[va-bird] Fw: Greater Washington Area, 12/14/04

FYI - Joe Coleman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 10:11 PM
Subject: DC Area, 12/14/04


Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:                12/14/04
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 14, at 5 p.m.

Top birds this week are *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD and *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
in MD; BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD in VA; and *CAVE SWALLOW in both MD
and VA.

Other birds of interest include EARED GREBE, seabirds, GREAT
CORMORANT, waterfowl including HARLEQUIN DUCK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER,
raptors, VIRGINIA RAIL, SANDHILL CRANE, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, HORNED
LARK, AMERICAN PIPIT, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW,
LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, PURPLE FINCH, and PINE SISKIN.    

A female *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues at a yard in Baltimore Co, just
north of the city line, as of December 14. (To make an appointment to
see this bird, contact yeiche@xxxxxxxxxxx)

A *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD continues to visit feeders at a yard near
Bowie in Prince George's Co, MD. The most recent report comes from Dec
11. (For directions, contact pdavis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

A BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD has been a regular at yard in Cape
Charles, Northampton Co, but this morning (Dec 14) it failed for the
first time to show up. (The 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.)

CAVE SWALLOWS continue to dominate the news. In Worcester Co, MD, a
single CAVE SWALLOW was glimpsed at Assateague Island National
Seashore, and CAVE SWALLOWS were seen at Eagles Nest Campground, south
of Ocean City, both sightings on Dec 11. On Dec 12, 8 to 12 CAVE
SWALLOWS were found at three locations in Worcester Co: in the
vicinity of the bridge leading to Assateague Island; the South Point
boat ramp; and at the Ocean City Inlet.

Also on Dec 11, a CAVE SWALLOW became species # 282 to be recorded
Hart-Miller Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore Co. Hart-Miller
also continues to host a EURASIAN WIGEON.

Two, perhaps more, CAVE SWALLOWS were found at the Craney Island
landfill in Portsmouth, VA, on Dec 11. On Dec 12, 10 or 12 CAVE
SWALLOWS were still in evidence in the vicinity of the Eastern Shore
of VA NWR in Northampton Co, VA, more specifically around Latimer
Siding Rd. 

The EARED GREBE on Little Seneca Lake, Black Hill RP, Montgomery Co,
was spotted several times this week--late in the afternoon Dec 8 and
10, and again mid-day Dec 12. It is best seen in the cove alongside
Rte 121, south of the bridge.  

The Dec 11 pelagic out of Lewes, DE, was hindered by mechanical
problems, but nonetheless got to see MANX SHEARWATER, RED PHALAROPE,
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, RAZORBILL, and PUFFIN.

Near dusk on Dec 10, the flocks of geese coming in to Little Seneca
Lake included 6 and possibly 9 RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GEESE. 

Both a ROSS'S GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE were picked out of an immense
flock of geese near Oak Grove, DE, on Dec 12.

Some 500 TUNDRA SWANS were among the thousands of waterfowl sheltering
at Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD, on Dec 8.

On Dec 12, the Ocean City Inlet held 2 COMMON EIDERS and, later, a
female KING EIDER, as well as GREAT CORMORANT. 

The HARLEQUIN DUCK at Wades Point Inn in Talbot Co, MD, was still
present Dec 13. [From Easton, take Rte 33 west through St Michaels to
Wades Point Rd. The Inn is the large white house at the end of road,
beside the bay. Park in designated spots and go to the main building
to let the (very gracious) management know you are there.]   

On Dec 12, a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS was present on Island # 1 of the
Chesapeake Baby Bridge/Tunnel, Northampton Co, while a single
HARLEQUIN was on Island # 4.  

A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was a highly unusual visitor at the Triadelphia
Reservoir, on the Montgomery/Howard Co line. The bird was discovered
Dec 12 and found again Dec 13, both times in the Greenbridge Rd area
in Montgomery Co.

On Dec 9, Hains Point, in West Potomac Park, SW DC, held BALD EAGLE,
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, MERLIN, and PEREGRINE FALCON. On Dec 12, a MERLIN
was spotted at Cameron Station in Alexandria, VA.
 
Two GOLDEN EAGLES were spotted Dec 12 at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester
Co, MD, one, a near adult, soaring over Key Wallace Dr and another
over Greenbridge Rd. 

Three, perhaps six, SHORT-EARED OWLS began flying over the marshes
along Rumbly Point Rd, Somerset Co, MD, in bright afternoon light on
Dec 12. That night, 9 or 10 VIRGINIA RAILS could be heard at Irish
Grove, the MOS Sanctuary on Rumbly Point Rd.   

The juvenile SANDHILL CRANE in Montgomery Co was most recently
reported Dec 12. As before, it was in fields on the east side of West
Willard Rd, just north of the Poolesville Public Golf Course. 

A first-winter ICELAND GULL showed up Dec 14 at Schoolhouse Pond,
Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co. 

One GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, one LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and one
LAUGHING GULL were all unusual visitors at Little Seneca Lake on Dec
10. 

Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were found at the Beulah landfill in Dorchester Co,
MD, Dec 11. The next day a first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was seen not far
away, in Choptank, Caroline Co. An adult winter GLAUCOUS GULL was
found Dec 12 at Conowingo Dam, on the Harford/Cecil Co line, MD. 

On Dec 14, a brightly-plumaged YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT appeared in a
small garden just northeast of downtown Baltimore. 

AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were one of 9 sparrow species found Dec 11
during the regular monthly walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve,
Loudoun Co, VA. On Dec 12, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was also seen at
Occoquan Bay NWR, and at the Julie Metz wetlands bank, both in Prince
William Co, VA.  
 
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR and several HORNED LARKS were seen Dec 12 on the
grounds of the polo club on Hughes Rd in northwestern Montgomery Co.

A flock of 10 or so SNOW BUNTINGS whizzed along the beach next to the
Ocean City Inlet Dec 12. On Dec 11, some 4 dozen SNOW BUNTINGS visited
Hart-Miller Island.

PURPLE FINCHES are back at area feeders, with reports from the Visitor
Center at Mason Neck NWR and a yard in Springfield, both in Fairfax
Co, VA, and from Alexandria, VA. In MD, PURPLE FINCHES have been
spotted at Eastern Neck NWR, as well as yards in Darnestown,
Montgomery Co, and in Bowie, where they were in the company of a PINE
SISKIN.

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, 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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.

Other related posts: