Day 20, (May 9) to the tip of Delmarva Peninsula
IT was a toss up between heading to Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay (the west side of the peninsula) to the place where people still speak an Elizabethan dialect from the early settlers, 30 years ago, or head for the tip of the Delmarva Peninsula and visit the Eastern Shore NWR and Barrier Reef HQ. The latter won out as it appeared that the migrant birds would hit that piece of small real estate easier than the Island. Although there were seabirds on the trip over and back, but it was a 3 hour layover on the Island before the return trip on the Ferry, and how much ice cream could we eat while waiting.
Heading down US 13 was still a trip through some really fine farmland especially tomatoes and a crop yet unnamed that is set in four rows of plastic covers, alternating with rows of uncut rye as either a barrier or water holder. The men were out in the fields today getting ready to open up the plastic for growth. Perhaps they were peppers, or squash of some type. We will check on that and add the results later. There were many fields of tomatoes getting ready and the potatoes were in blossom already so you can see how quickly the season comes on here.
We arrived at the NWR after passing such Eastern Shore towns as; Machipongo where the “poorhouse farm” was once located it is now a winery center; Nassawadox, the only pace on the east coast that has a drive through for clams on the east coast. (Called Machipongo Clam Shack”; Machapreague, the “Flounder Capital of the World”; and the town of Parksley, a Norman Rockwell type of town that has the Eastern Shore RR Museum meticulously restored . The Center for Visitors was manned by two more volunteers, these being two retired teachers from PA. They were more than generous in their help to find birds. This Center has a one way glass so the birds in their “yard” cannot see motion inside. Good for the kids for sure. The accessible part of the Refuge is small and diverse. The day was not a good one for birding as by now the day had reached the mid 80’s and the wind was up to 30 mph from the SW. Nice for living, but birds ‘unfavorite’ time. We tried the trails, watched in the trees and listened intently, but only picked up a dozen bird specie. None were new ones, but that still was a great place to be.
On the way back we decided to look into Kiptopeke State Park as that has a banding station for bird in the fall when the migration is on. NB: Note that the peninsula shape is ideal for birds to funnel southward in the fall. IT is truly a "Funnel shape". Here we saw the WW2 merchant ships that have been used as reefs in the bay (some nine of them). Also were the first Brown Pelicans and one Shearwater that we were looking for. A long walk around the banding area only made us hotter as now inland the temps exceeded the mid 80’s. Because of the great birding in the fall this park as a great many trails and “mist net” stations for banding the birds at that time. Our bird count for the day was right around 45, with two new ones.
We stopped for gas as the price was at $2.02 and that was the cheapest all along the way. Cigarettes are at $4.50 a pack if anyone is interested. HA! There are lots of Crab places and seafood places as one might expect here along the Coast. The chicken industry is big as well and Tyson has a meat packing plant hirer near Melfa.
Tonight is our first steak on the grill and then we will internet, take down the awning before dark, and of course try another flavor of ice cream. Ruth likes the “Marsh Mud” and I have tried many already and probably will go with Coffee tonight.
We move to Cape Hatteras tomorrow and will be staying at the campground right on the Ocean.The Delmarva Sorry no pictures tonight we are on "borrowed Wi Fi
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