Field Trip Report: VSO Winter Weekend 2024

Photo: Birders on Beach by Lee Adams

Thumbnail Photo: Back Bay by Lee Adams

Report by Lee Adams, Field Trips Co-chair

Fifteen people attended the VSO Winter Weekend, December 6-8. The weather was cold and windy but thankfully the sun shone. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge hosted Tundra Swans, Mallards, Gadwall and American Black Ducks. At Little Island Park Pier the first bird seen in the water was a White-winged Scoter. On Saturday morning ranger Lydia Hansen gave the group an overview of Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR. The new wildlife pond just outside the big windows in the visitor center was hopping with Purple Finch, Cedar Waxwing and Brown Thrasher to name a few. At Ramp Road the wind kept the birds down, but three Bald Eagles, Hooded Mergansers, a Greater Yellowlegs, Belted Kingfisher, Brown-headed Nuthatch and a Great Blue Heron were among those seen. At Kiptopeke State Park the concrete Liberty ship breakwater was covered with Double-crested Cormorants, Brown Pelicans and flocks of Rock Pigeons.Two Long-tailed Ducks, Black Scoters, Common Loons, Bufflehead, a Ruddy Duck and a probable White-winged Scoter that spent much of its time diving, were seen. The wind howling over the Chesapeake Bay was numbing so we set out separately toward Chincoteague or to head back to VA Beach. At the Chincoteague NWR Wildlife Loop Great Egrets, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, Tundra Swans with American Black Ducks, and one tiny male Green-winged Teal. Northern Harriers. And a skein of Snow Geese flying overhead! The VSO Winter trip wrapped up on Sunday morning at Tom’s Cove. Meeting at 7:30 a Bald Eagle, Bufflehead, Gadwall, American Wigeon, American Black Ducks , all were seen. At the beach multiple flocks of Snow Geese flew overhead and landed nearby. A Black-bellied Plover, Sanderling, Surf Scoter, and Great Black-backed Gulls were other highlights seen from the beach.