Virginia

The winter 2013 VSO Virginia Beach weekend (December 6-8, 2013) started off on a summery note with temperatures rising close to 80F on the Pleasure House Point walk . Rexanne Bruno led the way pointing out birds and sharing some of the history of the area. Among the afternoon’s highlights were three Osprey at one time, a Bald Eagle being harassed by a Crow,  a Red-tailed Hawk, Sanderlings and Dunlin, and Clapper Rails calling in the marsh.

Many folks made their way to see the King Eider under the 14th Street pier in Virginia Beach after the Pleasure House Point walk. Fortunately it was a crowd pleaser giving a good show while foraging among the pilings near a flock of Bufflehead. Later some folks chose to meet for dinner at Dockside.

Wow, what a bunch of intrepid bird friends I have! Saturday morning we met at the CBBT security building & were checked in. The CBBT staff could not have been more accommodating. We divided into two groups and headed off to the the very, very windy & intermittently wet Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel islands. Thanks go to Russ Taylor for leading one group, & Rexanne for leading the other. We saw Black, Surf & White-winged Scoters, Common & Red-throated Loons, Long-tailed Ducks, Northern Gannets, Purple Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, a Great Cormorant, a Goldfinch, and a Harbor Seal!

When we finished the CBBT some of us zoomed off to Sting-Rays, near Cape Charles for lunch where we happened upon our fearless leader, Tony, for the Fisherman Island afternoon trip. At 1:30 we gathered at Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge visitor center, then drove out to the island for our walk. Turkey and Black Vultures, White Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons, American Wigeon, Black Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Flickers, American Kestrel, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Northern Harrier were seen and Clapper Rails were heard.

Sunday’s tram trip at Back Bay NWR was as wet and freezing as I’ve ever been while birding. Rain blew horizontally at times & the wind howled ALL OF THE TIME, and yet, we still had fun. Two Wilson’s Snipe posed in the open close to the tram. An American Bittern slowly stalked along the edge of a sheltered island in full view. In a beautiful wintry scene Tundra Swans, Canada Geese, and an assortment of ducks plied the waters of the coves and impoundments. Several flocks of Snow Geese flew over. Northern Harriers hunted & a Bald Eagle watched all. Thanks, yet again, to Rexanne Bruno for leading and to all who participated despite the uncooperative weather.

— Lee Adams

VSO at Pleasure House Point. © Lee Adams