FYI Joe
-----Original Message-----
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/25/17
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
Compiler: Joe Coleman
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle
Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of the
Voice (Individual $50; Family $65; Nature Steward $100; Audubon Advocate
$200). 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 covers the week starting Tuesday, April 18, and was
completed on Tuesday, April 25 at 9:15 a.m.
Information on noteworthy birds during this week is presented below in
taxonomic order, as set forth in the American Ornithologists' Union
Checklist for North and Middle American birds, as revised through the 57th
Supplement (July 2016).
TOP BIRD THIS WEEK were BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK* in VA, EURASIAN
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (COMMON TEAL)* in VA, and SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in VA.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST include waterfowl, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, rails,
SANDHILL CRANE, shorebirds including RUFF, LITTLE GULL, ANHINGA, AMERICAN
and LEAST BITTERN, SNOWY EGRET, TRICOLORED HERON, CATTLE EGRET,
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, WHITE-FACED IBIS, NORTHERN SHRIKE, RED
CROSSBILL, warblers, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW, and LINCOLN
SPARROW.
TOP BIRDS
Two BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS* were found April 22 at the private
Bayville Golf Club, Virginia Beach, VA.
A EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL (COMMON TEAL)* was seen April 20 at Craney
Island Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen April 22 at Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA.
Three were seen April 23 flying overhead east of Von Canon Rd, Northampton
Co, VA toward Cheriton.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
A CACKLING GOOSE continued at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Queen
Anne's Co., MD with a sighting on April 20.
On April 18 two NORTHERN BOBWHITES walked across the C&O Canal towpath at
about the 26.5 mile point (near Sycamore Landing, Montgomery Co, MD).Two
NORTHERN BOBWHITES were heard April 23 along SR628 close to the Hazel River
in the Rixeyville/Castleton area of Culpeper Co, VA.
One and sometimes two KING RAILS were seen April 18, 19, & 20 at Truitt's
Landing, Worcester Co, MD. The VIRGINIA RAIL and SORA were seen again at
Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co., VA on April 18.
The SANDHILL CRANES in Accident, Garrett Co, MD were seen again on April 20.
Four SANDHILL CRANES were seen April 18 at the Ashton Tract, New Castle Co,
Augustine Wildlife Area, DE; one was seen there April 22.
An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen throughout the week at Blackwater NWR,
Dorchester Co, MD. Among the increasing shorebird sightings during the week
was an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER at TRUITT'S LANDING, WORCESTER Co, MD on April
18.
The RUFF at the Port Penn Impoundments, Augustine Wildlife Area, New Castle
Co, DE was seen from the 20th through the 23rd with a second also being seen
on April 20, 21 and 23.
A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on
April 22. A WILLET was the other highlight at the weekly bird walk at
Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 24.
The LITTLE GULL at Back River, Diamond Point Road, Baltimore Co, MD was last
reported on April 19.
The ANHINGA at the Carson Wetland, Prince George's Co, VA was last seen
April 21. ANHINGAS continued to be seen at Stumpy Lake NA, Virginia Beach,
VA through April 21.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was found April 22 at Bles Park, Ashburn, Loudoun Co, VA
and relocated on April 23 and 24. An AMERICAN BITTERN was the highlight of
the weekly bird walk at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 24. A
LEAST BITTERN was found April 23 at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD, and
seen again April 24. A SNOWY EGRET was found April 21 in a tree next to the
pond at the parking lot in Occoquan Bay NWR, Woodbridge, Prince William Co,
VA. A TRICOLORED HERON flew over Hains Point, SW DC on April 23. Two CATTLE
EGRETS were found April 23 on Currioman Rd near Currioman Landing,
Westmoreland Co, VA. An adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was observed April
22 a little upstream from Fletcher's Cove (and a little downstream from
Chain Bridge, NW
DC) hunting along the edge of a small pond across from Gulf Branch on the VA
side. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were observed nest building in Sligo Creek
Park, Montgomery Co, MD on April 20, between Piney Branch and Carroll.
The WHITE-FACED IBIS* at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA was seen again on
April 18. A WHITE-FACED IBIS was seen April 23 at the Ashton Tract,
Augustine Wildlife Area, New Castle Co, DE.
The continuing NORTHERN SHRIKE at the Sully Woodlands, Fairfax Co, VA was
seen again on April 23 and 24.
Six RED CROSSBILLS were found April 18 at the four-road intersection on the
way to Reddish Knob, Augusta Co, VA.
Warbler sightings increased as the week progressed. CERULEAN WARBLERS were
reported on April 21 from Henryton Center, Carroll Co, MD and, on the same
day, at Patapsco Valley SP, Marriotsville, Howard Co, MD.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW continues to be seen at the Big Water Farm (private),
Queen Anne's Co MD, with the most recent report from April 24. A
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW also continued to be seen at the Driver Rd entrance to
the Patapsco Valley SP, Howard Co, MD through April 22. A VESPER SPARROW was
seen April 18 at Waterford Farm (restricted), Howard Co, MD; another was
seen April 19 along Long Neck Rd, St.
Mary's Co, MD. Two VESPER SPARROWS were seen April 23 in Kenilworth Park, NE
DC. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen April 23 in Druid's Hill Park, Baltimore
MD; the same day a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen at Hains Point, SW DC.
This report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list servers via
the ABA Internet links, and on eBird records.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, http://anshome.org/shop) is an
excellent source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice@xxxxxxxxxxx.
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as well as
the state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, either
e-mail or phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the applicable records committee