VIRGINIA (ATLANTIC COAST/CHESAPEAKE BAY) 



Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay populations are treated separately in Vir- 

 ginia (Tables 37, 38). As in other States very few regional surveys were ever 

 attempted. Most interest was focused at a few traditional colonies such as 

 Cobb and Wreck. Historical comparisons, as a result, should be considered 

 incomplete. 



Seabirds 



A few pairs of great black-backed gulls have nested at Fishennans Island 

 since 1970 (AFN). Others have nested at one colony in Chesapeake Bay in 1976 

 and 1977 (M. Byrd unpubl. notes). Herring gulls have been increasing at a 

 much faster rate along the coast, with a marked increase in both number of 

 colonies and colony size from 1975 to 1977 (K. Byrd pers. comm.). Only a few 

 have nested recently in the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay. Laughing 

 gulls have never been censused systematically in the State prior to this 

 survey (R. Clapp unpubl. notes, C. Robbins unpubl. notes). The "high" count 

 in 1977 probably represents a population that has been very large and stable 

 for a number of years rather than a sudden increase. There are no Chesapeake 

 Bay colonies. The persecution that occurred before Federal protection 

 apparently was not as detrimental to this species as to some others (Bent 

 1963a). 



Gull-billed terns were more numerous in 1976 than previous counts had in- 

 dicated but declined markedly in 1977. They nest with common terns and black 

 skimmers which probably have caused them to be overlooked in previous surveys. 

 In many cases, counts were made with no species distinction for terns. 



Royal terns dre abundant, but nested only at Fishermans Island in 1977. 

 The large increase from 1976 to 1977 may explain the corresponding reduction 

 in the Maryland population. f^uch colony shifting occurs in this species. 

 Peak numbers nested in Virginia in the late 1960's (Buckley and Buckley 1972). 

 Caspian and sandwich terns are near their northern limit in Virginia and have 

 never been abundant (R. Clapp unpubl. notes). Forster's terns probably have 

 been more abundant in the past than was realized. In 1976 and 1977, all marsh 

 areas were examined carefully to locate major colonies. In 1977, a small 

 colony was discovered at Great Fox Island in Chesapeake Bay. Common terns 

 have been one of the most abundant seabirds in Virginia. However, only small 

 numbers nest in the southern Chesapeake Bay. In the past, roseate terns have 

 nested sporadically in small numbers in Virginia (Bales 1920, Kuerzi 1929, 

 Worth 1929) but have not been found in recent years. Least terns nest abun- 

 dantly in both coastal and Chesapeake Bay locations. A reduction along the 

 Atlantic coast in 1977 was offset by an increase in the Chesapeake Bay colo- 

 nies. Caution must be exercised in comparing earlier censuses to 1975-1977 

 counts. There probably has been a decline from populations in the 1800' s, 

 when 1,200 were killed in a single day (Austin 1932, Bent 1963a). Apparently, 

 the least tern suffered more from hunting than either the common, Forster's, 

 or royal tern. Least tern colonies shift readily from year to year (Erwin 

 1977a). 



Until the early 1970's, black skimmer censusing occurred only at a few 

 colonies, such as Cobb and Wreck Islands (AFN, AN, R, Austin 1932, R. Clapp 



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