Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...

Loggerhead Shrike
Affected Environment
There are two subspecies of Lanius ludovicianus, the Loggerhead Shrike and the Migrant
Loggerhead Shrike, which are difficult to differentiate in the field. The major sources of data for
Shrike distribution in Virginia do not distinguish the two subspecies, and occurrences listed in
Virginia Fish and Wildlife reports may be either subspecies. The Loggerhead Shrike has a
hooked, dark bill; bluish-gray head and back; white or grayish-white underparts, very faintly
barred in adults; broad black mask extending above the eye and thinly across the top of the bill;
gray to whitish rump; black tail with white tip; and large white patches on the black wings.
The Loggerhead Shrike’s range includes California, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington,
Canada, and south to southern Baja California, throughout Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and southern
Florida. Shrikes move southward from the northern half of the breeding range for winter. During
Virginia winters, Loggerhead Shrikes may move from pasture to shrub and open forest habitats
during periods of cold, wet weather. Loggerhead Shrikes have been historically documented in
Accomack County, but there are no recent records for the species on the Eastern Shore of
Virginia.
Migrant Loggerhead Shrike
The Migrant Loggerhead Shrike differs from Loggerhead Shrike in that the gray of the
upperparts are slightly paler and the underside is less purely white; the bill is also much smaller
and the tail is decidedly shorter than the wing. Habitat conditions are the same for the migrant
Loggerhead Shrike as for the Loggerhead Shrike. Although the Migrant Loggerhead Shrike has
been documented in Accomack County, field identification to subspecies is rarely reported.
Therefore, records for Migrant Loggerhead Shrike in Accomack County are likely to be
Loggerhead Shrike, and the Migrant Loggerhead Shrike is not likely to occur within the vicinity
of WFF.
3.2.4.2 Mammals
Delmarva Fox Squirrel
Delmarva fox squirrel is a large tree squirrel that is a well-marked and distinct subspecies
restricted in range to the Delmarva Peninsula. The Delmarva fox squirrel was reintroduced at
CNWR and the population there is currently about 180 squirrels. In Virginia, the Delmarva fox
squirrel is known to occur in Accomack and Northampton Counties. Habitat for the Delmarva
fox squirrel includes mature, open park-like stands of deciduous or mixed deciduous-pine forest,
especially near farmland. It is not known to occur on Wallops Island due to the isolation of the
island and the lack of suitable habitat for the species.
Rafinesque’s Eastern Big-Eared Bat
Two subspecies of Rafinesque’s eastern big-eared bat may occur in Virginia; Corynorhinus
rafinesquii macrotis is found in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico lowlands and to a limited extent
in the adjacent Piedmont, while Corynorhinus rafinesquii rafinesquii occurs mainly in the Ohio
and Tennessee River valleys and in the southern Appalachians. Both subspecies are rare and at
the edge of their ranges in Virginia, so their occurrence at Wallops Island is unlikely. They are
uncommon to rare throughout their range. Many of the new roost sites found in Virginia were
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