Sep 26 2008
Chincoteague II: the Wash Flats & Hybrid Geese
Ned Brinkley, proud booster of his adopted hometown of Cape Charles (and author of the recent National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America), scans one of the storied sites of mid-Atlantic birding: the Wash Flats. A broad expanse of salty sand, mud, and low vegetation, the Wash Flats are famous among birders for a couple of reasons. One, they are traditionally one of the major shorebird stopover sites along the Eastern Seaboard; two, they are tantalizingly difficult to access, involving a 7-mile round trip walk from the visitor center, typically undertaken during the season of peak heat, humidity, and biting insect (and shorebird) abundance. We got to cheat, though…
As part of the birding festival, we were allowed to drive. Luxury! Here’s our group, enjoying nice looks at a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Wash Flats specialty. Ned, ever the contrarian, scans to the south. Speaking of contrarian, check out those bumper stickers!
A bit farther north, we encountered a flock of Canada Geese that included two unusual birds–smaller, with white heads and necks, and gray-pink bills. You can see them just to the left of Ned’s head.
They gave every indication of being Snow X Canada hybrids–click on the photo to see it larger. We then continued on to the north a short distance. On our return, there were two more odd geese in the flock. These were patterned more along the lines of classic “barnyard” goose X Canadas, though structurally they still looked good for SnowCans. I really do wonder what was going on with those geese.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any photos of this second pair, though I would have liked to. Sometimes, field trips don’t allow time for pursuits so arcane as the extended study of goose parentage. But it was great to get back to the Wash Flats. I hope you get the chance to go there, too.
Re the “Free Tibet” sign on the car…My husband and I just returned from Tibet yesterday.
The absolute highlight for me was when our group saw eight black necked cranes! It wasn’t a birding trip, so I was the only one truly excited. We’d missed them in Bhutan last year by about 10 days.
Seeing Lasha, the capital, filled with armed Chinese soldiers on every corner makes me think that a Free Tibet will be a long time coming.
Kay G
Hi Jeff,
It was great birding with you and Ned at Chincoteague. I saw three birds that were new for me in Virginia.. Here is a link to my photo gallery from the festival:
http://www.uberlarry.smugmug.com/gallery/6066007_2GaQS#380368384_UxKY7
Larry Meade
Hey Larry–
Great meeting you, too–the conversation in the car on the way up and back was nearly as much fun as the birding!
I got a photo of you that I think is nice–hope you like it.
Jeff
Jeff,
That is a really good picture, but it’s not of me. I was the Larry who you met on the August Lewes pelagic and who rode in the back seat of your car as we toured Chincoteague. Thanks again to you and Ned for a great day of birding!
Larry Meade