The 117th CBC in Virginia-Washington D.C.

The Virginia-Washington D.C. Christmas Bird Count season saw quite a few changes this year. For the first time since 2008, a new count was added and there were changes of compilers on several counts. In all, 49 counts were conducted in the region, the most ever in one year.

The newly formed Northumberland-Lancaster CBC, organized and compiled by Jeff Wright, is focused on the eastern ends of Northumberland and Lancaster counties that lie between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers bordering the Chesapeake Bay. The circle incorporates a variety of the farmland, forest, wetlands, and waters of the two counties. The nearby Walkerton count to the southwest of this new circle, and Washington’s Birthplace count to the north, complement the coverage of Virginia’s mid-eastern section of the state known as The Northern Neck.

This year, overall weather conditions were rather harsh on many count days. Thirty counts experienced light to very heavy rain. High winds were also a significant factor, especially for counts that bordered on Chesapeake Bay or were fairly close to it. Nassawaddox birders suffered extremely unfortunate weather conditions. Gale-force winds precluded the boat party from conducting its usual water census. Since the count area is about two-thirds water, this is a great disadvantage when weather doesn’t allow boat observation. This situation has occurred almost every one of Nassawaddox’s 11-year existence.

The Buchanan County effort was greatly hampered by freezing rain, heavy fog, and snow, preventing all but two birders from covering any part of the count circle. Augusta County birders were another group that encountered great difficulties with the weather, preventing much observation in the field. Fog and poor visibility were also an annoying factors for several counts in the eastern sections along with poor lighting conditions which made field identification very tricky in some situations.

This year there was a quite a few new or substituting compilers submitting reports. They were George Armistead, replacing Harry Armistead at Cape Charles; Nick Flanders replacing Paul Sykes at Little Creek; Laura Mae replacing Don Schwab at Dismal Swamp N.W.R.; Jim Corliss replacing Bill Williams at Williamsburg; and Sue Gavin replacing Perri Rothemich at The Plains. Four substitute compilers were Phil Silas for Kurt Gaskill at Fort Belvoir; George Barlow for Tom Wieboldt at Big Flat Mountain; Donna Finnegan for Michael Boatwright at Lake Anna; and William Boeh for Nancy Gruttman-Tyler at Newport News.

The number of feeder watchers at Williamsburg swelled to 66 this year, the highest number ever recorded on any one count in the region. During the 1980s and 1990s, Blacksburg occasionally had as many as 20 to 30 feeder watchers, but the 66 at Williamsburg this year tops them all.

More and more birders are taking their smart phones into the field as they conduct their counts and in many instances they have succeeded in getting photographs good enough to identify and verify unusual species or situations. Even though some shots are quite vague, enlarging and enhancing a photo can often help to determine the true identity of the bird in question. Some reports are hard to believe, but seeing IS believing when a photo is right there for proof.

The total number of individual birds counted in the region this year was just under 915,000. That is about average, but what was above average was the total number of species, 222 in all. Most years that total usually falls between 210 and 217. Some very unusual sightings that helped swell that total number were: Western Grebe at Back Bay; Sandhill Cranes at Nokesville, Waynesboro, and Fincastle; Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cape Charles; Allen’s Hummingbird at Williamsburg; Red-cockaded Woodpecker at Dismal Swamp; Nashville Warblers at Cape Charles, Little Creek, and Hopewell; Chuck-will’s-widow at Little Creek; Ovenbird at Washington DC and Mathews; Yellow Warbler at Mathews; Trumpeter Swan and Dickcissel at Charlottesville; and an Indigo Bunting at Fincastle.

When a count has been ongoing for over 90 years, it’s mighty hard for birders to come up with new species or high counts, but on the Lexington count, one of the longest-running counts in Virginia, birders often succeed. This year was no exception. A new species (Ross’s Goose) and five all-time high counts marked this year’s efforts.

Roanoke birders also had some exceptionally good luck finding rarities, including Snow Geese which were new to that count and several other unusual species: Rough-legged Hawk (fourth record); Great Egret (second record); Bonaparte’s Gull (eighth record); and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (third record). This last species is a summer breeder in that area, but is rarely seen in the winter months.

In the waterfowl department, 14 Ross’s Geese (a region-wide record-high total) appeared on seven counts, with Hopewell observers finding six birds. Another one was present in Augusta County during count week. Cackling Geese also showed up in higher numbers, with 32 individuals in all.

A total of 170 Gadwalls that showed up on the Augusta County count more than doubled their previous high. The 4213 individuals at Fort Belvoir were a big jump from the previous high of 2793 set in 2008.

Two Eurasian Wigeon were present this year, one at Cape Charles and one at Nansemond River. This species has turned up quite regularly on both of those counts for the past several years. American Wigeon occur at Fincastle with some regularity, but a high count of 11 this year was unusual for there.

For the first time in 11 years, a Blue-winged Teal showed up in the Northern Shenandoah circle, and 11 birds appeared at Chincoteague, breaking the all-time record for there of nine birds, set in 1960 and again in 1970. The only other counts reporting Blue-wings were Back Bay with four, and Fort Belvoir with one.

Canvasback numbers picked up nicely with a total of 3188 after last year’s abysmal state total of just 782 birds. Fort Belvoir led the pack with more than 2300. Redheads were also low in numbers last year, but they, too, increased from 65 in 2015 to a respectable 718 this year. On the other hand, Ring-necked Ducks dropped to the lowest total in seven years.

Again, this year as last, a single Common Eider was spotted at Chincoteague. Three Harlequin Ducks were found at Cape Charles. For the first time since 1986, the total yearly count of Surf Scoters dropped below a thousand birds. Only twice (1971 and 1989) has this species reached 5-digit numbers All other years, from 1959 through to the present, average out to about 4500 birds per year. The White-winged Scoter does not show up in such lofty numbers. Chincoteague’s two individuals this year represent the lowest count of Wing-wings since 1963 when none were recorded. Black Scoter numbers were close to the yearly average of that species.

Long-tailed Ducks were scarce again this year with a regional total of only 65. Usually several hundred are present. Common Goldeneye numbers were up slightly this year with Nokesville reporting a record high of 13 and Washington’s Birthplace racking up 75. Six circles (The Plains, Warren, Gordonsville, Lynchburg, Augusta County, and Lexington) chalked up record numbers of Hooded Mergansers, establishing a new regional high of over 4000 individuals.

After last year’s unprecedented total of more than 23,000 Red-throated Loons streaming by the shores of Virginia, that species dropped back to expected levels in 2016. Most coastal count numbers were normal, but surprisingly, neither Nassawaddox nor Wachapreague birders found any at all.

Only five Soras were found in the region. Four were at Back Bay, and one showed up at Chincoteague, the first for there since 1976. Just one Common Gallinule was present this year, that at Cape Charles. The only count reporting a good number of American Coots (6724) was Fort Belvoir. This is another species that used to be abundant at Back Bay. Totals of 20,000 to 40,000 coots were not uncommon there up until 1975. Then things began to change and coot numbers have gradually dwindled to double digits in the past couple of years. This year is the first time coots have been completely absent at Back Bay since 2004.

Virginia seemed to be a “destination” for Sandhill Cranes in 2016. Seen on Virginia counts only a handful of times in the past, this year Sandhills showed up in the oddest places: Nokesville, Waynesboro, and Fincastle. All had one apiece, a new species for each of those counts. Count-week birds were seen at Gordonsville and Fort Belvoir.

Williamsburg observers found the only American White Pelican. For several years these birds were quite numerous, but seem to have vacated their usual haunt at Back Bay for two years. Of the eight circles reporting Brown Pelican, Newport News led with 208 birds, the second-highest total ever for there. Birders on the Northumberland-Lancaster count reported five. Single Green Herons were at Chincoteague, Northumberland-Lancaster, and Washington DC.

Black-crowned Night-Herons were scarcer than usual with a total of only 13 region-wide. Shenandoah N.P.-Luray had the highest number with six each; Waynesboro recorded one. Fort Belvoir also had one individual, the first for there since 2005. Numbers of wintering Black-crowned Night-Herons have plummeted to almost zero at Chincoteague over the past 20 years. The small ponds and sloughs that are their favorite haunts, have been obliterated, one by one, until there are few places to find them except on the refuge. Only one was found there this year. The three Yellow-crowned Night-Herons comprised the third CBC occurrence of that species for Roanoke.

For the sixth year in a row, massive flocks of White Ibis have been counted at Back Bay. The only other sighting this year was one at Cape Charles where they used to occur in greater numbers than anywhere else for about 15 years.

Whether it’s the same individual is not known, but for six of the last 17 seventeen years a Golden Eagle has shown up on the Walkerton count which lies about 18 miles northeast of metropolitan Richmond. Augusta County in the western part of Virginia, recorded the first sighting of this species in its 54-year history; another individual was at Glade Spring; Tazewell chalked up three birds for the second time, but as usual, Blackford led the pack with a total of seven Golden Eagles this year.

As is often the case, Calmes Neck was the only count where birders found a Northern Goshawk. There was a time in the 1990s when two to five goshawks appeared regularly Southside and Eastern Shore counts, but that phenomenon petered out around the beginning of the new century. None have been reported from any of those counts since 2002.

Nansemond River observers made a stunning find of 39 American Avocets at Craney Island. That is most ever found on any CBC in Virginia. One other avocet was at Chincoteague for that count’s 11^th record. From 1970 through 1976 this species was found there almost every year, but since then, it is rarely seen. Oystercatchers seemed to go from riches to rags at Nassawaddox. Just four individuals were hardly significant compared to last year’s record-breaking 1146 birds. Cape Charles established the second highest record of Black-bellied Plovers with 2536 present there. The all-time high was 2733, set in 1973.

Usually Willets show up mostly on the Eastern Shore counts, but this year 13 were found in Mathews County, a high count for there. Lesser Yellowlegs numbers were low. Only nine were spotted on three counts. That’s the lowest since 1983 when only eight were located. Cape Charles had all the Whimbrels, a total of seven. No other count recorded them, but that is often the case. Only rarely are they found elsewhere, usually at Nassawaddox or Wachapreague. Cape Charles also had another rarity, a Long-billed Curlew, only the third sighting since 1988.

It was a great year for Marbled Godwits with an all-time high total of 330. Nassawaddox, Chincoteague, and Cape Charles all had record highs. Caught just at the moment when the tides are at their lowest, it is quite a sight to see great masses of these birds feeding and lounging on the mudflats of the Eastern Shore and the barrier islands.

The only Red Knots seen were 11 at Cape Charles. In 1970, Chincoteague birders recorded 520 individuals at Chincoteague. The average for most years is around 20, with great variation from year to year. From 2005 through 2010, however, this species was found in numbers sometimes reaching triple digits. After that numbers dramatically dropped back to single digits, so this group was an unexpected increase. Knots are usually found only on the Eastern Shore counts, but occasionally, Nansemond River, Newport News, and Mathews come up with a few.

The only jaeger found this year was a Parasitic at Back Bay. Two alcids at Cape Charles could not be identified as to species.

Bonaparte’s Gulls were much scarcer than usual with only 469 found in the region. Usually, there is a total of a thousand or more individuals. Black-headed Gulls have been showing up in the region quite regularly in the past several years. This year Chincoteague produced the lone record. Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared in record numbers with a total of 326. The previous all-time high count was 219 in 2013.

This year’s total of 64,000+ Ring-billed Gulls was the highest count since 2008. Icy conditions in the DC area caused the National Park Service to close Hains Point where two major gull roosts are located. That probably contributed to the lower-than-usual numbers of Laughing, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls. Lesser Black-backed and Glaucous gulls were documented in the DC count circle, but during count week only. The only other Glaucous Gull was a count-week bird at Fort Belvoir.

Forster’s Tern numbers overall were down somewhat, with only Chincoteague reporting a higher total than usual of 111individuals. As is fairly common, Little Creek was the only count reporting Black Skimmers.

Eurasian Collared-Doves continue to flourish. Three Southside/Eastern Shore counts reported a total of 16, Blacksburg observers found 14, Glade Spring six, and Rockingham County reported its second count record with a total of 14 there.

Warren birders found five Barn Owls, the most ever for that count. They have been appearing on there for five of the last six years. Fewer Eastern Screech-Owls were around. Only 153 were recorded, whereas in years past, between 200 and 400 have been common overall totals. Great Horned Owl numbers were also down. Even though a Snowy Owl hung around Chincoteague for a number of days and was seen frequently before and after count day, it simply wasn’t around on the day of the count. No other Snowy was found in the region. As is often the case, Northern Shenandoah Valley had the only Long-eared Owl. That same count added significantly to the Short-eared Owl total with seven birds. The Plains reported four, and Augusta County two, for a state total of 13, the most in the region since 2008.

A well-documented Chuck-will’s-widow observed at Little Creek by experienced birders was a big find. Only one other Virginia CBC record of this species has been verified. That was a single individual at Chincoteague in 1971. This sighting must be approved by VARCOM to be officially accepted as a winter record. As of this writing, that evaluation has not been completed.

Hummingbirds are still finding their way to Virginia during the early winter months. Cape Charles chalked up its second record of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird and observers saw one at Little Creek during count week. That’s the sixth time that a Ruby-throat has been in that count circle since 2006, either on count day or during count week. A Rufous Hummingbird was Nansemond River’s third record since 2000. The real rarity in the hummingbird department this year was an Allen’s Hummingbird in Williamsburg. It had been coming to the feeder for quite a while, but left shortly after count day. That is only the fourth Virginia record. The first was sighted in the Virginia sector of the Bristol, Tennessee count circle in 1997; the second record was an individual at a Cape Charles feeder in 2005; the third on the Hopewell count in 2010; and now the Williamsburg occurrence this year.

Very often Mathews County birders seem to have great luck spotting truly rare sightings for that section of Virginia. This year was no exception. Photographs of a Common Raven left no doubt that this species has been making a dramatic invasion into the eastern portions of Virginia, where it has been completely absent for decades. Common Ravens also put in an appearance on the Washington DC count for the third consecutive year.

The high numbers of Downy Woodpeckers on the northern Virginia counts appeared to drop back to more normal levels than they had maintained in that area over the past several years. The regional total was about average. Further south in the region, Williamsburg observers posted a record high of 121 Downy Woodpeckers. Pileated Woodpecker totals for the region dropped below one thousand birds for the first time in five years.                                                              

It was highly gratifying for Dismal Swamp birders to find two Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in their count circle. It raised hope that the newly established restocking program of this species may be working well. It has been a very long time since this species has been seen in the Swamp.

Merlins were very much in evidence this year, with 46 birds seen on 23 counts. Single individuals appeared at Waynesboro, Fincastle, Roanoke, Blacksburg, and Tazewell, The Merlin at Tazewell was a first for them. The highest count was seven at Cape Charles. Charlottesville racked up its first Peregrine Falcon this year.

After two years of rather low numbers around the region, Eastern Phoebe numbers bounced back to normal levels with a total of 351 individuals.

Only 13 Loggerhead Shrikes were found on three counts - Calmes Neck, Glade Spring, and Blackford. The one happy note is that Blackford birders found 11, an all-time high count for them. A first for Manassas-Bull Run was a Northern Shrike. A spectacular close-up photo of the bird was obtained.

Walkerton chalked up its third record of a White-eyed Vireo, while Dismal Swamp birders found two individuals. Nowhere in the region does it occur during the winter months with such regularity as in the Swamp. This was a good year for Blue-headed Vireos. Seven circles reporting a total of 12 birds. The most unusual occurrence was the one individual that appeared at Blacksburg, the first sighting there since 2000.

For the second year in a row Horned Lark numbers were low, especially in the Piedmont. Always unpredictable, Tree Swallows were quite scarce this year. Only 344 birds were recorded on four Eastern Shore and Southside counts.

There were a few more Black-capped Chickadees around this year, with a total of 56 found on 11 of the 21 Mountains and Valleys region counts. Red-breasted Nuthatches were missing on only four of the region’s 49 count circles. That is the best showing in five years. House Wren numbers were the highest since 2008. Record highs were recorded at Mathews, Hopewell, Walkerton, and Manassas-Bull Run. As usual, Back Bay birders found the most Sedge Wrens (10). This is another species whose presence becomes more precarious as time goes on. The only Blue-gray Gnatcatchers around were two at Hopewell. The only count that did not record Golden-crowned Kinglets was Wise County.

There was a surprising drop in European Starling numbers. Only 65,283 were recorded in the region. That is the lowest total since 1956 when only 27,000 or so were reported. Of course, there were fewer counts in those days. Every year since then, they usually have been found in the hundreds of thousands.

Usually Snow Buntings are found on the Eastern Shore counts but this year only Newport News and Nansemond River reported a total of 23 birds.

Ovenbirds seemed to stage a “mini invasion.” A jaunty little fellow put on quite a display for a video recorder on the Washington DC count; two individuals were seen at Dismal Swamp; and a bird at Mathews County was a first for there.

Black-and-white Warblers always manage to show up on a count somewhere every year and 2016 was no exception. Both Newport News and Little Creek each reported one individual. The number of Orange-crowned Warblers topped any previous records with a regional total of 44. That’s twice as many as seen in any previous CBC season. Little Creek and Back Bay had eight and seven birds, respectively, Hopewell also had seven. Seven other counts on the Coastal Plain recorded from one to five birds. For the last seven years aggregate totals of 13 to 44 individuals this species has appeared, the greatest concentration occurring mostly on counts in the southeastern section of Virginia. Fort Belvoir and Washington DC observers also find Orange-crowns occasionally, and both counts listed one apiece this year.

Even in the face of this “warbler invasion,” the most astonishing discovery was a Lucy’s Warbler at Cape Charles. Alas, it was found the day after that count, but nevertheless, an unprecedented record. It was photographed and has been accepted by the state records committee VARCOM.

Three Nashville Warblers were present in the region, one each at Cape Charles, Little Creek, and Hopewell. Charlottesville birders recorded its second occurrence of a Common Yellowthroat, the only one since 1984; yellowthroats at Nokesville and Central Loudon were also second records for those counts. The first Cape May Warbler seen on any Virginia count since 2000 was at Little Creek. Lastly, a Yellow Warbler was very cooperative when it visited a feeder on count day in Mathews County. It was the only one to appear on a Virginia CBC since one showed up at Manassas-Bull Run in 2008. Records show that a Yellow Warbler has been recorded on a Virginia count every eight to 12 years since 1978 when first one was found on the now defunct Clifton Forge count in Alleghany County.

The most Palm Warblers (132) showed up on 14 counts, three of which were identified as the western race at Chincoteague. Although there have been higher counts of this species in past years, this is the most seen since 2007. Another warbler species found in large numbers this year was Pine Warbler. The total of 237 was the most seen around the region since 2000. All were found on Coastal Plain counts with the exception of one at Banister River. Another rarity was a Yellow-throated Warbler at Williamsburg. A Yellow-breasted Chat appeared at Chincoteague for that count’s ninth record.

Yellow-rumped Warbler numbers region-wide were down by half this year with only 6773 recorded. Part of this drop might be attributed to changes in habitat at Chincoteague. It was difficult to reach areas where this species congregates in massive numbers in the shrubbery facing the ocean front on the refuge. Storms have drastically altered areas behind beaches in many areas and much habitat Yellow-rump’s brushy habitat has been wiped out.                

One Wilson's Warbler was present near Dyke Marsh along the George Washington Parkway south of Alexandria during much of November and December and birders on the Washington DC count were pleased to find it count day. It was the only one recorded in the region.

It has been quite a while since a Grasshopper Sparrow showed up on a Virginia CBC, so one that appeared at Nassawaddox was a nice surprise and a new species for that count. A Le Conte’s Sparrow during count week at Back Bay is the only one that’s been around since 2011. Twenty-four Nelson’s Sparrows on four counts was about average for that species. Cape Charles and Nansemond River were the only counts reporting Saltmarsh Sparrows.

American Tree Sparrow numbers keep dropping. Only 32 were found on all counts. That is the lowest regional total since 2011 and it is a far cry from the triple-digit figures racked up in the early 2000s. Two Clay-colored Sparrows were present, one at Back Bay, and one at Hopewell. A lone Lark Sparrow was at Back Bay, the only one discovered on a count since 2011.

A Vesper Sparrow at Gordonsville was the second record for there. The previous sighting was in 1983. The only Lincoln’s Sparrows around this year were one at Back Bay; one at Manassas-Bull Run constituted its second record; and one appeared for the second year in a row at Blackford.