Field Trip Report: Virginia Beach/Eastern Shore Weekend
Birding at Pleasure House Point trail. Photo by Lee Adams.
December 2-4, 2022
Lee Adams, VSO Field Trips Co-chair
Thirty-five people signed up for the VSO Virginia Beach and Eastern Shore weekend, held December 2-4, 2022. Friday morning was sunny and mild as we birded at Pleasure House Point Natural Area. Bufflehead and Hooded Mergansers were spotted on the first pond. A Clapper Rail skulked along the far bank. Throughout the two-hour visit, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Snowy Egrets fed in the marsh. A Brown-headed Nuthatch explored a hole in a snag while an Osprey flew overhead.
Later at the Great Marsh Trail of Mackay Island NWR, over the state line in North Carolina, we walked around the pond and then to the Charles Kuralt observation deck to view Tundra Swans, a Snow Goose, and Gadwall, Northern Shovelers and American Black Ducks.
On Saturday morning we met at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel welcome center and did a quick visit to Ramp Road at the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR. At Kiptopeke State Park fishing pier we found Common Loons, Surf and Black Scoters and a Horned Grebe. The concrete ships were covered with roosting Brown Pelicans.
With rain about to overtake us, we headed to Willis Wharf. After five minutes in the wind and rain on the Willis Wharf observation deck someone said that hot oyster stew at the Island House in Wachapreague sounded just right. The stampede was on. The shelter from the rain, beautiful view, and wonderful, warming food were only topped by getting to chat with fun people.
At Chincoteague NWR there was just enough daylight to drive the Wildlife Loop and get a quick
glimpse of the ocean before hurrying to our lodging hoping to miss the Christmas parade traffic snarls.
A Merlin was a highlight on the wildlife loop while a big flock of Dunlin and Willets and a squadron of tightly packed Forster’s Terns zooming by capped the view near the beach.
Sunday morning we headed to the ocean from Tom’s Cove. We finally saw a flock of Snow Geese, maybe 500 of them! Mid-morning we walked at Island Nature Trail. Saxis Wildlife Management Area was the final destination, where some of us saw four Fox Sparrows. Sixty-six species were counted for the weekend.
