Poplar Island 4/26/2017

[Tim Carney]

Yesterday was a great day at Poplar Island. The census found new high counts of Seaside Sparrow (12) and Marsh Wren (5) for the island, plus my personal site high count of Virginia Rail (17). I expect these numbers will continue to increase over time as more wetland cells come online.

The heron rookery was filled with the expected species and I also saw an adult Little Blue Heron mixed in.

There were two pairs of Common Gallinules (one each in Cells 1A and 3D) and I saw a Least Bittern out in the open in Cell 1A. Nesting was also recently confirmed for American Oystercatcher.

Lingering waterfowl included Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, and Red-breasted Merganser.

Shorebirds included most of the expected species plus a Sanderling and an early Stilt Sandpiper.

No Common Terns or Bank Swallows - yet. My coworker also recently reported a Black Rail, but after a thorough search of the area, I did not relocate it.

Full eBird list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36310483

Tim Carney
Nottingham, MD