![]() Autumn has produced records of 310 species, far more species than other of the other seasons-and over 98% of the 317 species thus far documented since 1964 from the four islands of the CBBT.įield trips to the artificial islands can be somewhat dull during periods of high pressure and warm temperatures in fall, but there are often surprises even then. September is also the peak season for tropical cyclones, which can bring birds from oceanic areas into the mouth of the Bay, where they can be studied from land with spotting scopes. The autumn migration spans a long period, from July through December, depending on the species, but most migrants move in meteorological autumn, from 1 September through 30 November, when cool fronts and cold fronts are most pronounced. Currently, the “Fourth Island” (North Chesapeake Island), on the northern side of the Chesapeake Channel, is accessible to birders, but hopefully in the future, the southern islands (on either side of the Thimble Channel) will re-open. In most cases, leaders will give a short talk on the rules of the facility, so as to avoid safety problems and potential endangerment of future birding visits. When accompanying a group, one should take cues for birding strategies and etiquette from the leaders of the field trip. In all cases, a small fee is required of field trip participants. Virginia’s bird clubs organize regular CBBT trips in winter, and some even hire party boats from Virginia Beach to bird the four islands from the water. Gulls and terns and Brown Pelicans often forage for fish around the islands and between them (in the channels), as the islands can serve to concentrate activity of fish with the passage of tidelines through the channels and against the islands. Over 1.1 million tons of boulders were used to create these rocky islands and jetties, and this habitat provides resting areas for many bird species but also, importantly, habitat for marine creatures that provide sustenance for birds such as Purple Sandpipers (which pick prey from the rocks above the waterline) and diving birds such as cormorants and ducks, which extract fish, shellfish, and crabs from around the submerged boulders. Artificial rock islands anchor the facility’s two undersea tunnels, which pass beneath the Chesapeake Channel (to the north) and the Thimble Channel (to the south).Ĭurrently, the northernmost of the four artificial islands is open for group field trips planned well in advance. ![]() Here the bay opens into the Atlantic Ocean, and twice-daily tidal activity that washes across the entire facility ensures that water birds in pursuit of prey are a common sight for visiting birders who make the 17.6-mile crossing between Virginia Beach and Northampton County. ![]() ![]() A marvel of civil engineering completed in April 1964, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) spans the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in North America. ![]()
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