FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 6:54 PM
Subject: DC Area, 3/21/06
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 3/21/2006
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 $40; Family $50; Nature Steward $75; Audubon
Advocate $150). 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 report was completed Tuesday, March 21, at 6
p.m.
Top birds this week are *PACIFIC LOON, *SNOWY OWL, and YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD, all in VA.
Other birds of interest include REDHEAD, HARLEQUIN DUCK, WILD TURKEY,
NORTHERN BOBWHITE, raptors, KING RAIL, shorebirds, WILSON'S SNIPE,
gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, COMMON RAVEN, NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, RED-BREASTED and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES,
warblers, FOX SPARROW, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
A *PACIFIC LOON was once again observed, and photographed, at Kerr
Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, in far southern VA, on the morning of March
18.
The *SNOWY OWL at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, was seen as recently
as March 16. The bird is being viewed from a 3-story public parking
garage on the corner of Aviation Dr and Propeller Ct, accessible from
the Airport Services exit off the Dulles Access Rd.
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD paid a brief visit to a feeder in the
Kempsville area of Virginia Beach early on the morning of March 20.
Some 20 REDHEADS were observed March 20 in the Chesapeake Bay off
Ferry Neck in southern Talbot Co, MD.
A HARLEQUIN DUCK was found Mar 18 at Indian River Inlet, DE.
Small flocks of WILD TURKEY were seen March 18 at Seneca Creek SP,
Montgomery Co, MD, and March 21 in a yard in Charles Co, MD.
On March 19 a NORTHERN BOBWHITE was calling at Occoquan Bay NWR,
Prince William Co, VA; it was north of the bridge along Charlie Rd--as
was a KING RAIL; two other KING RAILS were in the marsh off Easy Rd.
A mature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen March 17 near the south impoundment on
Prime Hook Rd, DE, flying directly overhead. On March 18, a GOLDEN
EAGLE soared high above the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Queen
Anne's Co, MD.
PEREGRINE FALCONS continue to put on a good show at the railroad
bridge over the Potomac River below East Potomac Park, SW DC--and they
and have been joined there by OSPREYS nesting on the opposite end. A
PEREGRINE was seen off Georgia Ave in Wheaton, Montgomery Co, MD, on
the afternoon of March 19, and a PEREGRINE was on the hunt along 16th
St, NW DC, on the afternoon of March 20.
Willis Wharf, Northampton Co, VA, hosted a nice selection of waders on
March 15, including 2 WHIMBREL and 18 MARBLED GODWITS.
Seven WILSON'S SNIPE were at Occoquan Bay NWR March 13; four snipe
were seen that same day at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co; and yet 3
others were noted at Sunrise Valley Park, Reston, Fairfax Co, VA, on
March 19.
The first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL in Cambridge, Dorchester Co, MD, was
seen again March 18 at the marina. Some 50 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
were reported from Back Bay NWR in Virginia Beach on March 15. On
March 18, the Susquehanna River between Lapidum, Harford Co, and Port
Deposit, Cecil Co, MD, hosted 200 BONAPARTE'S GULLS.
Weekend visitors scanning Hoopers Island in Ocean City, Worcester Co,
MD, found not only a GLAUCOUS GULL but also an adult ICELAND GULL and
2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. On March 18, a flock of 21 BONAPARTE'S
winged over Huntley Meadows.
Two of the SHORT-EARED OWLS along Crenshaw Road about ½ mile north of
Rectortown in northern Fauquier Co, VA, were surprised into flight
around midday on March 18.
The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER at the National Arboretum, NE DC, was seen
March 18 and again on the morning of March 20; as before, it was in
the wooded patch behind the Capitol columns. The Arboretum also hosted
a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and a one of the area's many PINE WARBLERS--a
bright yellow male--in the State Trees grove.
On March 18, a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was spotted in eastern
Alexandria, VA; it was in a little park area along the Mount Vernon
Parkway, across from Waynewood Blvd.
Five NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were reported from the Occoquan
Bay refuge March 18.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH visited yards in Gamber, Carroll Co, MD, on
March 17, and Potomac, Montgomery Co, on March 20. BROWN-HEADED
NUTHATCHES--and numerous PINE WARBLERS--were on tap at Blackwater NWR,
Dorchester Co, on March 18.
Well to our south, a preview of spring came in the form of a LOUISIANA
WATERTHRUSH at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA, on March 14,
and a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER at Henricus Park south of Richmond March
16.
Small flocks of FOX SPARROWS were noted at Washington Monument SP,
Washington Co, MD, and at Huntley Meadows March 19.
On March 19, hundreds of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were in the skies over
Huntley Meadows around sunrise, and numerous flocks were seen
throughout the morning, working on leaf litter in the woods. A small
flock of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS was found at Hughes Hollow March 16. Two
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and a FOX SPARROW, were at Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, NE DC, on March 18.
See Life Paulagics is running a trip on April 1 (no foolin') out of
Lewes, DE. For further information, contact them at 215-234-6805 or
visit their web site at paulagics.com.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY and
VA-Bird list servers.
Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an
excellent source of directions to many birding sites. The ANS
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source
for this and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. But no big photo files, please. You may
also report by calling 301-652-1088 and selecting menu option 2.
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as
well as state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact,
either e-mail or phone.
Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.
*Of interest to either the MD/DC Records Committee
(www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html) or the VA Records Committee
(www.virginiabirds.org
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