FYI Joe Coleman, Loudoun Co., VA
----- Original Message -----
From: <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 5:18 PM
Subject: DC Area, 8/31/04
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/31/04
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, August 31, at 1 p.m.
Top birds this week are *WHITE-FACED STORM PETREL in MD and CURLEW
SANDPIPER in DE.
Other birds of interest include assorted seabirds, LITTLE BLUE and
TRICOLORED HERONS, EURASIAN WIGEON, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, SANDHILL CRANE,
shorebirds including UPLAND, BAIRD'S, and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS,
BRIDLED and other TERNS, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, COMMON NIGHTHAWK,
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, SEDGE WREN, GOLDEN-WINGED and other warblers,
LARK SPARROW, and BOBOLINK.
The highlight of an Aug 28 pelagic out of Lewes, DE, was a *WHITE-FACED
STORM-PETREL.
In MD waters, it was well seen by all aboard.
A molting CURLEW SANDPIPER was seen briefly at Raymond Pool, Bombay
Hook NWR, DE, on Aug 28.
The Aug 28 pelagic from Lewes also garnered CORY'S and AUDUBON'S
SHEARWATERS, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, as well
as BLACK and BRIDLED TERNS. An overnight fishing trip out of Lewes Aug
26/27 tallied SOUTH POLAR SKUA and LONG-TAILED JAEGER, as well as
ARCTIC TERN. Five RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were found during fishing trip
out of Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD, on Aug 24.
An immature LITTLE BLUE HERON was still at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA, Aug 30. Seven TRICOLORED HERONS were discovered Aug 28
at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Grasonville, Queen Anne's
Co, MD. On Aug 24, 3 TRICOLORED HERONS frequented the mudflats behind
the Ocean City marina (between 21st and 22nd Sts).
On Aug 28, a EURASIAN WIGEON became the 281st species on the list at
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD.
On Aug 29, 61 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS passed over the Rockfish Gap hawk
watch at Afton, Augusta Co, VA. That same day, the hawk watch at
Snickers Gap on the Clarke/Loudoun Co, VA, line, tallied 32
BROAD-WINGS.
A SANDHILL CRANE was spotted Aug 26 as it flew over Rte 81, north of
Roanoke, VA.
The ANS Shorebird Workshop Aug 28 and 29 identified 24 species of
shorebird at Bombay Hook, including AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, HUDSONIAN
GODWIT, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE.
This week birders looked unsuccessfully for the Curlew Sandpiper at
Assateague Island SP, Worcester Co--but on Aug 25 the consolation
prize came in the form of 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS. Also in the
vicinity this week were BLACK-BELLIED and PIPING PLOVERS, RED KNOT,
and BLACK TERN. On Aug 28, the ORV zone at Assateague Island National
Seashore held a WILSON'S PHALAROPE.
At Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA, shorebirds on Aug 27 included
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER as well as UPLAND, BAIRD'S, and BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS, HUDSONIAN and MARBLED GODWITS, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE.
Two AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were found Aug 28 just south of Hurlock,
Dorchester Co, MD; they--and many KILLDEER--were in a large plowed
field on Rte 331.
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were seen Aug 28 and 29 in sod farm fields
along Bristow Rd, south of the Manassas Airport, Prince William Co,
VA. These fields are best viewed from a gravel road (Split Oak Lane)
at the north end, especially in the afternoon; be very careful not to
trespass on this property.
A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was found Aug 28 on the limited-access Dulles
Wetlands territory, Loudoun Co.
At the Mason-Dixon Farm off Harney Rd near Emmitsburg, Frederick Co,
MD, the east pond held a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, along with 7 other species
of shorebird, Aug 27 and 29.
At Hog Island State WMA, Surry Co, VA, fields across from the last
observation platform featured 4 UPLAND and 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS
on Aug 27, and 3 BUFF-BREASTEDS Aug 29.
A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was found Aug 28 at the Salisbury turf farm,
Wicomoco Co, MD. Shorebirds are also gathering at Lake Roland and
Paper Mill flats, both in Baltimore Co.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was spotted Aug 26 in Isle of Wight Co, VA;
it sat on wires near the intersection of Longview Dr and Oliver Dr. By
Aug 29, the number of COLLARED-DOVES at this location had swelled to
5. [This is a heavily trafficked area lined with residences and no
place to park; the recommended mode of viewing is a relatively slow
drive past.]
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were noted at Rock Creek Park, NW DC; in Montgomery
Co and Howard Co, MD; and, in VA, at Ft. F. C. Smith, Arlington, and
Van Dyck Park in Fairfax City.
An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was sighted at Rock Creek Park, NW DC, Aug
26; it was on a snag at the entrance to the Maintenance Yard. On Aug
28, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was found at the Blue Ridge Center in
Loudoun Co, along the power line cut. On Aug 29, one was spotted at
the Dulles Wetlands.
A SEDGE WREN was still present in Augusta Co, VA (in a field along Rte
876 near its intersection with Rte 602) on Aug 26, but there was no
sign of this species by Aug 29.
The warbler story is one of nice variety but small numbers.
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was again seen in Rock Creek Park, NW DC, Aug
30, near the police stables. On Aug 25, a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was
seen in Rock Creek Park near Lake Needwood in Montgomery Co. And a
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was banded at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co, VA,
Aug 30.
Small flocks of warblers were also reported from Little Bennett RP,
Montgomery Co, and the New York Monuments area of Manassas National
Battlefield Park, Prince William Co.
A LARK SPARROW was tracked down on Assateague Island National Seashore
Aug 28; it was first seen at the eastern part of the campground, then
along the B loop.
A flock of 45 BOBOLINKS was flitting along Port Mahon Rd, Little
Creek, DE, on Aug 30.
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, you can e-mail your report to
voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 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.
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