FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 5:21 PM
Subject: DC Area, 2/14/06
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 2/14/2006
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: Helen Patton
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 tape was made Tuesday, Feb 14, at 3:30p.m.
Top birds this week are *PACIFIC LOON in VA, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
and RUFF in MD and *SNOWY OWL in VA.
Other birds of interest include CACKLING GOOSE, GREAT CORMORANT,
raptors, LESSER BLACK-BACKED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, alcids and other
pelagic birds, SHORT-EARED OWL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, sparrows,
BALTIMORE ORIOLE, COMMON REDPOLL, and EVENING GROSBEAK.
A *PACIFIC LOON was seen again at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co in
far southern VA, on Feb 12, accompanied by a RED-THROATED LOON and
plenty of COMMON LOONS. The loons were in the Palmer Point Recreation
Area (which can be reached by taking Rte 4 south past the dam to
Palmer Point Rd).
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continue at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co, MD,
with reports of three birds seen on Feb 7. On Feb 9, the number had
increased to 5. The pelicans favor a mudbar on the Blackwater River
towards the end of the Wildlife Drive.
The RUFF discovered Jan 29 east of Bestpitch, Dorchester Co, was seen
on Feb 7. This bird comes to forage in a flooded field along Griffith
Neck Rd.
The SNOWY OWL at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, was seen again on Feb
11. The bird is being viewed from a 3-story public parking garage on
the corner of Aviation Dr and Propeller Ct; this can be accessed from
the Airport Services exit off the Dulles Toll Rd. On Feb 12, the
SNOWY OWL chased a SHORT-EARED OWL that flew a little too close.
A CACKLING GOOSE was found at Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co,
MD on Feb 11. Four HARLEQUIN DUCKS were seen on the CBBT, Northampton
Co, VA on Feb 12.
Three GREAT CORMORANTS were noted at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester
Co, MD on Feb 8. Another GREAT CORMORANT was spotted on Island 4 of
the CBBT on Feb 12.
An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported from alternate Rte 40
between Middletown and the Frederick/Washington Co, MD border.
The MERLIN that frequents the Fairlington Community Center, Arlington
Co, VA, was found again on Feb 11 despite the wet, blowing snow.
PEREGRINE FALCONS have been making a splash this week some favoring
sites near office buildings in Bethesda and Rockville, Montgomery Co
and Bailey's Crossroads, Falls Church, Fairfax Co, VA. Another was
sighted flying around the 14th St. bridge over the Potomac, SW DC.
Another PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted on the Water Tower at Ocean City,
Worcester Co, MD on Feb 8.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was loafing on the beach at Chincoteague
NWR, Accomack Co, VA on Feb 11. A GLAUCOUS GULL was sighted in the
vicinity of Chester Cove Marina, Fells Point, Baltimore City on Feb
10.
A Pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach, VA on Feb 11 spotted a MANX
SHEARWATER, a PARASITIC JAEGER, two LITTLE GULLS, COMMON and
THICK-BILLED MURRES, several RAZORBILLS and an ATLANTIC PUFFIN. A
DOVEKIE was seen at the Ocean City Inlet on Feb 9.
On Feb 10, three SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from Zion Crossroads,
Louisa Co, VA. Two perched SHORT-EARED OWLS were observed along
Crenshaw Road in Rectortown, Fauquier Co, VA on Feb 11. A SHORT-EARED
OWL was spotted flying over the fields along Rt. 628 on the south side
of Blandy Experimental Farm in Clarke Co, VA on Feb 13.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were evident in the region with reports from
Weinberg Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Feb 8 and 11; at the Waynewood
pull-out on the GW Parkway on Feb 10; at Banshee-Reeks Nature
Preserve, Loudoun Co, VA on Feb 11 and at the National Arboretum, DC
on Feb 12.
Sparrow aficionados were delighted this week with multiple sightings
which included AMERICAN TREE, SAVANNAH, FOX and WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS. Two VESPER SPARROWS were working a dirt patch on Bethel
Road, Wicomico Co, MD on Feb 12. Some LAPLAND LONGSPURS were sighted
in a small flock of HORNED LARKS a few miles south of Boonsboro along
Rte 67 just south of Park Hall Road, Washington Co, MD on Feb 12. Two
more LAPLAND LONGSPURS were spotted in Kent Co, MD, one by the side of
the road on Rt. 313 south of Massey and the second on Rt. 291 heading
east toward Delaware about 1 mile our of Millington.
A first-year, male BALTIMORE ORIOLE posed for his picture in La Plata,
Charles Co, MD on Feb 11. Two more BALTIMORE ORIOLES were spotted in
Alexandria, VA also on Feb 11.
A COMMON REDPOLL visited a feeder in Herndon, Fairfax Co, VA on Feb
12.
An EVENING GROSBEAK was picked out of a mixed flock at Chino Farm,
Queen Anne's Co, MD on Feb 9. Three EVENING GROSBEAKS were reported at
the feeders at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (formerly
Horsehead Wetlands), Queen Anne's Co, MD on Feb.12.
See Life Paulagics will be running a regular 12-hour offshore pelagic
on Saturday Feb 25. They need additional signups in order to run the
proposed 8-hour inshore pelagic on Sunday Feb 26. For more details,
check the web site at paulagics.com or call 215-234-6805.
Brian Patteson, using his own new boat, the Stormy Petrel, proposes
running one, perhaps two, February pelagic trips ( Feb 18 [19],
perhaps Feb 25 [26]) out of Virginia Beach. For details, check the
website at seabirding.com, or phone 252-986-1363 to express your
interest.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY,
VA-Bird, and DE Birds 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 photographs, 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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