FYI Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/10/2007
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 completed at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
April 10.
Top bird this week is WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in MD.
Other birds of interest include RUFFED GROUSE, WILD TURKEY, AMERICAN
BITTERN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, gulls, CASPIAN TERN, RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, swallows, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET,
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, warblers and VESPER SPARROW.
A drake WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen in Maryland waters from Riverbend
Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 7. The bird was seen again on April 9.
A RUFFED GROUSE ambled into the woods near Piney Reservoir, Garrett
Co, MD on April 4. WILD TURKEYS were popping up in quite a few places
during the week including the Manassas Battlefield, Prince William Co,
VA on April 4; a yard near Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co, MD and near Big
Pool, Washington Co, MD on April 5; Nokesville, VA on April 6; River
Road, Montgomery Co, MD on April 7; Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William
Co, and Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD on April 8; and
Liberty Lake, Carroll Co, MD on April 10.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was flushed out of Washington Ditch in the Great
Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA on April 5. The AMERICAN BITTERNS
continue at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, seen on April 9.
Three YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were in the swampy area on Hunting
Quarter Road, Montgomery Co, on April 7. Three YELLOW-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS were spotted just off the Cross County Trail at Lake
Accotink Park, Fairfax Co, on April 8. Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co,
hosted three YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS on April 10.
An ICELAND GULL was seen at Skimmer Island, Ocean City, Worcester Co,
MD on April 7. Later, the gull moved to the rocks at the tip of the
South Jetty of the Ocean City Inlet. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED Gull was
observed at the North East Town Park, Cecil Co, MD on April 5. Another
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was viewed from Jackson's Landing, Anne
Arundel/Prince Georges Co, MD on April 8.
CASPIAN TERNS were seen at multiple spots in the area including: Lake
Artemisia, Prince George's Co, MD and the Lapidum Road boat ramp,
Cecil Co, on April 3; Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA on April 4;
Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD on April 6; Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co,
VA on April 7; Otter Point Marsh area, Baltimore, MD, Schoolhouse
Pond, Prince Georges Co, and Jug Bay, Anne Arundel and Prince Georges
Co, on April 8; Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince Georges Co, and the
Triadelphia Reservoir, Howard Co, MD on April 9.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was observed excavating a cavity at Monticello
Park, Alexandria, VA on April 3. A RED-HEADED WOOD
PECKER was seen coming to the suet feeder at Ft. Smith Park,
Arlington, VA on April 4 and 6. Another RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was
spotted at Bull Run Regional Park, Fairfax Co, on April 7. The
resident RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, were
observed on April 8.
Two BANK SWALLOWS were seen at the North East Town Park on April 4.
Centennial Lake was swarming with swallows on April 5 including
hundreds of TREE SWALLOWS, at least ten BARN SWALLOWS, a few NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS and a single PURPLE MARTIN. Three pairs of
PURPLE MARTINS were observed at Pickering Creek Audubon Center on
April 9.
GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS migrating through and
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS arriving into the area were reported in large
numbers through the week.
YELLOW-THROATED and PINE WARBLERS along with LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES
were reported across the region. An early BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
was spotted at Turkey Point, Cecil Co, MD on April 8. A birding day in
Worcester Co, MD on April 7, encountered some early warbler arrivals
for the county, including COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, OVENBIRD and YELLOW
PALM WARBLER. The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, previously seen, was glimpsed
in a yard in Pocomoke City, Worcester Co, MD on April 9.
A VESPER SPARROW was seen from Mexico Farm, Road, Allegany Co, MD on
April 5. Three VESPER SPARROWS were noted along Boog Road near
Manchester, Carroll Co, MD on the same day. A VESPER SPARROW was
flushed from the road shoulder along Mt. Olive Church Road, Worcester
Co, on April 7 while another VESPER SPARROW was seen at the WMA at the
end of Smokey Road in Calvert Co, MD on the same day. Ten VESPER
SPARROWS were actively feeding at Sky Meadows State Park, Fauquier Co,
VA on April 8,
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. 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 record committee.
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