FYI
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/15/2006
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 report was prepared Tuesday, August 15, at 4
pm.
Top birds this week are BROWN BOOBY in VA, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE* in
MD and SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER in DE.
Other birds of interest include NORTHERN BOBWHITE, PIED-BILLED GREBE,
GREAT CORMORANT, TRI-COLORED HERON, WHITE IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE,
shorebirds including MARBLED GODWIT and WILSON'S PHALAROPE,
GULL-BILLED and BLACK TERNS, MONK PARAKEET, MOURNING WARBLER and
SEASIDE SPARROW.
A second-year BROWN BOOBY, discovered Aug 5 in Virginia Beach, was
seen again on August 8 and 9. It perches on pilings in the waters of
the Chesapeake Bay, at the juncture between First Landing SP (possible
fee) and Fort Story (a military installation, picture ID required,
entry through eastern gate).
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was photographed at a nursery in Frederick
Co, MD on August 12. It was seen again on August 13. The Stadler
Nursery is located on Mt. Zion Road. Please park on the right
(northbound) side of the road, rather than pulling into the Stadler's
lot. Look for the bird from the roadway. There is no need to enter
the nursery - unless you would like to buy a plant.
The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, found Aug 7 along Rte 9 outside Smyrna,
DE was relocated on August 14. It perched on telephone wires along Rte
9, just south of Paddock Rd and north of the Smyrna River.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE has been frequenting a yard in Falls Church, VA
with sightings during the week.
An early juvenile GREAT CORMORANT was on the jetty at the Ocean City
Inlet, Worcester Co, MD on August 8.
Six juvenile WHITE IBIS were spotted along the Wildlife Drive at
Chincoteague NWR on August 9. They were foraging in the roadside
ditch near the junction with Black Duck Trail. Another juvenile WHITE
IBIS flew over First Landing SP on August 10.
Two MARBLED GODWITS along with 11 other shorebird species were seen on
the mudflats off Hooper's Restaurant at the Ocean City Inlet on August
8. MARBLED GODWITS were noted on Skimmer Island, Ocean City, MD on
August 11 and 13.
A PIPING PLOVER was spotted at Roaring Point, Wicomico Co, MD on
August 8. Another PIPING PLOVER was seen on Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD on August 11.
A trip to Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on August 9 encountered 13
AMERICAN AVOCETS and 5 WILSON'S PHALAROPE along with 12 other
shorebird species. A trip to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on
August 12 encountered 133 PIED-BILLED GREBES, a TRI-COLORED HERON, an
AMERICAN AVOCET and 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.
On August 11, an UPLAND SANDPIPER was at the Central Sod Farm on John
Brown Road, while a RUFF was located at Pemberton Manor, both in Queen
Anne's Co, MD. Six UPLAND SANDPIPERS were spotted near Grassdale Road
in Remington, Fauquier Co, VA on August 12.
On Aug 8, 3 MISSISSIPPI KITES were spotted along Rte 29 at Buckland,
which straddles the Fauquier/Prince William Co lines. Two MISSISSIPPI
KITES flew over a neighborhood in Annandale, VA on August 12.
A GULL-BILLED TURN was noted at Chincoteague NWR on August 8. A
winter-plumaged BLACK TERN was seen at Bombay Hook NWR, DE on August
14.
MONK PARAKEETS turned up at a feeder in Beltsville MD and at Fort
McHenry NM, Baltimore Co, MD on August 14. The status of these birds
is unknown but they are most likely escaped/released pets.
Southbound warblers are starting to move through. A MOURNING WARBLER
was noted at Assateague Island on August 13.
An unexpected SEASIDE SPARROW appeared in a yard in North Beach,
Calvert Co, MD on August 12.
The hawk watch at Snicker's Gap, on the Clarke/Loudoun Co (VA) line,
is looking for volunteers to help monitor hawk migration,
September-November. For info, call 703-734-1238.
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 for 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)
