Late August 2018 (21st-31st)

/

Extremely unseasonal heat continued throughout the period, with triple digit heat indices becoming all too common. While no new rarities were observed during the late August period, we had a new occurrence for COMMON GALLINULE (ph. Reuben Rohn) at Back Bay NWR and continuing occurrences for the single MARBLED GODWIT at Back Bay NWR (many obs.) that has been present dating all the way back to 6 Aug (assuming it is the same individual), as wells as another report for what is likely the same AMERICAN AVOCET on the mudflats of Lynnhaven Bay on 23 Aug (obs. Andrew Baldelli) that was there to close out mid-August. Likely due to the heat and our lack of cold fronts here on the coast, first-of-season arrivals really didn’t get underway as expected. In fact, only four new species were logged, all within expected fall arrival dates, including: BALTIMORE ORIOLE at First Landing SP on 23 Aug (obs. Andrew Baldelli), BLUE-WINGED TEAL at Back Bay NWR on 24 Aug (obs. Robert Ake), the first flocks of BOBOLINKS at Back Bay NWR on 26 Aug (obs. David Clark and Andrew Baldelli), and also the first NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH that same day at the refuge (obs. Andrew Baldelli).

Marbled Godwit / Back Bay NWR

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

LOOKAHEAD: With regards to annually expected fall arrivals, as of the reporting period close date, we have not yet logged first arrivals for DUNLIN (30 Jul average expected arrival), YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER & WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (5 Aug), PEREGRINE FALCON (15 Aug), BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER & SORA (20 Aug), VEERY, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, WILSON’S WARBLER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL & WILSON’S SNIPE (25 Aug), BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER & GADWALL (30 Aug), NASHVILLE WARBLER & MERLIN (5 Sep) and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL & SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (10 Sep). If you observe one of these species before the date listed, please try to document the sighting as best as you can! Please also remember that every species’ expected fall arrival date can be viewed in table format by Clicking Here!

Next Entry | Next Year | Entry Index | Previous Year | Previous Entry

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

Mid-August 2018 (11th-20th)

/

During the mid-August period, new found rarities included an in-transit group of three MARBLED GODWITS at Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract on 12 Aug (ph. Rob Bielawski), a pair of DICKCISSELS at Marina Shores on 13 Aug (ph. Kathy Spencer), and our first AMERICAN AVOCET of the fall season on the mudflats of Lynnhaven Bay on 20 Aug (obs. Andrew Baldelli). Continuing rarities included the LARK SPARROW at Marina Shores on 15 Aug (ph. June McDaniels and later obs. Andrew Baldelli), at least one ANHINGA at Stumpy Lake NA on 17 Aug (ph. Reuben Rohn) and a MARBLED GODWIT that stayed throughout the period on the beach at Back Bay NWR (many obs.). Early first-of-season records occurred for AMERICAN BITTERN with the first report at Back Bay NWR on 15 Aug (obs. Robert Ake) and a second individual the following day, 16 Aug, over Lynnhaven Bay (ph. Andrew Baldelli). Additionally, a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER at Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract on 18 Aug (ph. Rob Bielawski) was slightly early, and we had an arrival within expected dates for NORTHERN HARRIER also at the park on 19 Aug (ph. Rob Bielawski). With large gaps since their first-of-season reports, we finally had second records for BLACK TERN at Back Bay NWR on 11 Aug (obs. Ander & Paul Buckley) as well as for BANK SWALLOW at both Back Bay NWR (obs. Rob Bielawski) and Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract (obs. Andrew Baldelli) on the same date.

Stilt Sandpipers / 18 Aug / Princess Anne WMA Whitehurst Tract

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

LOOKAHEAD: With regards to annually expected fall arrivals, as of the reporting period close date, we have not yet logged first arrivals for DUNLIN (30 Jul average expected arrival), YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH & WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (5 Aug), PEREGRINE FALCON & BALTIMORE ORIOLE (15 Aug), BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BOBOLINK, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER & SORA (20 Aug), VEERY, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, WILSON’S WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL & WILSON’S SNIPE (25 Aug) and BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, CAPE MAY WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER & GADWALL (30 Aug). If you observe one of these species before the date listed, please try to document the sighting as best as you can! Please also remember that every species’ expected fall arrival date can be viewed in table format by Clicking Here!

Next Entry | Next Year | Entry Index | Previous Year | Previous Entry

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

Early August 2018 (1st-10th)

/

During the early August period, observers in Virginia Beach tallied three new rarities including potentially up to three different ANHINGA at Stumpy Lake NA from 1 Aug (ph. Charlie Bruggemann) through the period’s end, a single MARBLED GODWIT at Back Bay NWR that lingered from 6 Aug (obs. David Hughes & Lauren Mowbray) also through the end of the period, and an adult LARK SPARROW at Marina Shores to close the period out on 10 Aug (ph. June McDaniels).  In addition to the rarities, we also saw early first-of-season arrivals for YELLOW WARBLER at Stumpy Lake NA on 1 Aug (ph. Charlie Bruggemann), followed by a second individual on 10 Aug at Marina Shores (ph. Rob Bielawski), SCARLET TANAGER at Stumpy Lake NA (obs. Doug Graham), BANK SWALLOW at Little Island Park on 2 Aug (obs. Andrew Baldelli & Tracy Tate), HOODED WARBLER in a Kempsville backyard on 8 Aug (ph. Una Davenhill), and an arrival within expected dates for COMMON NIGHTHAWK at Marina Shores on 10 Aug (obs. Andrew Baldelli). We also saw our second AMERICAN REDSTART report of the season after a bit of a lapse from the first in late July, with this individual found in a Hunt Club Forest backyard on 10 Aug (ph. Karen & Tom Beatty).

Lark Sparrow / 10 Jul / Marina Shores

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

LOOKAHEAD: With regards to annually expected fall arrivals, as of the reporting period close date, we have not yet logged first arrivals for DUNLIN (30 Jul average expected arrival), YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH & WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (5 Aug), NORTHERN HARRIER, PEREGRINE FALCON & BALTIMORE ORIOLE (15 Aug) and BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, WORM-EATING WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BOBOLINK, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER & SORA (20 Aug). If you observe one of these species before the date listed, please try to document the sighting as best as you can! Please also remember that every species’ expected fall arrival date can be viewed in table format by Clicking Here!

Next Entry | Next Year | Entry Index | Previous Year | Previous Entry

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

Late July 2018 (21st-31st)

/

During the late July reporting period, we saw a continuing rarity report for WHITE-EYED EASTERN TOWHEE at Back Bay NWR on 27 Jul (ph. Karen & Tom Beatty), as well as an early/unseasonal occurrence for AMERICAN REDSTART at a private residence in Hunt Club Forest on 28 Jul (ph. Karen & Tom Beatty). Other first-of-season arrivals included: WESTERN SANDPIPER at Back Bay NWR on 22 Jul (obs. June McDaniels), RUDDY TURNSTONE also at Back Bay NWR on 22 Jul (obs. Marlee Morris), STILT SANDPIPER in a flooded field north of Pleasant Ridge Road on 26 Jul (obs. Andrew Baldelli) and lastly, RED KNOT flying south past Back Bay NWR on 29 Jul (obs. Rob Bielawski).

Tricolored Heron / 29 Jul / Muddy Creek Rd.

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

LOOKAHEAD: With regards to annually expected fall arrivals, as of the reporting period close date, we have not yet logged first arrivals for DUNLIN (30 Jul average expected arrival), YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, YELLOW WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, AMERICAN REDSTART, SCARLET TANAGER & WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (5 Aug) and BANK SWALLOW (10 Aug). If you observe one of these species before the date listed, please try to document the sighting as best as you can! Please also remember that every species’ expected fall arrival date can be viewed in table format by Clicking Here!

Next Entry | Next Year | Entry Index | Previous Year | Previous Entry

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