[va-bird] Fw: DC Area, 12/21/04

For your information.
Joe Coleman

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 7:09 PM
Subject: DC Area, 12/21/04


Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               12/21/04
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2
        (email):    voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
     (deadline):    midnight Mondays
Compiler:           Lydia Schindler
Sponsor:            Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber:        Steve Cordle scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of
the Voice (Individual $30; Family $40; Nature Steward $60; Audubon
Advocate $100). The membership number is 301-652-9188 option 12, the
address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, and the web
site is http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.

This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon
Naturalist Society. This tape was made Tuesday, Dec 21, at 5 p.m.

Top birds this week are *AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN in MD; *CALLIOPE
HUMMINGBIRD in MD, *SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD in DC, and BLACK-CHINNED
HUMMINGBIRD in VA; NORTHERN SHRIKE in DE; and LECONTE'S SPARROW in VA.

Other birds of interest include EARED GREBE, RAZORBILL, geese,
raptors, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, WESTERN KINGBIRD, HORNED LARK,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, WINTER WREN, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, GRAY
CATBIRD, AMERICAN PIPIT, warblers, SNOW BUNTING, DICKCISSEL, and
COMMON REDPOLL.    

On Dec 17, an *AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN landed in Jug Bay, where it was
visible from a yard in Croom, Prince George's Co, MD. On Dec 18, the
PELICAN was spotted downriver from Selby's Landing.

A female RUFOUS/ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD has been frequenting the
Smithsonian's Ripley Garden (between the Arts and Industries building
and the Hirschhorn), SW DC--and the feeders and heat lamp that have
been placed there--since Dec 16. The most recent report is from midday
Dec 21.

A female *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continued at a yard in Baltimore Co, just
north of the city line, through the frigid morning of Dec 20. (To
check on this bird, contact yeiche@xxxxxxxxxxx)

The *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD near Bowie in Prince George's Co,  likewise
has not been seen since early Dec 20. (The contact for this bird is
live4birds@aol.) 

Another likely CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD paid a 1-day visit Dec 17 to a
yard in Suffolk, VA.

After an absence of 5 days, the BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD returned to
Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA, on Dec 19. (Feeders can be observed
from the porch at 9 Randolph Ave; from Rte 13, turn at the stoplight
onto Rte 184 and proceed to the last block.)

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was once again in view at Prime Hook NWR, DE. On Dec
17, it perched on wires and poles along Broadkill Beach Rd, near the
gate to Island Farm Rd.

A LECONTE'S SPARROW was found Dec 18, and seen again and photographed
Dec 19, on VA's Northern Neck. It was at the Wilna unit of
Rappahannock River Valley NWR, near Warsaw, Richmond Co.

The EARED GREBE on Little Seneca Lake, Black Hill RP, Montgomery Co,
MD, was spotted close to sunset on Dec 16, when it swam out from the
third cove back from Rte 121, south of the bridge.  

A RAZORBILL was observed flying past Indian River Inlet, DE, on Dec
18. 

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was back at the pond on Harrison Rd,
Fauquier Co, VA, as of Dec 19.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE plus a RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GOOSE were
found on the Jug Bay CBC (Prince George's Co) Dec 19; they were in a
large flock of geese 1 mile north of Harrington on Rte 261. Six
CACKLING GEESE were found Dec 17 in eastern Montgomery Co, along Zion
Rd just south of Gregg Rd. On Dec 19, 1 CACKLING GOOSE was found along
Zion Rd across from Rachel Carson Conservation Park.  

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE were found Dec 15
on VA's Northern Neck, in a large flock along Rte 3 in King George Co.
On Dec 18, a ROSS'S GOOSE and 3 CACKLING GEESE were found along Rte 3
just east of the Stafford/King George line. 

A probable GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was observed Dec 15 along
Broadkill Beach Rd.

On Dec 18, Hains Point, in East Potomac Park, SW DC, hosted a perched
BALD EAGLE and a MERLIN, while a PEREGRINE FALCON rested on the
railroad bridge over the Potomac. On Dec 19, there were 3 MERLINS and
a COOPER'S HAWK at Hains Point. 
 
An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK has been hunting the marshes at Prime
Hook; on Dec 14 it was observed as it sat on the ground at the end of
the road that runs north from Prime Hook Rd; it was later seen along
Fowler Beach Rd. On Dec 17, it was observed on Broadkill Beach Rd, in
a tree across the water from the second pull-off. 

A possible NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported from a yard in District
Heights, Prince George's Co, MD, Dec 20.

On Dec 18, at least 11 SHORT-EARED OWLS were cruising the marshes
along Port Mahon Rd, Little Creek Wildlife Area, DE. 

A LITTLE GULL was spotted at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co, MD,
Dec 14 --as was a COMMON EIDER. 

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL and an immature GLAUCOUS GULL were
discovered Dec 18 on Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's
Co.  A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen Dec 18 at Indian River Inlet, DE.
Also on Dec 18, an adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was found at the Back River
WWTP, Baltimore.

A first-winter THAYER'S GULL was discovered Dec 19 at the Fauquier Co
landfill. A first-year THAYER'S GULL was seen in Benedict in eastern
Charles Co, MD, Dec 16 and again Dec 18. 

A first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was again seen at the Beulah landfill in
Dorchester Co, MD, Dec 14. On Dec 17, a GLAUCOUS GULL was found on
Lake Anna, near the North Anna power plant, Louisa Co, VA. 

Four EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen Dec 18 in the Sandbridge area
of Virginia Beach.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was discovered on the St. Michael's CBC, Talbot Co,
MD, Dec 20. It was found along a long white fence bordering Rte 33,
between the McDaniel store and Lowe's Wharf Rd, north of Tilghman
Island.

A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE was reported Dec 19 from the Elkton CBC, in
Earlville, Cecil Co; a SNOW BUNTING was also seen in this area. 

WINTER WRENS were observed at several VA locations, including in town
Alexandria (along Edsall Rd near South Van Dorn). 

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS and GRAY CATBIRDS were found on several CBCs.

A flock of 140 AMERICAN PIPITS picked along the fields of the polo
club on Hughes Rd in northwestern Montgomery Co on Dec 19.   

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS showed up in several locations. On Dec 15, one
was found at the Rappahanock River Valley NWR in Leedstown, King
George Co. On Dec 18, during the DC CBC, one was seen in the Asian
Collections at the National Arboretum, NE DC. And one was found at
Riverside Park, Loudoun Co, VA, Dec 19.

On Dec 18, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was working bushes around
the buildings at the entrance to Sugarloaf Mountain, Frederick Co, MD.
PINE WARBLER was an exceptional find on The Plains (VA) CBC Dec 19.
That same day, a PINE WARBLER visited a suet feeder in Ellicott City,
Howard Co, MD. The Baltimore Harbor CBC on Dec 20 turned up PRAIRIE
and western PALM WARBLER. On Dec 16, the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT again
visited a small garden just northeast of downtown Baltimore. 

By Dec 18, the number of SNOW BUNTINGS at Hart-Miller Island,
Baltimore Co, had swollen to 93.

Another CBC find was a DICKCISSEL at Jones Point near the new Wilson
Bridge construction in Alexandria on Dec 18; it was close to the
fenced-in tree save area at the NW end of the soccer field.

COMMON REDPOLL visited a feeder in Cecil Co Dec 20. The Denton CBC
(Caroline Co, MD) on Dec 19 located a COMMON REDPOLL as well as a SNOW
BUNTING along Horseshoe Rd.  

Christmas Counts will be in full swing through Jan 2, in your
neighborhood and throughout the area. To find out where and how you
can participate, check AudubonNaturalist.org or the ANS Naturalist
News.  

Those of you lucky enough to host a winter hummingbird are asked to
contact hummingbird bander Mary Gustafson at live4birds@xxxxxxxx Mary
is working to document winter hummingbirds in the east.

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY, 
VA-Bird, and Delaware Birds list servers.

Claudia Wilds's book, Finding Birds in the National Capital Area, is
an excellent source of directions to many birding sites. And the ANS
Bookstore is an excellent source for this and many other
nature-related titles: 301-652-3606.

To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx You may also report by calling
301-652-1088 and selecting menu option 2. Please post e-mail reports
before midnight Monday, identify the county and state, and include
your name and a Tuesday morning phone number. 

Thank you for calling, happy holidays, and GOOD BIRDING. 

* Of interest to the MD/DC Records Committee. For more information,
visit www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html.



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