Bird Photographing on the Coastal Islands of Virginia^ 



Howard H. Cleaves 



The coastal islands of any country are likely to be full of 

 interest to the ornithologist. Sea birds particularly seek insular 

 nesting sites for the dual reason that in these places, isolated from 

 the mainland by an expanse of water, they are near a plentiful 

 food supply which they secure from the sea, and that such preda- 

 tory animals as the raccoon, red squirrel and others, often com- 

 mon on the mainland, are rare or unknown on island domains. 

 Off the coast of North America from Alaska -to Mexico, and from 

 Florida to Labrador and the Arctic Ocean, are distributed innu- 

 merable islands. Their formation corresponds pretty closely with 

 that of the adjacent mainland and a mere glance at a physiographic 

 map of the continent cannot fail to convey a clear idea of the 

 diversity of the coastal region. It follows, therefore, that some 

 islands are treeless, bold and rocky, others are covered with loamy 

 soil and in consequence are productive of vegetation, while still 

 others are Httle more than sandspits, supporting only scant growths 

 of stunted bushes and monotonous stretches of marsh grass. But 

 whatever may be their appearance from a human viewpoint, these 

 islands are, with few exceptions, eagerly sought by myriads of 

 birds when the nesting season approaches; and it is on these 

 isolated areas, therefore, that the bird student, the explorer and 

 the tourist may behold many of the most impressive spectacles to 

 l>e found anywhere in the bird world. 



The east coast of Cape Charles, Va., is fringed by a series of 

 narrow, sandy islands, behind which are miles of creeks and chan- 

 nels that wander through endless acres of marshlands and mud- 

 flats. Oysters and clams acquire a size and excellence here that 



'Presented November i8, 1911. 



6 



