FYI
Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 9:54 PM
Subject: DC Area, 5/16/06
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 5/16/2006
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: 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 report was prepared Tuesday, May 16, at 8 pm.
Top birds this week are TRUMPETER SWAN in MD, ANHINGA, MISSISSIPPI
KITE, and SANDHILL CRANE in VA, WHITE-WINGED DOVE in DE, and WESTERN
KINGBIRD in MD.
Other birds of interest include NORTHERN BOBWHITE, LEAST BITTERN,
herons, COMMON MOORHEN, PEREGRINE FALCON, BLACK and other RAILS,
shorebirds, GLAUCOUS GULL, GULL-BILLED TERN, BLACK SKIMMER, COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, OLIVE-SIDED and other FLYCATCHERS, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE,
PHILADELPHIA VIREO, HORNED LARK, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSH, warblers, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and BOBOLINK.
A TRUMPETER SWAN was still at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince
George's Co, MD, as of May 11.
A male ANHINGA could be seen--with a scope--from the spillway of
Stumpy Lake (on Elbow Road), just over the line in Virginia Beach, on
May 13.
For the sixth year in a row, a MISSISSIPPI KITE has returned to the
Waynewood neighborhood of eastern Fairfax Co, VA, with reports from
May 12 and 13. On May 15, a MISSISSIPPI KITE was spotted near
Manassas, Prince William Co, VA, as it flew over the Rte 234 exit from
I-66. On May 14, a MISSISSIPPI KITE soared over Back Road in
Shenandoah Co, VA.
Two SANDHILL CRANES flew across the James River, from Hog Island WMA
to College Creek in James City Co, VA, on May 10.
A male WHITE-WINGED DOVE was frequenting feeders in the last block of
Tazewell Ave in Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA, May 11 and 12. On
May 12, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was seen at Cape Henlopen SP, DE; it was
spotted at the parking lot at the Point.
At Ft McHenry, Baltimore, a WESTERN KINGBIRD provided extended views
on the evening of May 10.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE was heard calling at the Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Harford Co, MD, on May 9. Three BOBWHITES were reported near Upper
Marlboro on May 13. Also on May 13, 5 NORTHERN BOBWHITES were found at
Blandy Experimental Farm, Clarke Co, VA--along with 2 RED-HEADED
WOODPECKERS, a VESPER SPARROW, and BOBOLINKS.
At least 100 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are nesting in far southern
Prince George's Co, on towers that carry the power line from Chalk
Point across the Patuxent River to Calvert Co.
A LEAST BITTERN was found during the May 13 May Count at Courthouse
Point WMA, Cecil Co, MD.
An immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was discovered May 9 behind an
office building in McLean, Fairfax Co. A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was
observed flying over Rock Creek Park, NW DC, on May 10, and on May 13,
a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens,
NE DC, along the wooded river trail.
Both BLACK-CROWNED and YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were scoped at the
second impoundment at Pennyfield Lock, Montgomery Co, on May 14--along
with 8 to 10 pairs of nesting GREEN HERONS. On May 16, the adult
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON had been joined by a first-summer bird. On
May 9, a pair of YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS perched not far from the
tower at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co.
On May 16, a PEREGRINE FALCON soared past an office at Bailey's
Crossroads, Fairfax Co.
A BLACK RAIL found May 13 was the first noted in Dorchester Co, MD, in
several years; that same day southern Dorchester was home to 17
CLAPPER, 1 KING, and 47 VIRGINIA RAILS--as well as 9 COMMON MOORHENS.
On May 13, a single KING RAIL was heard, close at hand, in Prince
George's Co on May 13; it was on a stretch of the Patuxent River
between River Airport and Milltown Landing.
The beaches and wash flats of Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA,
hosted a colorful assortment of birds over the weekend, including
PIPING PLOVER, BLACK SKIMMER, and GULL-BILLED TERNS. In Kent Co, MD,
the main pond at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co, MD, held more than 700
shorebirds on May 13, including a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and a STILT
SANDPIPER, while fields around Great Oaks pond sported 400
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.
Following an impressive spawn of horseshoe crabs on May 13, the
beaches of Delaware Bay were teaming with shorebirds. In addition to
an estimated 1,000-1,500 RED KNOTS, Mispillion Harbor held several
hundred RUDDY TURNSTONES, at least 2,000 DUNLIN, and a few hundred
SANDERLINGS and DOWITCHERS, plus several BLACK-NECKED STILTS and a few
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS.
On May 15, the impoundments on Broadkill Beach Rd, DE, held 3 STILT
SANDPIPERS and 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, as well as 10 BLACK-NECKED
STILTS. On May 10, Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA, hosted 5
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS plus BLACK-NECKED STILTS, BLACK SKIMMERS, and
3 GULL-BILLED TERNS.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was present at the fishing pier along Port Mahon Rd,
DE, late in the day on May 14.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were in evidence at a variety of locations, with as
many as 15 seen in the Tyson's Corner area of Fairfax Co, over the
illuminated buildings on Gallows Rd at Boone Blvd near Leesburg Pike.
Single birds have been seen in VA, at Monticello Park and Falls
Church. In MD, they have appeared in yards in Cabin John, Montgomery
Co, and Ferndale, Anne Arundel Co. One NIGHTHAWK was roosting in an
oak at Picnic Area 18 in Rock Creek May 12, and on May 14 and 16, a
NIGHTHAWK was perched in a tree overhanging the C&O Canal beside the
first impoundment at Pennyfield Lock.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS made their traditional Mother's-Day-weekend
pass through the area, with 2 seen in the Granite Area of Patapsco
Valley SP, Baltimore Co, on May 13, and one at a home near Clifton,
Fairfax Co, on May 14.
On May 13, an ALDER FLYCATCHER was found along Leeds Manor Rd in the
vicinity of Sky Meadows SP, western Fauquier Co. This road also
offered BOBOLINKS and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS--and, further along--a
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. Sky Meadows itself presented a WILLOW FLYCATCHER
along the Bridle Trail.
Both ALDER and WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were singing May 16 in Pocahontas SP
on VA's Northern Neck; they were along the Beaver Lake Trail
boardwalk. A WILLOW FLYCATCHER was found May 13 at the DC Veterans
Memorial on the Mall, NW DC, and 2 were found May 12 at Haul Rd at
Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co.
A HORNED LARK was seen and heard in DC on May 14, as it winged over
the road through Kenilworth Park.
The trails of Eastern Shore NWR, Kent Co, revealed 3 pairs of nesting
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES on May 13.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO surfaced at Rock Creek Park on May 12.
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was seen at several area locations.
Warbler highlights this week included a female GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
at Rock Creek Park May 10, and a MOURNING WARBLER there May 11 and May
12, the latter near the Nature Center. A MOURNING WARBLER was
discovered May 13 along the C&O Canal upstream from Pennyfield Lock,
singing and foraging across from MP 20.
Other sites with double-digit warbler species included the National
Arboretum, NE DC; in MD, Upper Watts Branch Park, Rockville,
Montgomery Co; Rockburn Branch Park, Howard Co; Soldiers Delight NA,
Baltimore Co; Patuxent Research Refuge/North Tract, Anne Arundel Co;
in VA, Huntley Meadows Park; Prince William Forest Park; Possum Point
Rd, Prince William Co; and the G. Richard Thompson WMA in western
Fauquier Co.
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were again seen at several locations, including
Rock Creek Park; the Blue Ridge Center in northwest Loudoun Co, VA;
and Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co.
Some 20 BOBOLINKS popped up at Kenilworth Park, NE DC, May 13--along
with an EASTERN MEADOWLARK and a BLUE GROSBEAK. A few BOBOLINKS
lingered at Lake Artemesia in Greenbelt, Prince George's Co, through
May 11. On May 12, 30 BOBOLINKS flitted through fields near the main
pond at the soccerplex in Germantown, Montgomery Co. Some BOBOLINKS
visited fields in western Loudoun Co May 13, and about 35 were seen on
Deer Park Rd, Carroll Co, that same day.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY and
VA-Bird 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 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.
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