Written evening of November 18, 2011 ***note: I didn't have computer access where I stayed so wrote each night and am posting all now
5:00 am, I admit it, I didn't want to wake up...but I knew what lay ahead and it propelled me. Dave Hogg of the Monticello Bird Club (which I'm part of) had a trip to the Chesepeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) Islands, and Chincoteague Virginia planned. On the special CBBT Islands which normally are not open to the public held 2 life birds and other birding fun. We met Dave Hogg and 7 other birders and were escorted to the islands by the police (since the islands are closed for security reasons). Arriving at the first stop ("Island number 2") we started looking. Ruddy Turnstone, Laughing/Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, all great but I was focused on life birds, year birds, birds that would bring me closer to 400 species for 2011. I found 3 shorebirds, a Sanderling, and a Dunlin but joined by a huge prize -- Purple Sandpiper, a life bird for me and number 371 for the year. While watching the Purple Sandpiper, Brenda Tekin yelled out Great Cormorant. I hauled fast the less than 50 yards to her; that would be another lifer for me! Sure enough, I got distant but ID-worthy looks of this number 372. We birded our way on 2 more of the CBBT Islands and then up the Eastern Shore. We saw no more year birds but saw a low hunting harrier, several Bald Eagles, a Merlin, and much else. We arrived to Chincoteague in time to see the Snow Geese put down for the night. I ended the day with 66 species including 2 lifers and 7 raptor species!
I'm now in the Blue Heron Motel, Chincoteague VA and tomorrow will bird around here and hopefully add a couple of more list birds...
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