FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 8:27 PM
Subject: DC Area, 4/18/06
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/18/2006
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 compiled Tuesday, April 18, at 7
pm.
Top birds this week are ANHINGA in MD and WHITE-FACED IBIS,
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, and SANDHILL CRANE in VA.
Other birds of interest include LONG-TAILED DUCK, EARED and other
GREBES, AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS, herons, GLOSSY IBIS, BROAD-WINGED
HAWK, rails, shorebirds, CASPIAN TERN, WHIP-POOR-WILL, CHIMNEY SWIFT,
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, flycatchers, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, vireos, COMMON
RAVEN, HORNED LARK, PURPLE MARTIN, CLIFF SWALLOW, WOOD THRUSH,
warblers, sparrows, ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES, and PURPLE FINCH.
An ANHINGA soared and circled in a leisurely fashion over Lilypons
Water Gardens, Frederick Co, MD, a little after noon on April 18; it
moved off in a northwesterly direction.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS--or possibly three--in the company of several
GLOSSY IBIS, flew into Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, around
5:30 pm on April 17, and were seen again April 18.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen the afternoon of April 17 as it soared
south along the Fairfax County Parkway in the vicinity of Braddock Rd.
A SANDHILL CRANE landed in a pasture in Blacksburg, Montgomery Co, VA,
on the evening of April 16, and it was still present the next morning.
The pasture, which is near the Aquatic Research Center, is adjacent to
a building that looks like a mobile home; the bird was down toward the
creek at the bottom of the hill.
The LONG-TAILED DUCK on the Potomac River in Montgomery Co, MD, was
seen again April 12, at the head of the rapids at Violette's Lock.
An EARED GREBE was found again at Violette's Lock on April 11, 12, and
14. These waters also hold HORNED and PIED-BILLED GREBES.
On April 16, Lilypons offered AMERICAN BITTERN as well as GREAT EGRET,
GREEN HERON, and more than 50 WILSON'S SNIPE; a SORA was heard. On
April 17, at least 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS were present at Lilypons. On
April 16, 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS flushed from a riverside slough just
outside the Governor Bridge Park, Prince George's Co, MD.
A LEAST BITTERN was calling at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, April 15.
GREEN HERONS returned to the area early in the week. On April 12, one
flew over Maine Ave, SW DC, and one surfaced at Centennial Lake,
Howard Co, MD. Others were found April 13 Paint Branch Stream Valley
Park, College Park, and April 14 at the second impoundment at
Pennyfield Lock. A GLOSSY IBIS put down for 5 minutes at Hughes Hollow
on the evening of April 18, before heading out northwest.
A push of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS was noted April 15 and 16, not only at
the Fort Smallwood Park hawk watch in Anne Arundel Co, MD, where they
had 90 BROADWINGS on April 16, but also in Arlington and Falls Church
in Northern Virginia, at Perry Hall in Baltimore Co, and on 45th St in
NW DC.
Irish Grove, Somerset Co, MD, again held hosted CLAPPER RAILS--some 45
of them--as well as half a dozen VIRGINIA RAILS.
Shorebirds have begun to trickle in. On April 15, Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, NE DC, hosted GREATER YELLOWLEGS and SOLITARY SANDPIPER as
well as WILSON'S SNIPE. On April 14, the Brown Station Landfill,
Prince George's Co, had both YELLOWLEGS and PECTORAL and SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS. A LEAST SANDPIPER was reported from Hughes Hollow,
Montgomery Co, MD, on April 14. Three AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen at
Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA, on April 12.
Newly created wetland ponds at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot
Co, MD, attracted 9 shorebird species April 17, including Short-billed
Dowitcher, Dunlin, and Stilt Sandpiper.
Ten CASPIAN TERNS were counted at the Navy Yard, SW DC, on April 11.
There were a dozen CASPIAN TERNS at Violette's Lock on April 14.
A WHIP-POOR-WILL was heard two days in a row, April 11 and 12, in
Catonsville, MD.
CHIMNEY SWIFTS were noted April 12 over a yard in Cabin John,
Montgomery Co, MD, and at Fort McHenry, Baltimore; April 13 in
Arlington; April 14 in NW DC; and April 16 at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co.
Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were noted at Fort Smallwood Park April 16.
Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue at the beaver pond, Jug Bay, Anne
Arundel Co, MD, as of April 16.
AN EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE was reported from Paint Branch SVP on April 13.
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER was found at White Oaks Park, Fairfax Co,
April 13. EASTERN KINGBIRD was present April 13 in Queen Anne's Co,
MD, along Rte 404 west of Denton; and on April 14 at Fran Uhler NA,
near Bowie in Prince George's Co.
A pair of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES was discovered April 16, and seen again
April 17, along the Meadow Trail at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA.
WHITE-EYED VIREOS arrived in number this week. WARBLING VIREO was seen
April 14 at Fair Hill, Cecil Co, MD; April 16 in a yard in Charles Co,
MD; and April 18 at Fletcher's Boathouse, NW DC.
On April 16, a COMMON RAVEN was seen above I-66 in Prince William Co,
VA, just inside the PW/Fauquier Co line. A pair of COMMON RAVENS was
noted April 16 in Montgomery Co, on Edward's Ferry Rd just north of
White's Ferry Rd. On April 18 a pair of COMMON RAVENS sailed over
Lilypons.
Two HORNED LARKS were observed as they displayed over the Harford Co
(MD) airport April 15.
PURPLE MARTINS are back in force. CLIFF SWALLOWS are again building
nests under the Rte 7 bridge over the Shenandoah River in Clarke Co,
VA.
The song of the WOOD THRUSH rang out at several locations, including
Turkey Run Park, Fairfax Co, April 13; a woodlot in Queen Anne's
county, near the intersection of US 301 and MD 304; the grounds of
Bowie State U, Prince George's Co, April 15, and Rock Creek Park, NW
DC, April 18.
Warbler highlights included BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER in a
Beltsville yard April 14, and 3 BLACK-THROATED BLUES at Monticello
Park, Alexandria, VA, April 18; BLACK-THROATED GREEN at Julie Metz
April 16 and in Reston April 17; and a female CERULEAN in a yard in
Charles Co, MD, April 16.
A PRAIRIE WARBLER is back on territory along River Rd near Hughes
Hollow Rd, Montgomery Co, MD. A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was discovered at
Roosevelt Island, NW DC, April 16. PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS are working
at nest boxes along the C&O Canal north of Riley's Lock, Montgomery
Co, MD. PROTHONOTARY was one of 9 species of warbler seen at
Leesylvania SP April 15.
WORM-EATING WARBLER was noted in California, St. Mary's Co, MD, April
12, and at Rock Creek Park April 18. An OVENBIRD showed up in the
heart of the Adams-Morgan neighborhood, NW DC, April 13. A HOODED
WARBLER was discovered at White Oaks Park April 18.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was present at KAG April 14; Julie Metz April 15;
Dyke Marsh April 16; and Lilypons April 16.
A SUMMER TANAGER was found April 16 at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary,
Prince George's Co.
In the sparrow department, a FIELD SPARROW visited Fort Bayard Park,
NW DC, on April 12 and 13. VESPER was one of 9 sparrow species seen at
Sky Meadows on April 16. VESPER SPARROW was seen April 13 at Harrison
Rd in Fauquier Co.
SEASIDE SPARROWS arrived at Irish Grove April 12 and numbered 5 by
April 16, at which time they joined by 6 SALT-MARSH SHARP-TAILED
SPARROWS.
An ORCHARD ORIOLE showed up at Leesylvania April 16. A BALTIMORE
ORIOLE was an early arrival at Fletcher's Boat House on April 18.
PURPLE FINCHES, including many highly colored males, lingered through
the week.
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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