Lynn's Lifer Grasshopper Sparrow

Yesterday we left our little home between the Sandbar and the Swamp to head up to the lower Eastern Shore of Virginia. It is really quite an easy drive, just up to Va. Beach and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (or CBBT as it is known). It takes about two and a half hours. It was a beautiful, although very hot day. Temperatures were around 100 F (38 C) except close to the water where they stayed in the lower nineties. But in the car with the A/C running it was lovely. I am grateful.

We had planned to pop up here at some point before we head back to Oz at the end of July for basically two reasons. One, we love The Shanty restaurant in Cape Charles and two, we love Adria who works there and we want to catch up with her. A third reason had recently made itself known. Grasshopper Sparrows were being reported on eBird at Magothy Bay Preserve. This would be a lifer for Lynn.

We arrived on the shore in the early afternoon and I suggested that we have a quick look for the sparrow. As I mentioned, it was very hot and I think Lynn said, “Oh, hell no!” or something similar. So we grabbed a bite of lunch and then, since we were only minutes from the sparrow area, I drove us over to have a look anyway.

As we headed down the gravel entrance road through brown, partially mown fields of hay, a sparrow flew across in front of us and landed, perched up to our left. I said, “There’s your sparrow!” The first bird we saw in that area was Lynn’s lifer Grasshopper Sparrow. I am grateful.

Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum

There were four, two pairs I reckon, and we got amazing looks at these, what can sometimes be, frustrating little sparrows. It may have been the heat, or season, but they perched up and would stay up. They even occasionally perched on the power lines. I took copious photos and Lynn got wonderful Life Looks. I am grateful!

Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum

Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum

Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum

We capped off our day with a phenomenal supper at The Shanty (which I documented on the facebook). Their Soft Crab BLT is in my top favorite sandwiches in the world. Lynn had pound cake with strawberries as her “Lifer Pie” and I even had Mexican chocolate ice cream (at the Shanty, but made by Brown Dog Ice Cream, local, wondrous, handmade ice cream) as a guide’s lifer pie reward. I am grateful.

The view from our table at The Shanty

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.