I surveyed GBB WMA from 1:45pm til 4:30pm. The afternoon started out mostly cloudy but gave way to sunshine by the time I hit the bay beach. Like my last survey out @ GBB there wasn't much to see in the way of shorebirds except for the group of Lesser Yellowlegs that was again in the marsh area across the road from Capt'n Mike's. Today's count of LYL was 31 (last survey there were 51 in the same spot). Other shorebirds seen were 1 Amr. Oystercatcher (juv); 4 Least Sandpipers (juv's); 1 Semipalmated Plover (adult); 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers (1 juv, 3 adults).

Also seen today were a small group of Chickadees that seemed to be following along my vehicle for a bit while I drove down the road. One perched for a nice photo op after a little pishing. There were 5 Sharp-tailed Sparrows flying in and out of the marsh grasses down by the bay beach. One other note was a female Yellow Warbler in the bayberry thicket & fragmities by the end of GBB.

The best part of today's outing was the amazing gathering of Monarch butterflies! For those who know the narrow path down to the bay beach @ GBB, well every bayberry tree, every vine length of Virginia creeper that borders the narrow path was covered in Monarchs! The path had 100's of Monarchs and as you walked down the the path the Monarchs would fly from their perches and flutter all around you. It was amazing! I've included some photos of the Monarchs in today's Flash slideshow, however they don't do the Monarch's numbers and activity on the path justice.

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