FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 3:37 PM
Subject: DC Area, 11/01/2005
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/01/2005
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 tape was made Tuesday, November 1, at 1 p.m.
Top birds this week are *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT and CAVE SWALLOW in MD
and RED PHALAROPE, RUFOUS/ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, and LE CONTE'S SPARROW in VA.
Other birds of interest include SNOW GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, ducks,
EARED GREBE, raptors including NORTHERN GOSHAWK and GOLDEN EAGLE,
CHIMNEY SWIFT, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, VESPER and
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, DICKCISSEL, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, COMMON
REDPOLL, and PINE SISKIN.
A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT spent much of the week on the Potomac River just
upstream from Violette's Lock in Montgomery Co, MD--and it
occasionally made forays over the shoreline into VA. This
bird--obviously smaller than the Double-crested Cormorants in the
vicinity--had been observed briefly in August; it was spotted again
Oct 25 and 26, and photographed. The bird was not always present, but
it frequently returned to a favorite perch, a fallen log about
three-quarters of the way across the river. This cormorant was seen
from Violette's daily through the morning of Oct 30. That afternoon,
it was spotted several miles down river, from Riverbend Park, Fairfax
Co, VA.
A basic-plumaged RED PHALAROPE was reported Oct 30 at Craney Island,
Portsmouth VA. It was in the middle cell of the western side, along
with the EARED GREBE.
A RUFOUS or ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD made daily visits to a feeder in Cape
Charles, Northampton Co, VA, from Oct 26 through at least Oct 29. [The
location is 9 Randolph Ave.]
A CAVE SWALLOW was seen Oct 27 at Maryland Rock (Beauvue ponds)
southeast of Leonardtown, St. Mary's Co, MD. This bird--and perhaps a
second Cave Swallow--was/were in the company of 1-2 Barn Swallows and
about 500 Tree Swallows.
A "glowing" LE CONTE'S SPARROW was discovered Oct 30 at Occoquan Bay
NWR, Prince William Co, VA, and relocated Oct 31 and Nov 1. This
cooperative bird frequents field and shrubbery along the Bayview
Trail, just short of its intersection with Charlie Rd.
SNOW GEESE have returned in force, with an estimated 30,000 seen at
Bombay Hook's Shearness Pool during the ANS field trip ON Oct 29.
A CACKLING GOOSE was reported Oct 27 at Meadow Park, Cecil Co, MD--as
expected, with a flock of Canadas.
Birders seeking the Neotropic Cormorant at Violette's Lock also found
AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, as well as 2
HORNED GREBES.
RED-TAILED HAWKS ruled on Oct 26 at the hawk watch at Snicker's Gap,
on the Clarke/Loudoun Co (VA) line, with a count of 172. On Oct 29,
the hawk watch at Rockfish Gap, Augusta Co, VA, counted 590 RED-TAILS
and 2 GOLDEN EAGLES.
Snicker's Gap closed out October with a total of 5 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS
and 8 GOLDEN EAGLES. During October, the hawk watch at Harvey's Knob
on the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA recorded 4 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS and 4
GOLDEN EAGLES.
A GOSHAWK was also spotted from a hawk blind at Short Hill in northern
Loudoun Co, VA, on Oct 26--along with nearly 300 other raptors,
including more than 200 RED-TAILS.
On Oct 26, an adult GOLDEN EAGLE soared over Ft. C. F. Smith Park,
Arlington, VA. On Oct 30, the hawk watch at Turkey Point, Cecil Co,
tallied its first GOLDEN EAGLE of the season. On Oct 30, a GOLDEN
EAGLE flew over Trappe, Talbot Co, MD, heading in the direction of
Blackwater NWR.
The Sunday morning walk at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, was treated to a
MERLIN fly-by on Oct 30.
CHIMNEY SWIFTS were still in evidence at numerous locations, including
Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD, on Oct 30.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was discovered Oct 29 at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier
Co, VA, and refound Oct 30. It was near the fishing pond, across Rte
17 from the entrance to the Bridle Trail. It was in field and bushes
just past a group of willows by a stream.
A group of 6 COMMON RAVENS was observed Oct 29, as the birds circled
the summit of Old Rag Mt in Shenandoah NP, VA. On Oct 29, a COMMON
RAVEN flew over Blue Ball Rd in Cecil Co.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were in good supply, with 3 at a feeder in
Potomac, Montgomery Co, on Oct 28; 6 observed on a walk on Loudoun Co,
Oct 29; and 3 at Blandy Experimental Farm, Clarke Co, Oct 30. A
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was discovered Oct 30 at the National Arboretum,
NE DC.
As many as 10 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were found Oct 30 and 31 at
Turkey Point. The birds were scattered between the parking lot and the
hawk watch.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was spotted on Oct 29 along Montresor Rd
near Lucketts, Loudoun Co.
A VESPER SPARROW was found Oct 28 at Southwest Area Park, Baltimore
Co; it was along the edge of the road as it nears the boat ramp. Three
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were found at Sky Meadows Oct 30.
A DICKCISSEL was discovered Oct 27 at Turkey Point, in the vicinity of
the lighthouse.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC, hosted a RUSTY BLACKBIRD and 2
PURPLE FINCHES on Oct 28. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were also observed at
Hughes Hollow on Oct 30.
As many as a dozen PURPLE FINCHES visited a feeder in Kent Co, MD, on
Oct 26.
On Oct 29, a COMMON REDPOLL flew over Snicker's Gap in a flock of
goldfinches.
Two PINE SISKINS were seen at Blandy Oct 28. One PINE SISKIN, and 2
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, came to a feeder in Darnestown, Montgomery
Co, Oct 29 and 30.
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 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 photographs, 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 the MD/DC Records Committee. For more information,
visit www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html.
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