October 2026 Newsletter
WELCOME
Welcome to the October 2026 CHAS newsletter. As always, send your favorite wildlife pictures to me to be added to the newsletter. If you have newsworthy information about birds, the environment, conservation, or government action items related to our club's mission, please forward the information to me at capehenryaudubonsociety@gmail.com for consideration in future newsletters.
PLEASE JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY. Each club receives funds from the National society based on renewal funds.
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| Horned Grebe. Grandview Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of Davis Clarke |
MONTHLY MEETING
Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21st at 7:30 PM at St. Paul's Episcopal church in Norfolk.
Will Poston is a lifelong fisherman, hunter, and conservationist, who has leveraged these passions for a career in conservation and fisheries policy. He currently works for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as its Forage Campaign Manager, primarily working on menhaden issues in the Bay. In this role, Will serves as CBF's point contact on menhaden, coordinating the organization's advocacy, policy, and education efforts around this critical forage fish. Will's background as an avid outdoorsman and experience in fisheries management assists his work to build a broader group of effective and passionate advocates to promote much-needed menhaden conservation and awareness here in Virginia.
This presentation will provide an update on the 2026 osprey monitoring survey and upcoming menhaden decisions that could have major implications for the Bay. Draft Addendum II was initiated to address Chesapeake Bay menhaden management concerns and could reduce the menhaden Reduction Fishery Cap by 50%.
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| Buff Breasted Sandpiper. Grandview Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of David Clark |
PREVIOUS FIELD TRIP: Eastern Shore of Virginia
Our first field trip of the season took place on a warm, humid morning. Skies were cloudy throughout the day, but unlike last year, we didn't experience a drenching downpour! Reports from the Eastern Shore over the last few days noted that there was a distinct lull in migrants moving southward. Sadly, that trend continued for us.
Our first stop was the scenic overlook at Wise Point. Here there were hundreds of Laughing Gulls sitting on the wall, and more sitting on the beach with a few Ring-billed Gulls mixed in. A couple of squadrons of Brown Pelicans flew past, along with numbers of Double-crested Cormorants. A half-dozen or so (Western) Willets and a trio of Sanderlings were working the shoreline - our only shorebirds for the day. While we were scanning for birds, we had a somewhat surprising mammal sighting when a Red Bat flew right over us.
Next, we moved on to Eastern Shore of Va. NWR. Here we walked the Butterfly Trail from the Visitor Center all the way to the marsh overlook. The most active spot was the parking lot, where numerous American Robins moved about. A small group of Baltimore Orioles made themselves heard and were briefly seen, but in poor light. We were pleased, however, to see an adult male Summer Tanager that cooperated nicely, giving us good views for several minutes. Bobolinks were heard overhead but were difficult to spot. Overall things were pretty quiet, though we did hear several White-eyed Vireos, a couple of which we were able to see. Warbler sightings were disappointing, with a single Common Yellowthroat and a single Black-and-white Warbler being the only representatives of that group. At the marsh overlook we had distant looks at a couple of adult bald eagles, Great Egrets, and White Ibis.
After we returned to the parking lot at the Visitor Center a Red-eyed Vireo popped up in a tree and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak chipped several times but then flew off unseen. About that time the Visitor Center opened up, so we took advantage of the air conditioning and restroom facilities. We then got back in our vehicles and drove down to the boat ramp, but there was little to be seen there.
Changing locations, we made the short drive north to Kiptopeke State Park. Lots of boaters and beach-goers were taking advantage of the warm weather. Numerous gulls, mostly Laughing Gulls but with a few American Herring and Great Black-backed mixed in, were present on the rocks by the boat ramp, and many Brown Pelicans, Rock Pigeons, and Double-crested Cormorants lined the concrete ships that form the harbor boundary. The walk along the beach and the boardwalk through the woods produce few sightings at all.
We went up and spent a while on the hawk watching platform, but no raptors at all flew by. A brief visit from a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the feeder by the platform became our last new bird for the outing.
In all, we tallied 46 species heard or seen for the morning.
UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS
OCTOBER: Saturday, October 10, 7:30am - Field Trip to MacKay Island NWR Open Roads
Meet at 7:30 at the entrance to the wildlife drive (NOT the road to the Visitor Center)
During special “Open Roads” weekends, roads that are normally closed to public vehicle access are open for wildlife viewing and fishing. We will meet at the entrance, consolidate cars, and form a caravan. A limited number of two-way radios will be available so that we can communicate sightings along the way. Our route will traverse open fields, forest, marsh, and flooded woodland, and we’ll also have views of the open waters of Currituck Sound. Round-trip distance of the wildlife drive is approximately 9 miles. The wide variety of habitats we explore should give us opportunities to find herons, raptors, songbirds, woodpeckers, waterfowl, shorebirds and gulls.
Logistics: Most of our birding will be from our cars, but we will make stops along the way as birds of interest come into view. Please remember that other vehicles that are not members of our group will be taking advantage of the open roads, so please pull over as much as possible whenever we stop so that other cars can get by. We may also include a walk of a half mile or so in the woods & scrub habitat in the western corner. Plan for the outing to last around 2 to 3 hours.
There are no restroom facilities on the refuge, so plan accordingly!
Directions from Virginia Beach-Norfolk area. From Virginia Beach, take Princess Anne Road south to the Virginia/North Carolina state line where it becomes NC Route 615. Continue driving south on Rte. 615 for approximately 4.7 miles where the road makes a right turn at its intersection with Knotts Island Road. Continue on Knotts Island Road for about another ½ mile, then keep right at bend in the road where the Knotts Island Market and Dollar General are located to stay on Rte. 615. The entrance to the refuge will be a gravel road on your right about 0.9 mile after the Knotts Island Market.
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| Short Billed Dowitcher. Grandview Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of David Clarke |
OTHER BIRDING OPPORTUNITIES
WEYANOKE
Upcoming Weyanoke bird walks are scheduled for the third Saturday of each month. Our next walk is October 17th. Subsequent walsk are November 21st, and December 19th, All walks start at 8am, lasting about an hour. We meet at the entrance to the Weyanoke Sanctuary at 1501 Armistead Bridge Road in the West Ghent neighborhood in Norfolk. This will be a good time of year to visit Weyanoke for migrants.
HOFFLER CREEK
There is a monthly walk on the second Saturday of the month a local birding leader. Each month, the walk is at 4510 Twins Pines Rd, Portsmouth, Virginia. The gates open at 7:45am and sometimes close at 8am (closing time varies, best to be there at 7:45am).
NEWPORT NEWS PARK
Join the Hampton Roads Bird Club on the First and Third Sunday of each month at 7:00 AM at Newport News Park. Meet us in the parking lot behind the Ranger Station.
2026 WINGS OVER WATER WILDLIFE FESTIVAL
Registration open for the 2026 WINGS OVER WATER WILDLIFE FESTIVAL! This festival is held on the Outer Banks in NC from October 13-18 and December 4-6.
Please visit this site to register: https://2026wingsoverwater.my-trs.com/
They have a very special keynote speaker this year, Pulitzer Prize finalist author, lecturer, & researcher, Scott Weidensaul. There is no keynote dinner this year. Instead we're encouraging everyone to register for and attend the keynote presentation, Saturday October 17, from 6-8 pm.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT AT THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP
Sunday, December 20, 2026. Join one of 8 teams for a combination of driving and walking refuge roads, with the exception of one driving-only route on roads adjacent to the refuge and the Canal Trail that is paved for walking/biking. Teams meet and start counting before sunrise. No experience is needed. Bring binoculars if you have them. To join a team, contact gdsnwrcbc@gmail.com by December 1st. Space is limited.
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| Eastern Screech Owl. Photo courtesy of Laura Mae. |
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS YOU CAN USE.
Climate Connections
Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation this fall to dive into the urgent challenges of climate change and its impacts on the Chesapeake Bay at the Climate Connections lecture series at CBF’s Brock Environmental Center. Hear from diverse community voices sharing innovative solutions and proven strategies to help Hampton Roads adapt to evolving environmental conditions and build a more resilient future.
Thursday, October 15, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
The Changing Chesapeake: Impacts of a Warming Bay -
Register Now
Wednesday, November 11, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for a pre-event reception prior to the start of each event. This lecture series is free, but registration is required.
Virginia Society of Ornithology Offers $4,500 in Youth Engagement Grants
WHAT: The Virginia Society of Ornithology is pleased to offer $4,500 in grant opportunities for youth engagement in birding and ornithology.
VSO’s Youth Engagement Committee is sponsoring four grant categories this year:
- Two $500 grants available to VSO member clubs for founding or expanding youth programs;
- Five $100 grants available to bird- or nature-related clubs at Virginia colleges and universities;
- Four $500 grants available to bird- or nature-related clubs at Virginia high schools;
- Two $500 grants available to high school bird research projects
WHEN: Grant applications are open now and will close on Nov. 15, 2026. VSO’s Youth Engagement Committee will announce decisions by Dec. 1, 2026.
WHERE: Applications can be completed and submitted online at Youth Engagement Page on the VSO Web Site
MORE INFORMATION: Go to Youth Engagement Page on the VSO Web Site
Please contact Youth Engagement Committee Chair Patrick Lewis for questions or requests at pdlewis514@Gmail.com
About the Virginia Society of Ornithology
The Virginia Society of Ornithology is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of Virginia’s birds through research, conservation and education, and is committed to connecting people of all ages, genders, races, identities, and abilities who enjoy birds. Since 1929 the Society has grown in number of members and in breadth of outreach. VSO has been central to many ornithological pursuits for over 95 years and our reach continues to grow.
