FYI Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 6/26/2007
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: Joe Coleman
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 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
June 26.
Top birds this week are BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* in MD,
WHITE-FACED IBIS* in MD, and SANDHILL CRANE* in VA.
Other birds of interest this past week include NORTHERN BOBWHITE,
LEAST BITTERN, MISSISSIPPI KITE and other hawks, KING RAIL, PIPING
PLOVER, gulls and terns, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, ALDER FLYCATCHER,
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BROWN CREEPER, VEERY, warblers, HENSLOW'S SPARROW,
DARK-EYED JUNCO, and DICKCISSEL.
Two BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS* were found in a water-retention
pond in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel Co, MD on June 25. They flew away a
little before 9:00 p.m. that evening and have not been seen since
then.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS* was seen at the West Ocean City Pond, MD on June
22 and 23.
A SANDHILL CRANE* was seen and photographed feeding in a farm field on
June 22 in Buchanan Co, VA in the southwestern corner of the state.
NORTHERN BOBWHITES were reported from several locations this past week
including a yard in Queenstown, Queen Annes Co, MD, during a bird walk
at New Quarter Park near Williamsburg, VA, and in a park in western
Fairfax Co, VA.
LEAST BITTERNS were also reported from a number of locations. One was
found at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on June 21, 22, and the 23rd. Two
LEAST BITTERNS were also seen June 23 chasing each other over the
marsh at Neabsco Creek, just west of the entrance to Leesylvania SP,
Prince William Co, VA. LEAST BITTERNS were also the highlight of the
regular weekly Dyke Marsh bird walk on June 24.
MISSISSIPPI KITES were again seen flying over the Stratford Landing
neighborhood in Fairfax Co, VA with one on June 20 and two on June 21.
Two NORTHERN HARRIERS, a highly unusual find this time of year, were
found in a park in western Fairfax Co on June 23. Also unusual at this
time of year was a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in Talbot Co, MD on June 20.
A KING RAIL was observed at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on June 21, 22,
and the 23rd.
A PIPING PLOVER was seen on a nest at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co,
VA on June 22.
A June 23 trip to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD found 8 gull
species, including, a first-summer FRANKLIN'S GULL, a first-summer
LITTLE GULL, and a first-summer LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and 6
species of terns, including, a GULL-BILLED TERN.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were found at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA
on June 19. A nest with adults feeding young was found at Hughes
Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD on June 23.
An ALDER FLYCATCHER was singing on Ballenger Creek Pike, about a
hundred yards south of Mountville RD, and about 2 miles south of
Adamstown in Frederick Co, MD on June 21. It was relocated on June 24.
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES continue to be seen along the Bridle Trail not far
from the parking lot on the eastern side of Sky Meadows SP.
A BROWN CREEPER was seen and a VEERY heard at the Brookside Nature
Center, adjacent to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Montgomery Co, MD on
June 22.
Warblers, most nesting, continue to be reported throughout the area
with five species at Occoquan NWR on June 23 and nine at the Blue
Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northwestern Loudoun Co,
VA on the same day. However, one of the most unusual warbler sightings
for this time of year was a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER at the Rock
Creek Park Maintenance Yard in NW DC on June 23.
HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were found on a trip to western MD over the weekend
at Old Legislative Rd just south of Klondike Rd, near Frostburg in
Garrett Co, MD.
A DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen in a backyard in Baltimore Co, MD on June
21.
A DICKCISSEL was seen at the Univ. of MD Agricultural Farm on Wye
Island, Queen Annes Co, MD on June 22 and again on June 23. A
DICKCISSEL was also seen June 24 at the same location as the
earlier-reported Alder Flycatcher on Ballenger Creek Pkwy, about a
hundred yards south of Mountville RD, and about 2 miles south of
Adamstown in Frederick Co, MD.
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 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 or call 301-652-1088 and select 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.
