The Raven JOURNAL OF THE VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF ORNITHOLOGY Volume 78 Number 1 2007 The Virginia Society of Ornithology, Inc. exists to encourage the systematic study of birds in Virginia, to stimulate interest in birds, and to assist the conservation of wildlife and other natural resources. All persons interested in those objectives are welcome as members. Present membership includes every level of interest, from professional scientific ornithologists to enthusiastic amateurs. Activities undertaken by the Society include the following: 1. An annual meeting (usually in the spring), held in a different part of the state each year, featuring talks on ornithological subjects and field trips to nearby areas. 2. Other forays or field trips lasting a day or more and scheduled throughout the year so as to include all seasons and to cover the major physiographic regions of the state. 3. A journal, The Raven, published twice yearly, containing articles relevant to Virginia ornithology, as well as news of the activities of the Society and its chapters. 4. A newsletter, published quarterly, containing current news items of interest to members and information about upcoming events and pertinent conservation issues. 5. Study projects (nesting studies, winter bird population surveys, etc.) aimed at making genuine contributions to ornithological knowledge. In additions, local chapters of the Society, located in some of the larger cities and towns of Virginia, conduct their own programs of meetings, field trips and other projects. Those wishing to participate in any of the above activities, or to cooperate in advancing the objectives of the Society, are cordially invited to join. Annual dues are $20.00 for active members, $35.00 for sustaining members, $60.00 or more for contributing members, $500.00 for life members, and $25.00 for family members (limited to husband, wife and their dependent children). Additional information can be found at www.virginiabirds.net. Editorial queries and comments may be directed to Paul R. Cabe, Biology Department, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450. OFFICERS OF THE VSO President: David Spears, 3928 Bell Road, Dillwyn, VA 23936 Vice President: Rexanne Bruno, 1012 Harrods Ct., Lynchburg, VA 24503 Secretary: Alyce Quinn, 681 Edgewood Farm Lane, Wirtz, VA 24184-4465 Membership Secretary: Thelma Dalmas, 1230 Viewmont Drive, Evington, VA 24550 Treasurer: Barbara Thrasher, 120 Woodbine Drive, Lynchburg, Virginia 24502 Raven Editor: Paul R. Cabe, Biology Dept., Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450. Newsletter Editor: Linda Fields and Alan Schreck, 1573 21st Ct. N., Arlington, VA 22209 2007 Vol. 78(1) THE RAVEN Page 1 The Raven JOURNAL OF THE VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF ORNITHOLOGY Editor Paul R. Cabe Volume 78, No. 1 Published by THE VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF ORNITHOLOGY 2007 Copyright by the Virginia Society of Ornithology, Inc. ISSN 0034-0146 Page 2 Vol. 78(1) THE RAVEN 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS COLLEGE CREEK HAWKWATCH: A TEN YEAR SUMMARY, 1997-2006 BRIAN TABER ........................................................................................................................ 3 ROSS’S × SNOW GOOSE HYBRIDS ON ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, VIRGINIA GARY R. GRAVES .................................................................................................................. 7 HUMMINGBIRDS IN VIRGINIA 1 NOVEMBER- 15 MARCH: POSSIBLE SITE SELECTION CRITERIA BRIAN TABER ...................................................................................................................... 10 VIRGINIA CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS: 2006-2007 SEASON TETA KAIN ......................................................................................................................... 15 A SUMMARY OF IN MEMORIAM REMEMBRANCES PUBLISHED IN THE RAVEN THELMA DALMAS ............................................................................................................... 50 2006 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE VIRGINIA AVIAN RECORDS COMMITTEE SUSAN A. HEATH ............................................................................................................... 57 ERRATA ......................................................................................................................... 63 CHAPTERS OF THE VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF ORNITHOLOGY .................... 84 2007 Vol. 78(1) THE RAVEN Page 3 COLLEGE CREEK HAWKWATCH: A TEN YEAR SUMMARY, 1997-2006 BRIAN TABER Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory, P.O. Box 1225 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451 INTRODUCTION College Creek Hawkwatch completed its 10th consecutive year of coverage in 2006 with a total of 11,103 hawks and vultures over 577 days and an average of nearly 12 birds per hour. The hawkwatch is located on the north shore of the James River, in James City County, near Williamsburg, directly across from Hog Island Wildlife Management Area, in Surry County, which is on the south shore, approximately 3-4 kilometers away. Hawks, vultures and other birds have been documented crossing the river during late winter and spring migration here, where the mouth of College Creek empties into the James River (Taber 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2002). It is the only regular late winter and spring hawkwatch in Virginia and it is a program of Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory. Data from the hawkwatch is gathered by the author and other volunteers and is submitted to the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA). It is the most southerly of the eastern spring sites reporting to HMANA. The data from the first 10 years has been entered into the new HMANA database for the Raptor Population Index, a program with the goal of providing statistically significant data on a continent-wide scale. Flights at College Creek are usually from mid-morning to early afternoon and there is generally a steady, daily flow throughout the season. Volunteer coverage is provided by the author and others on a daily basis, except for days with rain, snow or strong winds. The protocol for counting migrating hawks and vultures is that birds are tallied as they cross the site headed north. No hawks have been seen crossing the river southward. Table 1 shows the season totals for each species for the first ten years of the hawkwatch.. Table 2 shows the totals of all species by month and the number of days of coverage. The coverage in June represents an attempt on four days in 2003 to search for Mississippi Kites, as they were reported frequently throughout the State in late May. DATA AND OBSERVATIONS Trends in bird species are difficult to assess at migration monitoring sites, unless very large numbers of migrants are seen moving past over many years, however the decline in American Kestrels does seem obvious at this site and is well-documented in recent years at many North American migration monitoring stations. Northern Harriers have been remarkably consistent during migration at the site, with a season high of 41 and a season low of 23, except for the 1998 season, when there were the Page 4 Vol. 78(1) THE RAVEN 2007 Table 1. College Creek hawkwatch totals by species, 1997-2006. Alphabetic species codes follow those used in the text. 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total BLVU 56 33 12 18 20 71 54 22 55 117 458 TUVU 947 516 479 578 679 671 775 654 852 915 7066 OSPR 132 57 80 34 57 92 151 152 155 183 1093 MIKI 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 7 BAEA 74 29 53 66 38 33 122 45 81 109 650 NOHA 24 14 34 24 27 41 25 23 40 35 287 SSHA 44 15 88 32 36 47 106 48 99 79 594 COHA 7 0 16 2 9 8 17 4 41 17 121 NOGO 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 RSHA 5 6 13 7 1 3 11 5 2 6 59 BWHA 2 0 3 7 4 7 21 3 34 10 91 SWHA 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 RTHA 40 24 30 31 27 24 68 31 65 37 377 GOEA 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 AMKE 35 17 27 15 34 24 59 22 15 10 258 MERL 2 3 0 0 4 0 2 0 5 1 17 PEFA 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 4 9 UNHA* 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 9 Table 2. College Creek Hawkwatch totals by month; days of coverage in parentheses. 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total Feb 64 204 0 143 52 130 47 53 141 73 907 (3) (10) (0) (10) (6) (11) (7) (5) (14) (9) (75) Mar 949 460 474 244 393 390 573 414 561 730 5188 (22) (18) (16) (17) (18) (16) (20) (21) (23) (26) (197) Apr 348 57 282 200 399 380 583 472 492 524 3737 (18) (10) (16) (10) (20) (23) (21) (25) (27) (24) (194) May 9 0 80 230 94 124 182 74 251 198 1242 (2) (0) (3) (12) (10) (13) (19) (12) (15) (21) (107) Jun 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 0 0 0 29 (0) (0) 0) (0) (0) (0) (4) (0) (0) (0) (4) Total 1370 721 836 817 938 1024 1414 1013 1445 1525 11103 (45) (38) (35) (49) (54) (63) (71) (63) (79) (80) (577) 2007 Vol. 78(1) THE RAVEN Page 5 second fewest days of coverage and the lowest season total and only 14 Northern Harriers were tallied. There have been eight days where more than 100 hawks and vultures have been counted. The highest total was 173 on 23 March 2003. The greatest diversity of hawk and vulture species on a single day has been 11 on 14 April 2003 and 27 April 2005. Data has been entered in the Hawkcount.org website for the HMANA Raptor Population Index Study. Details and comments for species are given below; standard alphabetic codes are given in parentheses, and are also used in accompanying tables. Black Vulture (BLVU) - recorded throughout the season, with a peak of 50 on 11 March 2006. Turkey Vulture (TUVU) - recorded throughout the season; by far the most numerous of the hawks and vultures recorded at College Creek; with a peak of 125 on 23 March 2003. Osprey (OSPR) - recorded throughout the season; counted very carefully to insure that only birds diplaying obvious migratory behavior are tallied as several pairs usually nest within sight of the hawkwatch on duck blinds, nautical markers and in trees; birds seen fishing are not counted; Ospreys are likely undercounted due to the conservative methodology; peak count of 21 on 17 March 1999.