This has been an extraordinary winter for European vagrants. In December I saw a Pink-footed Goose in New Jersey. I returned to New Jersey in January for Northern Lapwing. I next saw a Eurasian Teal in Maryland in February, and then the Barnacle Goose in March. There have also been several sightings of Eurasian Wigeons and Black-headed Gulls, which I did not chase as they wouldn't be lifers.
My luck with European vagrants continues.
Yesterday I drove 13 hours round-trip to chase a Black-tailed Godwit that was found last week in a saltmarsh on the coast of northern Virginia. I saw my target, as well as a Eurasian Wigeon on a pond a half mile from the godwit site. (I was unaware of the wigeon, but another birder told me about it and I was able to find it).
In all, I ended up with 11 new species for the year, bringing my Year List up to 115.
105. Boat-tailed Grackle
106. Forster's Tern
107. Marbled Godwit
108. Willet
109. Dunlin
110. American Oystercatcher
111. Black-bellied Plover
112. Northern Gannet
113. Black-tailed Godwit
114. Great Egret
115. Eurasian Wigeon
The godwit was an ABA Area lifer (number 646).
Dave
