FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Cordle" <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 6:36 PM
Subject: DC Area, 5/3/05
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 5/3/05
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, May 3, at 6:00 pm.
Top birds this week are SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in MD and MISSISSIPPI KITE
in MD and VA.
Other birds of interest this week include RUFFED GROUSE, NORTHERN
BOBWHITE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, AMERICAN BITTERN, LEAST BITTERN,
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, GLOSSY IBIS, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, MERLIN,
KING RAIL, SORA, shorebirds including PIPING PLOVER, PARASITIC JAEGER,
BONAPARTE'S GULL, GULL-BILLED and other TERNS, WHITE-WINGED DOVE,
CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, WHIP-POOR-WILL, CHIMNEY SWIFT, RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD, woodpeckers, flycatchers, vireos, COMMON RAVEN, swallows,
thrushes, WARBLERS including LAWRENCE'S and SWAINSON'S, SUMMER
TANAGER, CLAY-COLORED and other sparrows, ROSE-BREASTED and BLUE
GROSBEAKS, PAINTED BUNTING, BOBOLINK, orioles, RED CROSSBILL, and PINE
SISKIN.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was observed flying over Cockeysville, Baltimore
Co, MD, on April 27, and, on April 28, about 15 miles from there, over
St. Mary's Seminary, Roland Park, north Baltimore City.
On May 1, an adult MISSISSIPPI KITE made a few passes over the woods
along the east side of Little Seneca Reservoir, Montgomery Co, MD.
These woods lie between Wynnfield Drive and the lake, 1/4 mile south
of the intersection of Waters Landing Rd and Wynnfield.
On May 1, a MISSISSIPPI KITE flew over the parking lot of a restaurant
in Bowie, Prince George's Co, MD.
On the afternoon of May 3, a MISSISSIPPI KITE was sighted over the
Waynewood subdivision near Fort Hunt Road in southeastern Fairfax
County, VA--the fourth year that a kite has been seen in this area.
RUFFED GROUSE was noted at upper Thompson WMA, Fauquier Co, VA, April
28, as well as in the higher elevations of Garrett Co, MD, and along
the Shenandoah Parkway in VA.
On May 2, an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN glided over the Ramp Rd pond at
the Eastern Shore of VA NWR, Northampton Co, VA.
Two AMERICAN BITTERNS were noted May 2 at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co. The Monday morning walk also produced a RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.
Both AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS were calling repeatedly on the
evening of May 2 at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co. Also present were 2
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and a COMMON MOORHEN, the latter first
reported April 29.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were found April 30 at the Julie Metz
wetlands, Prince William Co, VA, as was a KING RAIL. KING RAIL was
also encountered repeatedly at Occoquan NWR, Prince William Co,
appearing as recently as May 1.
A single GLOSSY IBIS flew over Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne
Arundel Co, MD, May 1.
May 1 was a great day for SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS at the Fort Smallwood
hawk watch in Anne Arundel Co, with a tally of 449.
On April 29, a MERLIN snatched a cardinal from a feeder in a yard in
Charles Co, MD.
On May 1 and 3, a SORA was again seen at Hughes Hollow. Blandy
Experimental Farm, Clarke Co, VA, hosted at least one SORA on May 1.
A PIPING PLOVER made an unexpected appearance at Rocky Gap SP,
Allegany Co, MD, on May 1. A pair of PIPING PLOVERS was found on the
ORV zone of Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD, April 29.
Three UPLAND SANDPIPERS were seen at the Oakland sewage ponds in
Garrett Co, MD, April 30.
An ANS trip last weekend to the Eastern Shore tallied 200 AMERICAN
AVOCETS and 2 dozen BLACK-NECKED STILTS at the Logan Tract of the Ted
Harvey Conservation Area, DE, and 30 WHIMBRELS, 46 MARBLED GODWITS,
and half a dozen GULL-BILLED TERNS at Willis Wharf, Northampton Co,
VA.
A BLACK-NECKED STILT was found at Occoquan April 28--as were a
NORTHERN BOBWHITE and a BLUE GROSBEAK.
Several types of shorebirds, including SOLITARY and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS
and both YELLOWLEGS, are gracing small ponds throughout the
metropolitan area. The first turf field along River Rd south of Whites
Ferry, Montgomery Co, held a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and a SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER April 30.
On May 2, a PARASITIC JAEGER was harassing gulls along the beach at
the Cape Henlopen (DE) hawk watch.
A BONAPARTE'S GULL sailed over the Potomac near Violettes Lock,
Montgomery Co, April 27. CASPIAN and FORSTER'S TERNS were seen just
upstream, near Riley's Lock, on May 1.
Some 61 CASPIAN TERNS were loafing along the sandbars in Anacostia
Park, NE DC, May 1. A possible ROYAL TERN was observed flying over
Rock Creek Park, NW DC, April 28. Two ROYAL TERNS were reported from
Mariner Point Park, Harford Co, MD, May 1.
Well to our south, a yard in Lynchburg, VA, welcomed a WHITE-WINGED
DOVE on May 1 and a female PAINTED BUNTING the day before.
A single COMMON NIGHTHAWK was spotted May 1 over Tyson's Corner,
Fairfax Co. On May 3, a NIGHTHAWK perched in plain view at Ft Bayard
Park, River Rd, NW DC.
A CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW was calling near West Ocean City, Worcester Co,
on April 29.
A WHIP-POOR-WILL was heard and seen at Loft Ridge Park in Alexandria,
VA, April 30. A Charles Co yard also hosts a WHIP-POOR-WILL.
CHIMNEY SWIFTS have returned to many of their haunts, including the
Bookbindery chimney in Hampden, Baltimore Co; Oakton Elementary
School, Fairfax Co; and Sidwell Friends Lower School, NW DC.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS are checking out area feeders.
May 2 ranked as a 6-WOODPECKER day in a yard in Charles Co.
A possible OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, identified by call, was reported
from Monticello Park, Alexandria, May 1. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER
was reported May 1 at Susquehanna SP, Harford Co.
An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was found in the Possum Point area of Prince
William Co May 1.
A LEAST FLYCATCHER was heard and seen at Rock Creek Park, NW DC, May
3.
Two COMMON RAVENS were spotted April 27 in the McKeldin area of
Patapsco Valley SP, Howard Co, MD.
All six local SWALLOW species, including BANK and CLIFF, were found at
Leesylvania May 1. CLIFF was one of 5 species at Great Falls NP, VA,
that same day. CLIFF SWALLOW was also seen in western Loudoun Co, VA,
April 30, and on May 1, several CLIFF SWALLOWS and a few BANK SWALLOWS
put in an appearance at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co.
VIREOS were well represented this week.
So were thrushes, with numerous VEERIES and HERMIT and WOOD THRUSHES.
On May 3, two SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were found at Leesylvania's Powell's
Creek Trail.
Heading the warbler reports is a LAWRENCE'S WARBLER--a predominantly
yellow Golden-/Blue-winged hybrid--that was well observed in Loudoun
Co April 28; it was seen along the Sanitary Commission's gravel access
road running through Horsepen Run Preserve in the Countryside
subdivision in Sterling.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was found in the Big Elk Chapel Rd of Fair
Hill, Cecil Co, MD, on April 27--and was seen there again May 3.
In the District, warblers along the Mall, NW DC, included BLUE-WINGED,
MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, YELLOW, AMERICAN
REDSTART, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and OVENBIRD.
Picnic Area 18 and associated sections of Rock Creek Park, NW DC,
featured 11 warbler species on May 1 and 16 on May 3.
Six to 8 CERULEAN WARBLERS are on territory at the upper Thompson WMA.
Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA, enjoyed a bonanza of SWAINSON'S
WARBLER encounters, with 7 found on April 27 and 5 during the ANS trip
on May 1.
On May 1, Leesylvania and other areas of eastern Prince William Co
boasted 18 warbler species, plus both tanagers, both grosbeaks, and
both orioles.
On May 1, a SUMMER TANAGER was singing at Chester Phelps WMA, southern
Fauquier Co, May 1, and also at Monticello Park, Alexandria. On May 3,
a SUMMER TANAGER was seen along the C&O Canal, just downriver from
Noland's Ferry, Frederick Co, MD.
In Lynchburg, VA, two different CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS appeared in
private yards on May 2 and 3.
Singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and lingering WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were
reported from several locations.
A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen at Phelps April 28.
A BLUE GROSBEAK was noted at Huntley Meadows May 2
Beginning April 30, BOBOLINKS have popped up in a variety of
locations: in MD, in fields near Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co;
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co (this park is still closed for
restoration); in Queen Anne's Co, at the Wye Research Center near
Queenstown; in Charles Co, at Myrtle Grove; in Howard Co, in fields
along Rte 99 about .5 mile west of Rte 32. And in VA, at the community
natural area along Riverside Parkway, Loudoun Co, and on the approach
to Phelps in Fauquier Co.
The Reddish Knob area of Rockingham Co, VA, along Rte 924, continues
to draw RED CROSSBILLS. On May 2, two were "graveling" at the Briery
Branch Lake pull-off, while four more were found at the large gravel
area at the intersection of Rte 924 with FS road 85.
A PINE SISKIN visited a feeder in Loudoun Co April 30.
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. 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 as well as state, and
include your name and a Tuesday morning phone number.
Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.
* Of interest to the MD/DC Records Committee. For more information,
visit www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html.
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
