preferred hotspots like Kiptopeke SP, Willis Wharf, and Chincoteague NWR in the process. During the previous 21 Kiptopeke Challenges, participants were limited to staying within the Eastern Shore counties of Accomack & Northampton, so it was an exciting change this year to allow other areas within the coastal plain (like Virginia Beach) to be utilized. Even after the challenge had come and gone, Virginia Beach produced plenty of great sightings. On 25 Sep and again on 30 Sep, a Wilson’s Warbler was observed behind the Taste Unlimited on Shore Drive (Andrew Baldelli) where this (presumably same) individual was first sighted on 11 Sep. Typically this species doesn’t stay in the same place here for long, so it is rather interesting that what is likely the same individual was seen over a 19-day time span. Only the second observed here this fall, a Yellow-throated Vireo was at Back Bay NWR on 26 Sep (Jerry Ledbetter). Also at Back Bay NWR, a high count of 14 King Rails were observed on the impoundment survey (Robert Ake), as well as two late Black Terns, and a second-of-season Sora for the city. At the opposite end of Virginia Beach far to the north, Nelson’s Sparrows were also first detected at Pleasure House Point (27 Sep / Loretta Silvia), and these should make for some excitement to local birders throughout the next month or two as their numbers steadily rise (if the last pair of years are any indicator at least). Saltmarsh Sparrows should also be looked for in this area mixed in with flocks of Nelson’s, though separating the two species is a bit tricky, and even most field guides I have tend to show a great deal of overlap between the species, which is why they were long-considered to actually be the same species (formerly, Sharp-tailed Sparrow). Higher than normal tides over the first few days of October should make this species even more visible as they seek out feeding habitat in the marsh reeds surrounding the Lynnhaven River. Nearing the end of the period, another first-of-season arrival occurred, when two drake American Wigeons were observed on the Salem Canal (29 Sep / Rose Chandler). Not much in the way of waterfowl have yet been detected here, but this should also change as October takes over. Wintering ducks, geese and swans should all begin to show up in the next couple of periods as songbird movements peak and start to taper down. As mentioned above, Red-breasted Nuthatches have also been a highlight this fall within the city, and reports continue to pop up from several different locations, with Back Bay NWR being the most reliable (see photo links below). On the final day of the period, 30 Sep, a Nashville Warbler (second-of-season here) was observed (Lisa Rose), and the individual and stayed put long enough for quite a few folks to view it before the period came to a close. Back Bay NWR also seems to be holding onto Yellow Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chats longer this year than in the average year. Both species continued to be reported through the end of the period, with Yellow Warblers having a typical departure date of 20 Sep, with Chats typically gone by 25 Sep, though occasionally lingering individuals obscure these dates, as we’re seeing this fall. Lastly, and just prior to close of the period on 30 Sep, we were all delighted to see a Canada Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Una Davenhill) posted to eBird! Canada warblers are referred to as ‘fairly rare transients’ in the coastal plain according to the Gold Book, and with this observation being the first since the spring of 2015, it was clearly a cause for celebration. Since I’m writing this post a couple of days after the period end, I’d like to mention that Back Bay NWR was scoured for this bird by a great many observers, and no one was able to turn it up again, but, there’s still a chance it is out there along the Bay Trail somewhere; certainly something worth keeping in mind if you find yourself in the area! If you find yourself at Back Bay NWR though, please beware of Eastern Cottonmouths, which are being sighted in high numbers along the trails due to the recent high water that has flooded the surrounding forests and marshes!

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA and submitted to eBird for Virginia Beach during this period included: 23 SEP – Cooper’s Hawk, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Ovenbird, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH & Cape May Warbler (Camp Pendleton / Mary Catherine Miguez); Bald Eagle, Cape May Warbler & Black-throated Blue Warbler (Camp Pendleton / Rob Bielawski). 24 SEP – Northern Parula & Bay-breasted Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski); Cooper’s Hawk & Red-tailed Hawk (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski); Yellow-rumped Warbler (Stumpy Lake NA / Betty Sue Cohen). 25 SEP – White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler & Black-throated Blue Warbler (Witt Park / Rob Bielawski); American Redstart, Northern Parula & Black-throated Blue Warbler (Witt Park / Ron Furnish); Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake Joyce & Shore Drive / Tamara Conklin); Northern Parula (Bayville Farms Park / Tamara Conklin). 26 SEP – White-eyed Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Yellowthroat, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula & Yellow Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez); Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird & Magnolia Warbler (Prince Phillip Dr. / Ron Furnish). 27 SEP – Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern, Royal Tern & Boat-tailed Grackle (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Downy Woodpecker & Black-and-white Warbler (Prince Phillip Dr. / Ron Furnish). 28 SEP – Yellow Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Bob McAlpine); Double-crested Cormorant, Sanderling, Great Black-backed Gull, Royal Tern & Red-breasted Nuthatch (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty). 30 SEP – Great Blue Heron, Great Egret & Snowy Egret  (Kings Grant Lakes / Rob Bielawski); Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Nashville Warbler, Cape May Warbler & Yellow Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Lisa Rose); Canada Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Una Davenhill); Red-breasted Nuthatch & Nashville Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Betty Sue Cohen); Nashville Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Red-breasted Nuthatch (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez); Red-breasted Nuthatch, Nashville Warbler, Cape May Warbler & Palm Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski).

LOOKAHEAD: Despite the potential for some nasty weather associated with Hurricane Matthew later in the period, our songbird migration should continue being the prime source of excitement in early October, and with winds switching back from the north, we could be in for a good few days of southbound movements. Unfortunately, the weather reports are not looking good for the Eastern Shore Birding & Wildlife Festival, but things could always change. In the mean time, areas that have both thick cover, and available freshwater like Redwing Park, Stumpy Lake, First Landing State Park and any neighborhood ponds & parks are great places to check, while natural bottlenecks like Back Bay NWR also rank very highly for morning flights of mixed warbler flocks. Mornings tend to be a bit more active for these species, which spend their nights traveling long distances and then needing to re-fuel in the morning wherever they’ve stopped. In addition to the warblers, we ought to see our first of the wintering sparrows (Swamp, Savannah & White-throated) during early October. Of the other species that have expected fall arrival dates we have not yet logged our first Blue-winged Warbler & Chestnut-sided Warbler (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler & Tennessee Warbler (late August arrivals), American Bittern & Northern Pintail (early September arrivals), Gray-cheeked Thrush & Savannah Sparrow (mid-September arrivals), Orange-crowned Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-headed Vireo, Purple Finch, Winter Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Dark-eyed Junco & Ruddy Duck (late September arrivals) and Purple Sandpiper, White-throated Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brant, American Coot, American Pipit, Hermit Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Surf Scoter, Northern Gannet, American Woodcock, Bonaparte’s Gull, Horned Grebe & Swamp Sparrow (early October arrivals) in Virginia Beach yet this fall. 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, 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), Arctic Tern, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler (early September arrivals), Lincoln’s Sparrow, Golden Eagle, Western Tanager, Gray Kingbird, Cave Swallow, Eared Grebe & Bicknell’s Thrush (mid-September arrivals), Bewick’s Wren, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow & Lapland Longspur (late September arrivals) and Northern Goshawk, Yellow Rail, Eurasian Wigeon, Black-headed Gull, Brewer’s Blackbird, Ross’s Goose & Long-eared Owl (early October 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.

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 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-September 2016 (11th-20th)

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With most shorebird habitat having been flooded by the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine in early September, the number of bird sightings dropped considerably during this most recent period. Primarily dominated by southerly winds, songbird migration also seemed to grind to a halt after the first few days, and by the end of the period, we were again impacted by the remnants of a tropical storm, this one being Julia. As always though, some bird sightings did shine above the rest, and top birds during the mid-September period in Virginia Beach included our first-of-season BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO (a rarity here on the coast, even in fall when they are somewhat more expected). Additionally, we had early first-of-season arrivals of Swainson’s Thrush & Palm Warbler. Other (on-time) first-of-season arrivals included Sharp-shinned Hawk, Nashville Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler and even our first Sora. Magnolia Warblers were observed several times at different locales, and additional reports of Northern Waterthrush, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Peregrine Falcons continue to show that migration is still progressing. WEATHER: Temperatures continued to fall through mid-September and while we started off with mostly dry days, the period came to a close in the midst of one of the heaviest periods of precipitation seen in the region in recent memory. Overall, the mid-September period’s average daily high temperature dropped to 82.3 degrees F (-2.6 degrees from the early September period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 69.3 degrees F (-0.8 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-September period were 79.0 & 63.9 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at +3.3, and +5.4 degrees when comparing to the averages. Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 84.2 (2015) & 67.4 degrees F (2008), which puts the current period as the highest in terms of average daily low temperatures since at least 2005. While we had only two days with precipitation (at Oceana NAS that is), rainfall amounted to a whopping 4.72 inches, with 3.55 inches falling on 20 Sep alone. Due to the stalling of Tropical Storm Julia’s remnants to our south, the period came to a close with a great deal more rain in the forecast for the next couple of days, but that will be discussed more in the next entry (also check this posting on Weather Underground!)

OBSERVATIONS:  With heavy rain totals amounting from Tropical Storm Hermine as it passed by us on 3-4 September, prime shorebird habitat found at Back Bay NWR was temporarily ‘ruined’ by high water. Shorebirds will use beaches, mudflats, and fields with slight amounts of water ponding on them, but when the water gets to be too high, they will seek out feeding grounds elsewhere. Due to this, shorebird reports during mid-September plummeted from the previous period. Songbird migration was also hindered considerably by dominating southerly winds throughout most of the period, which halts their southbound movement as they funnel down the Eastern Shore towards Wise Point, and then stops them dead in their tracks before they can attempt a crossing of the Chesapeake Bay mouth to reach us here on the southern shore of the bay. With these conditions persisting, it was all the more amazing that a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was sighted at Back Bay NWR (Robert Ake & David Hughes). Interestingly, the description in Robert Ake’s eBird report notes that this was “Only my third record in 47 years at Back Bay.” The last of this species to be observed in Virginia Beach also occurred at Back Bay this spring, on 12 May (Karen & Tom Beatty), but sightings prior to the last year or two are very sparse in eBird, perhaps because many local experts have yet to input historical checklists but more likely that the species just isn’t observed annually here. At the very beginning of the period, Andrew Baldelli & Will McPhail happened upon a nice mixed group of warblers behind Bayville’s branch of Taste Unlimited (one of my favorite lunch spots). Included in the group was an early first-of-season Swainson’s Thrush, and also first-of-season Nashville Warbler, Hooded Warbler and Wilson’s Warbler, as well as Magnolia Warbler, American Redstarts and Common Yellowthroats which all helped to make this the most diverse warbler checklist submitted so far since the spring season. While all these warblers are annual transients in the spring & fall through Virginia Beach, Wilson’s and Hooded Warblers are usually only reported once or twice a season, making them highly sought after, even though they aren’t considered to be true rarities since they are expected to pass through annually at least in low numbers. Another first-of-season warbler, and several days early as well, Mary Catherine Miguez was able to photograph a lovely Palm Warbler (Western race) at Pleasure House Point on 12 Sep (average expected arrival date is 15 Sep here). We had a new raptor arrival this period also, being a Sharp-shinned Hawk that was observed at Pleasure House Point (11 Sep / Andrew Baldelli & Will McPhail and also Gerco Hoogeweg & Phil Kenny). That leaves Broad-winged Hawk as our last expected raptor for which we have no fall sightings yet. While their migration is certainly ramping up, they typically migrate inland and aren’t picked up here very often, though they’re seen fairly frequently up at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch on the Eastern Shore. Our final first-of-season observation for the period was that of a Sora at Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area’s Whitehurst Tract (15 Sep / Stephen Living). This park was a good spot to find Sora throughout the spring season as well, and it seems that they’re now starting to return to their wintering grounds around Back Bay and its freshwater tributaries. For those individuals starting to get hopeful for waterfowl migration, a group of ~100 Green-winged Teal was observed at Back Bay NWR (15 Sep / Robert Ake & David Hughes), making this the first actual flock of non-summering waterfowl within Virginia Beach so far this fall. As October approaches, we’ll start to see more on that front as well. Often times in these postings, it is easy to pick up on new arrivals to the area, but it is considerably harder to notice when a species is no longer being reported. During this period though it seems as if we might have seen the last of our Mississippi Kites for the season, with the last submitted report falling on 15 Sep (Thoroughgood / Lee Adams). It is possible that there are other observations not yet submitted, but this seems right for their southbound departure with at least one individual having fledged from the primary nest in that neighborhood this summer. Tracy Tate is the resident expert on the Mississippi Kite family that has nested here for three seasons now, so if she adds any additional content to eBird, I’ll be sure to discuss it in next period’s entry. As with last period, Brian Patteson’s Seabirding vessel, the Storm Petrel II, again took a full group out of Lynnhaven Inlet, this time on 18 Sep to Norfolk Canyon for a day of pelagic seabirding. Though the notable species found on the trip all occurred in Northampton County (despite most people’s eBird reports being plotted inaccurately in Virginia Beach waters) per eBird’s Closest Point of Land protocol, it warrants mention here since the trips depart from Virginia Beach and roughly one hour at each end of the trip does occur within Virginia Beach waters. This particular outing was able to turn up the following species of interest: CORY’S SHEARWATER, GREAT SHEARWATER, AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, RED PHALAROPE & BRIDLED TERN (written by Kate Sutherland / ph. Dave Shoch & Kate Sutherland). I’ve included photographs from this outing in the slideshow above, partly because I didn’t actually take any photographs during this period in Virginia Beach, and partly because they’re all very interesting species that do occur in our offshore waters as well. Though this was the last trip out of Lynnhaven Inlet for the fall season, make sure to check out the schedules for upcoming seasonal trips on the Seabirding.com website if you have a desire to see these & other pelagic species. Last year, trips were offered here in December and January, so it is worth your time to check the site frequently prior to those months.

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA and submitted to eBird for Virginia Beach during this period included: 11 SEP – Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Bald Eagle, Clapper Rail, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Grosbeak & Boat-tailed Grackle (Pleasure House Point NA / Phil Kenny); Great Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Osprey, Clapper Rail, Royal Tern, Belted Kingfisher & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Gerco Hoogeweg). 12 SEP – Carolina Chickadee, Ovenbird & Black-and-white Warbler (First Landing SP / Mary Catherine Miguez); Palm Warbler (Pleasure House Point NA / Mary Catherine Miguez). 16 SEP – Eurasian Collared-Dove (Sandpiper Rd. / Gerry Hawkins); Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull & Great Black-backed Gull (Back Bay NWR / Gerry Hawkins); Willet (Rudee Inlet / Gerry Hawkins). 17 SEP – Cooper’s Hawk & Red-tailed Hawk (West Neck Creek NA / Mary Catherine Miguez). 18 SEP – Lesser Black-backed Gull (Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty). 19 SEP – Caspian Tern & Sandwich Tern (First Landing SP / Andrew Baldelli); Red-breasted Nuthatch (First Landing SP / Mary Catherine Miguez). 20 SEP – Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird & Chipping Sparrow (Bow Creek Rec Center / David Clark); Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Carolina Wren & Northern Cardinal (Glenmore Hunt Tr. / Karen & Tom Beatty).

LOOKAHEAD: Given the recent rains, that at times seemed never-ending, shorebird habitat is going to be tough to come across. Agricultural fields and beaches will likely be the best places to search for these species. Songbird migration should continue to pick up steadily, and any morning following a night of northerly or northeasterly winds could provide scores of warblers moving through pockets of forested areas. Areas that have both thick cover, and available freshwater like Redwing Park, Stumpy Lake, First Landing State Park and any neighborhood ponds & parks are great places to check, while natural bottlenecks like Back Bay NWR also rank very highly for morning flights of mixed warbler flocks. Of the species that have expected fall arrival dates we have not yet logged our first Canada Warbler, Blue-winged Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler & Black-throated Blue Warbler (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler, Veery, Black-throated Green Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler & Cape May Warbler (late August arrivals), Nelson’s Sparrow, American Bittern, Broad-winged Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, American Wigeon & Northern Pintail (early September arrivals), Blackpoll Warbler, Gray-cheeked Thrush & Savannah Sparrow (mid-September arrivals) and Brown Creeper, Orange-crowned Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Purple Finch, Winter Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Dark-eyed Junco & Ruddy Duck (late September arrivals) in Virginia Beach yet this fall. 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, 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), Arctic Tern, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler (early September arrivals), Lincoln’s Sparrow, Golden Eagle, Western Tanager, Gray Kingbird, Cave Swallow, Eared Grebe & Bicknell’s Thrush (mid-September arrivals) and Bewick’s Wren, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow & Lapland Longspur (late 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.

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 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 September 2016 (1st-10th)

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While the momentum of shorebird migration held firm, and songbird migration showed further signs of ramping up, the front-page-worthy headline for early September is most certainly the fallout of “storm birds” due to Tropical Storm Hermine’s passage through our region. Top birds during the early September period in Virginia Beach included our first-ever report of WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD; first of year reports of BLACK-CAPPED PETREL, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, POMARINE JAEGER, SOOTY TERN, BRIDLED TERN & ROSEATE TERN; first of season reports of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Waterthrush & Magnolia Warbler; continuing reports of our first-ever eBirded BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER(S); continuing early reports of Gadwall, Green-winged Teal and Wilson’s Snipe; some atypical inland records of storm-pushed Whimbrel & Black Terns; a few other tough to find species like Red Knot & White-rumped Sandpiper; and high counts of migrating Common Nighthawks, Eastern Kingbirds & Baltimore Orioles. WEATHER: Temperatures continued to fall this period, and we have finally reached near-average levels. Overall, the early September period’s average daily high temperature dropped to 84.9 degrees F (-4.8 degrees from the late August period); the average daytime lows also dropped to 70.1 degrees F (-3.6 degrees). The previous 10-year average daily highs & lows for the mid-August period were 83.9 & 68.4 degrees F, respectively which puts this period in 2016 at +1.0, and +1.7 degrees when comparing to the averages. Also during the previous 10-year period, the maximum average daily highs & lows were 90.2 & 75.1 degrees F (2015), which means for the first time in a while, we didn’t set a new high mark. We had 4 days with measureable precipitation, amounting to 4.26 inches, though 3.42 inches were associated with the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine on 3 Sep. The storm actually began impacting on our weather on 2 Sep, and carried over to 4 Sep though. These effects ranged from heavy downpours to strong winds (a 51 mph gust was recorded at Oceana), both of which helped produce an impressive storm tide along our coast. A maximum elevation of 6.136 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW, the average of every day’s two low tide elevation over the current tidal epoch) was registered at NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel gauge. More information about the storm is woven into the observations below.

OBSERVATIONS (PART I):  Since observations were greatly influenced this period by the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine, this section is going to be broken up to first discuss those storm-related observations, then afterwards, the observations that occurred more or less outside of the immediate impacts of the storm. So here we go… During the evening hours of Friday, 2 Sep, winds from Tropical Storm Hermine began affecting the area, and rain slowly moved in around 7 PM. With the storm almost immediately south of us by early Saturday (3 Sep) morning, and moving rapidly to the northeast towards Hatteras, NC, the very strong counter-clockwise, onshore winds (45-50 mph) began pushing species of birds not typically found near land into the Chesapeake Bay. With expectations of the event running high thanks in large-part to conversations posted on Facebook (Edward Brinkley), many observers were set up at dawn on the first island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT), the only of the four islands open to the public, in the hopes of spotting movements of these birds. Through the early morning hours, no unusual birds were detected, though the crossing of a single Common Nighthawk (obs. Nicholas Newberry, ph. Arun Bose) made for an interesting daytime sighting. By late morning however, pelagic species began being sighted moving through the channel between islands one & two (Arun Bose / Cheryl J Jacobson), and thanks to Arun’s efforts in getting the word out via text messages, many individuals (up to around 20 present at times) were able to arrive at the island and view some great species throughout the afternoon and into the evening hours. Among the incredible sightings brought to us by Tropical Storm Hermine’s winds were WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD (many obs., specific identification made by Bob Anderson), a first county record for Virginia Beach;  BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (many obs., ph. James Fox), the earliest known record for this rare wintering species in Virginia; BLACK-CAPPED PETREL (many obs., ph. Ron Furnish), SOOTY TERN (many obs., ph. Rob Bielawski), and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Edward Brinkley), all first-of-year finds in Virginia Beach; a Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (obs. James Fox, ph. Rob Bielawski); and lastly, Black Terns and several JAEGERS that could not be documented to the species-level. Most of the birds were moving from the ocean side (east) into the Chesapeake Bay (west) along with the direction of the winds. The exception being the Black-capped Petrels, which were mainly heading out of the bay into the ocean. Because the primary movement throughout Saturday (3 Sep) was into the bay, on Sunday (4 Sep), individuals returning to the ocean were picked up in the early morning hours. Around 7:15 AM, Andrew Baldelli spotted a POMARINE JAEGER as well as several Wilson’s Storm-Petrels moving out of the bay, with additional SOOTY TERNS shortly after at 7:29 AM. Around 8 AM, a BRIDLED TERN was spotted by David Clark, making this the first record for this species in Virginia Beach since 1996 (associated with Hurricane Bertha)! During the mid-morning, a single Northern Waterthrush was observed on the west side of the island (Arun Bose) making it a first for the fall season here in Virginia Beach, and shortly after a group of 5 Black Terns (Rob Bielawski) was observed moving north across the channel towards Island two. By late morning, the movement appeared to be complete, but one final bird made for excitement when a jaeger (a strong candidate for LONG-TAILED JAEGER, but unable to be confirmed) was viewed moving out of the bay on the far side of the channel. Away from the CBBT, “storm birds” were also observed at several other locations. Most notable was a ROSEATE TERN (a first for the year here) observed at Dam Neck Naval Annex (3 Sep / Karen & Tom Beatty). Additionally, SOOTY TERNS were found along the Atlantic coastline at Dam Neck Naval Annex (Karen & Tom Beatty) on the morning of 4 Sep; Black Terns were observed 3 Sep grounded on a horse pasture on Drum Point Rd. (1, Rob Bielawski); at Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract (1, Rob Bielawski) along with 3 Whimbrel; hovering over a flooded lawn on Fitztown Road (2, Rob Bielawski); over Lake Windsor (2, the most inland sighting for Virginia Beach / Lisa Rose); and over Lake Tecumseh (3, Karen & Tom Beatty). Sightings continued 4 Sep, with up to 10 Black Terns seen over Lake Tecumseh (Karen & Tom Beatty) and another 8 photographed there by Mary Catherine Miguez; as many as 4 were observed (Susan Remmie & Kathy Spencer) at Back Bay NWR with an individual sighted also by Baxter Beamer. Surely, the impacts of Tropical Storm Hermine will be long-remembered by the many birders who ventured outdoors, and were treated to these incredible sightings!

OBSERVATIONS (PART II): Of course, there were a great many sightings that could be considered (at least somewhat) unrelated to Hermine’s passage, so now we’ll dive into round two of this period’s report. Our rarest non-storm-bird occurrence of the period was the contining BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER first observed 25 Aug by Robert Ake at Back Bay NWR. Though it persisted only through 1 Sep before it (and its counterpart that arrived 28 Aug) disappeared from the area, this is another bird that will stick with our memories as the first of its kind logged in Virginia Beach to eBird. With many birders pursuing this rarity, a plethora of other observations popped up that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Early reports of Wilson’s Snipe (2-3 Sep / many obs. / ph. Kim Harrell), Gadwall and Green-winged Teal (2 Sep / Karen & Tom Beatty) continued early on, though the latter portion of the period is now within their expected timeframe so these were just a tad on the early side. A Red Knot (2 Sep / obs. Jason Schatti / ph. Karen & Tom Beatty) was present near the parking area during the morning hours, and was replaced by a second-of-season White-rumped Sandpiper (obs. Rob Bielawski / ph. Kim Harrell) in the evening hours.  On the nearby beach, a first-of-season Peregrine Falcon (Rob Bielawski) was seen speeding southward over the dune line, aided considerably by the strong northerly winds moving towards the low-pressure center of TS Hermine. In addition to the Peregrine, a second species of falcon made its first debut of the fall in Virginia when a slightly-early Merlin (4 Sep / Back Bay NWR / Michelle Payne & Lisa Rose) was photographed in a tree. To further add to Back Bay NWR’s presence this period, a first-of-season (and as with the Merlin, slightly early) Red-breasted Nuthatch (Baxter Beamer) was observed in flight over the East Dike. Red-breasted Nuthatches have been observed several times now at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch Site on the Eastern Shore, perhaps hinting at an irruptive winter for this species? During a park-sponsored impoundment survey, Robert Ake logged our first Magnolia Warbler of the fall (6 Sep), a species we don’t typically see too many of during their transience of the region. Numbers of some migratory species rose to considerable counts this period. These included 20 Baltimore Orioles (5 Sep / Back Bay NWR / David Clark), 18 Eastern Kingbirds (6 Sep / Back Bay NWR / Robert Ake), and 20 Common Nighthawks (6 Sep / Davenport Ln. / Tommy Maloney), followed by another showing of 13 Common Nighthawks (9 Sep / Glenmore Hunt Tr. / Karen & Tom Beatty). Lastly, Brian Patteson’s sea-worthy vessel, the Storm Petrel II, took a full group out of Lynnhaven Inlet 10 Sep to Norfolk Canyon for a day of pelagic seabirding. Though the notable species found on the trip all occurred in Northampton County (per eBird’s Closest Point of Land protocol) it warrants mention here since the trips depart from Virginia Beach. This trip was able to turn up the following species: BLACK-CAPPED PETREL, CORY’S SHEARWATER, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, RED PHALAROPE & LONG-TAILED JAEGER (many obs. / ph. Matt Anthony). Though the last trip of the fall season on 17 Sep is already full, make sure to check out the schedules for upcoming seasonal trips on the Seabirding.com website if you have a desire to see these & other pelagic species!

SPECIES DOCUMENTED BY MEDIA submitted to eBird for Virginia Beach during this period included: 1 SEP – BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow Warbler & Prairie Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez); Glossy Ibis, Sanderling, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, Willet, Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern, Royal Tern & Yellow Warbler (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty). 2 SEP – Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Red Knot, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper & Western Sandpiper (Back Bay NWR / Karen & Tom Beatty); Great Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Osprey, Laughing Gull, Belted Kingfisher & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Matthew Echaniz); Glossy Ibis, Semipalmated Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe & Black Skimmer (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski); White-rumped Sandpiper & Wilson’s Snipe (Back Bay NWR / Kim Harrell). 3 SEP – Great Black-backed Gull & Royal Tern (South Thimble Island / Rob Bielawski); SOOTY TERN & Common Nighthawk (South Thimble Island / Arun Bose); Black Tern (Drum Point Rd. / Rob Bielawski); Black Tern (Fitztown Rd. / Rob Bielawski); Black Tern (Lake Windsor / Lisa Rose); Whimbrel & Black Tern (Princess Anne WMA / Rob Bielawski); Semipalmated Plover & Sanderling (Dam Neck NA / Karen & Tom Beatty); BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE & SOOTY TERN (South Thimble Island / Jason Strickland); BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (South Thimble Island / James Fox); Pectoral Sandpiper, Caspian Tern & Sandwich Tern (Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty); BLACK-CAPPED PETREL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE & SOOTY TERN (South Thimble Island / Ron Furnish); Wilson’s Storm-Petrel & SOOTY TERN (South Thimble Island / Rob Bielawski); SOOTY TERN (South Thimble Island / Ernie Miller); Little Blue Heron (Bayville Farms Park / Lisa Rose); Pied-billed Grebe, Black Tern & Black Skimmer (Dam Neck NA / Karen & Tom Beatty). 4 SEP – Royal Tern & Merlin (Back Bay NWR / Lisa Rose); Osprey, American Oystercatcher, Laughing Gull, Herring Gull, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Common Tern & Sandwich Tern (South Thimble Island / Rob Bielawski); Wood Duck, Cooper’s Hawk, Black Tern, Forster’s Tern & Royal Tern (Dam Neck NA / Mary Catherine Miguez); Caspian Tern, Black Tern & Royal Tern (Dam Neck NA / Karen & Tom Beatty); Black Tern (Back Bay NWR / Susan Remmie); Cattle Egret (Princess Anne Rd. / Karen & Tom Beatty). 7 SEP – Green Heron, Solitary Sandpiper & Blue Grosbeak (Pleasure House Point NA / Rob Bielawski). 9 SEP – Lesser Black-backed Gull, Forster’s Tern & Royal Tern (Camp Pendleton / Karen & Tom Beatty); Osprey, Willet, Laughing Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern & House Sparrow (Camp Pendleton / Mary Catherine Miguez); Sanderling, Least Sandpiper & Spotted Sandpiper (Fort Story / Karen & Tom Beatty); Common Nighthawk (Lago Mar / Mary Catherine Miguez); Common Nighthawk (Glenmore Hunt Tr. / Karen & Tom Beatty). 10 SEP – Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler & Baltimore Oriole (Back Bay NWR / Rob Bielawski); Tricolored Heron, Osprey, Black-bellied Plover, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper & White-eyed Vireo (Back Bay NWR / Mary Catherine Miguez); Black-bellied Plover, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Willet, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull & Forster’s Tern (Back Bay NWR / David Clark); Great Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-billed Cuckoo & Eastern Wood-Pewee (Stumpy Lake NA / Rob Bielawski).

LOOKAHEAD: Shorebird migration seems to be about maxed out, and is likely to begin slowly tapering down, but as with the previous period, beaches and mudflats are important to check at low tide (Back Bay NWR, Pleasure House Point NA), and agricultural areas at high tide (southern Virginia Beach). Songbird migration should pick up steadily through mid-September, likely peaking around the first week of October if last year is an indicator (though the weather always plays a role). Pockets of forested areas will become havens for southbound warblers, providing a stopping point to refuel after many have taken the forced crossing of the Chesapeake Bay mouth from the Eastern Shore. Areas that have both thick cover, and available freshwater like Redwing Park, Stumpy Lake, First Landing State Park and any neighborhood ponds & parks are great places to check, while natural bottlenecks like Back Bay NWR also rank very highly for morning flights of mixed warbler flocks.

Of the species that have expected fall arrival dates we have not yet logged our first Canada Warbler, Blue-winged Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler & Sora (mid-August arrivals), Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Veery, Black-throated Green Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler & Cape May Warbler (late August arrivals), Nelson’s Sparrow, Nashville Warbler, American Bittern, Broad-winged Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, & Sharp-shinned Hawk (early September arrivals) and Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush & Savannah Sparrow (mid-September arrivals)  in Virginia Beach yet this fall. 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, 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), Arctic Tern, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Clay-colored Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler (early September arrivals) and Lincoln’s Sparrow, Golden Eagle, Western Tanager, Gray Kingbird, Cave Swallow, Eared Grebe & Bicknell’s Thrush (mid-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.

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 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!