Field Trip Report: Outer Banks 2023

Photos, clockwise from top left: American Kestrel- Alan Mitchnick, Double-crested Cormorants above Bridge-Doug Pfeiffer, Barred Owl - Jan Kool, Razorbill - Kathy Richardson

Thumbnail Photo: Tricolored Heron - Phil Lehman

Meredith Bell, VSO Field Trip Co-Chair

Despite weather challenges on Friday (windy) and Saturday (cold), the VSO field trip to the Outer Banks February 3-5, 2023, was a great success. We found a total of 143 species over the weekend.

Bill Akers and Jerry Via weren’t able to join us due to testing positive for Covid. They were missed by all! Many thanks to these individuals who led their trips Saturday morning: Bob Ake, Shirley Devan, Mary Foster, Doug & Sally Pfeiffer, and Mike Schultz. Thanks also to Lee Adams and Pete Peterman, who served as excellent leaders for the two groups at Lake Mattamuskeet.

All participants expressed appreciation for Jerry Via, who spent many hours preparing a fabulous presentation for our pre-trip Zoom call. All the tips he gave us for identifying species when perched and in flight were valuable references over the weekend.

Highlights included:

-        Manx Shearwater (seen and photographed by one participant) on Jennette’s Pier
-        Short-eared Owl and Barred Owl at Alligator River NWR and Great-horned Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl at Bodie Lighthouse
-        Anhinga, Black & White Warbler and Fox Sparrow at Lake Mattamuskeet
-        Red-breasted Nuthatch, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren and Sedge Wren at Bodie Lighthouse
-        Ash-throated Flycatcher (in 3 locations) at Alligator River NWR
-        Common Gallinule at Pea Island Visitor Center
-        Razorbills up close at Jennette’s Pier

 We’ve already booked the Comfort Inn South Nags Head for February 2-4, 2024. Mark your calendar now, and plan to join us.

 Check the next issue of the VSO newsletter and website for details about the June 2-4, 2023, VSO summer field in Gloucester County, where we’ll get to explore the new Machicomoco State Park.

 Complete list of 142 species from the Outer Banks weekend follows.

Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan

Tundra Swans - Kathy Richardson

Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail

Northern Pintails - Kimberly Griffin

Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Northern Bobwhite
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Virginia Rail
Common Gallinule
American Coot
American Avocet
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone - Doug Pfeiffer

Sanderling
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
American Woodcock
Wilson's Snipe
Lesser Yellowlegs
Willet
Greater Yellowlegs
Razorbill
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Jan Kool

Great Black-backed Gull
Forster’s Tern
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwaters - Kathy Richardson

Northern Gannet
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican

American White Pelican - Catherine Johnson

Brown Pelican
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron - Will Frye

Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Great-horned Owl
Barred Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin

Peregrine Falcon
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler - Ashley Lohr

Common Yellowthroat
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal