Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/24/2015
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments and questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
Compiler: Gerry Hawkins
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
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This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon
Naturalist Society. This report covers the week starting Tuesday,
November 17 and was completed on Tuesday, November 24 at 10:30 a.m.
The top birds this week were BROWN BOOBY* in MD, FRANKLIN'S GULL* in
DE and VA, GRAY KINGBIRD* in VA, CAVE SWALLOW* in VA and WESTERN
TANAGER* in VA.
Other birds of interest this week included ROSS'S GOOSE, CACKLING
GOOSE, TRUMPETER* and TUNDRA SWANS, EURASIAN WIGEON, COMMON EIDER,
HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK, SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED
DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREAT CORMORANT, LITTLE BLUE, TRICOLORED and
GREEN HERONS, WHITE IBIS, GOLDEN EAGLE, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, SWAINSON'S
HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AMERICAN AVOCET, STILT and PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, PARASITIC JAEGER, LITTLE, BLACK-HEADED and ICELAND GULLS,
SHORT-EARED OWL, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH,
SEDGE WREN, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER,
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and several late songbird migrants.
TOP BIRDS
An adult female BROWN BOOBY* continues near two large cargo ships on
Locust Point in Baltimore Harbor, with the most recent sighting on
November 23. On November 17, an apparently different female BROWN
BOOBY* was found a short distance outside the reporting area at Van
Sciver Lake (restricted access) in Bucks Co, PA. Found two days
earlier, this bird is a first state record for PA.
A few FRANKLIN'S GULLS* remained in the area following the historic
displacement that occurred along the mid-Atlantic coast last week.
Sightings included two individuals spotted with LAUGHING GULLS at the
Hunting Creek Bridge and nearby Dyke Marsh WP in Fairfax Co, VA on
November 17 and 18, four individuals at Island #1 at the Chesapeake
Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Northampton Co, VA on November 17 and, just
outside the reporting area in New Castle Co, DE, one individual at
Augustine Beach on November 21 and 22 and at the Port Penn
Impoundments on November 23.
On November 21-23 a GRAY KINGBIRD* was observed foraging from wires
near the intersection of Magotha and Harmony Roads in Northampton Co,
VA. A rare fall visitor on the Virginia coastal plain, this is the
first reported appearance of this species in Virginia since November
2005.
The perplexing post-breeding movements of CAVE SWALLOWS* continued to
be evident at several coastal locations. Sightings included a daily
high of 88 individuals at the Hawk Watch and Taylor Pond at Kiptopeke
SP and nearby Magotha Road in Northampton Co, VA on November 17, 18,
20, 21 and 23, two individuals at the Craney Island Disposal Area,
Portsmouth, VA on November 18 and one individual at Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA on November 23.
A male WESTERN TANAGER* continues at a residential yard in James City
Co, VA. First seen in January 2009, this bird returned to this
location on November 2, eight days earlier than in past years.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
A continuing group of six ROSS'S GEESE was seen all week at several
proximate locations in Caroline and Talbot Counties, MD, consisting of
Tanyard Marsh and Skeleton Creek and south Poplar Neck Roads in
Caroline Co and Easton WWTP and Barkers Landing Road in Talbot Co. A
ROSS'S GOOSE also was found at Hurlock WWTP, Dorchester Co, MD on
November 17 and 18. CACKLING GEESE were found at several locations,
including a high of six at Hurlock WWTP, Dorchester Co, MD on November
17, 18 and 20 and two at Easton WWTP, Talbot Co, MD on November 17.
On November 20 and 21 a tagged and an untagged TRUMPETER SWAN* were
reported at Turner Pond in Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA. In MD, a
longstanding, tagged TRUMPETER SWAN continues at Lake Churchill in
Montgomery Co, with the latest sighting on November 22. In the latter
part of the week migrating TUNDRA SWANS were conspicuous in sight and
sound at several locations in the reporting area.
A male EURASIAN WIGEON was seen again at the Craney Island Disposal
Area, Portsmouth, VA on November 18, and from the White Pine Circuit
Trail at Loch Raven Reservoir, Baltimore Co, MD on November 21. COMMON
EIDERS were uncommon, with 1-2 at the Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co,
DE on November 20-22 and one off the south end of Prime Hook Beach at
Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on November 22. A continuing male
HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen at the Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co, DE on
November 20-22, but there were no reports of the two males seen last
week a short distance south at the Ocean City Inlet in MD. On November
22 and 23 two BLACK SCOTERS* were seen inland at Riverbend Park,
Fairfax Co, VA, and on November 17 two SURF SCOTERS* were seen again
inland at Lake Shenandoah, Rockingham Co, VA. A hen WHITE-WINGED
SCOTER was among the waterfowl at Black Hills Regional Park,
Montgomery Co, MD on November 22, and a hen LONG-TAILED DUCK made a
surprise one-day visit to Loch Raven Reservoir ? Paper Mill Flats,
Baltimore Co, MD on November 21. During the week COMMON GOLDENEYES
made their first significant entry into the reporting area this
season, with a high of 20 at the Route 231 bridge over the Patuxent
River in Calvert Co, MD on November 21.
A small number of GREAT CORMORMANTS were reported at the Indian River
Inlet, Sussex Co, DE on November 20-22 and at the Ocean City Inlet,
Worcester Co, MD on November 20.
Noteworthy sightings of herons and egrets included a continuing late
GREEN HERON at Wilck's Lake in Prince Edward Co, VA on November 17 and
19, a late LITTLE BLUE HERON found at Rocky Point Park, Essex Co, MD
on November 17 and a high of 14 TRICOLORED HERONS at Chincoteague NWR
and nearby areas in Accomack Co, VA on November 17, 21 and 22. A small
number of WHITE IBIS were seen during the week at Fisherman Island,
Northampton Co, VA and Chincoteague NWR and nearby areas in Accomack
Co, VA, with a high of 14 at the latter on November 21.
Migrating GOLDEN EAGLES were observed at several area hawk watches,
with individual sightings (except as indicated) at the Kiptopeke SP
Hawk Watch, Northampton Co, VA on November 17, 21 and 23, Rockfish Gap
Hawk Watch, Augusta Co, VA on November 21, 22 and 23 (3), and Harvey's
Knob Hawk Watch, Roanoke, VA on November 19 and 22. A GOLDEN EAGLE
also was reported at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA on November 21,
Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD on November 22 and
along Hanson Mountain Road in Albemarle Co, VA on November 23. Raptor
highlights also included a NORTHERN GOSHAWK reported at the Rockfish
Gap Hawk Watch, Augusta Co, VA on November 17 and 20 and a young,
light morph SWAINSON'S HAWK that flew over the Cape Henlopen SP Hawk
Watch, Sussex Co, DE on November 23. For the second consecutive week a
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen at Burkes Garden, Tazewell Co, VA, but to
date these are the only reports of this species in the reporting area
this season.
Small numbers of AMERICAN AVOCETS continue at the Craney Island
Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA, with 11 seen on November 18, and at
Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE, with a high of 35 on November 20-22.
Lingering shorebirds included a STILT SANDPIPER seen at Bombay Hook
NWR on November 22 and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER found at Tanyard Marsh,
Caroline Co, MD on November 21.
PARASITIC JAEGER was observed at several coastal locations, including
two at the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch, Sussex Co, DE on November 17, one
at Rudy Inlet, Virginia Beach, VA on November 19 and 1-2 at the
Kiptopeke SP Hawk Watch, Northampton Co, VA on November 17, 20 and 21.
On November 22 a first-cycle LITTLE GULL and a second-cycle ICELAND
GULL were spotted among the many BONAPARTE'S GULLS at the Indian River
Inlet, Sussex Co, DE. For the third consecutive year a BLACK-HEADED
GULL is wintering at Loch Raven Reservoir ? Paper Mill Flats or nearby
in Baltimore Co, MD. A BLACK-HEADED GULL also continues in Swan Cove
at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, with the latest sighting on
November 23.
Sadly, during the week a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was found dead on the
campus of The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, an
apparent victim of a window kill on or about November 17, which is
well past the extreme late date of November 10 for this species in
Virginia's Birdlife ? An Annotated Checklist (VA Gold Book).
A second-hand report of a SNOWY OWL in Baltimore Co, MD turned out to
be a case of mistaken identity, but this species likely will make an
appearance in the reporting area soon as numerous recent reports of
SNOWY OWLS in the upper Midwest and Northeast indicate a third
consecutive winter irruption of SNOWY OWLS, with early reports far
exceeding the numbers seen by this time during the historic irruption
in the winter of 2013-2014.
On November 17 a SHORT-EARED OWL was observed being mobbed by crows
near Sandy River Reservoir (by the bridge on Route 605) in Prince
Edward Co, VA.
A continuing female RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen at a feeder
near the intersection of Jefferson Street SE and 24th Street SW in
Roanoke, VA through November 22, which is well past this species'
extreme late date of November 12 according to the VA Gold Book.
Two locally uncommon BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES continue in tall pines
near the southern end of Poplar Neck Road in Caroline Co, MD, with the
latest report on November 21.
On November 21 two SEDGE WRENS were discovered at Rumbly Point,
Somerset Co, MD, and one was found along Magotha Road in Northampton
Co, VA.
On November 23 a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was found on the South Beach at
Sandy Point SP, Anne Arundel Co, MD. There have been few reports of
SNOW BUNTING in the reporting area this season, but one was found at
the Craney Island Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA on November 18 and two
were reported at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on November 20.
On November 18 an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was found at Pemberton Park,
Wicomico Co, MD and Patterson Park, Baltimore Co, MD, and on November
21 two were found at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen in small numbers at several
locations, with a high of three at the Irvine Nature Center, Baltimore
Co, MD on November 21.
Finally, during the week there were a number of mostly one-day
sightings of various late songbird migrants. These included a WARBLING
VIREO in Glenn Dale, Prince George's Co, MD; a BLUE-HEADED VIREO at
the Winkler Botanical Preserve, Alexandria, VA and Weyanoke Sanctuary,
Norfolk, VA; a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER at five locations in MD and VA,
including a continuing individual at Loch Raven Reservoir ? Paper Mill
Flats, Baltimore Co, MD; a NORTHERN PARULA at City Park in Newport
News, VA; a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER at the Craney Island Disposal
Area, Portsmouth, VA and Pemberton Park, Wicomico Co, MD; a PALM
WARBLER at Lake Elkhorn, Howard Co, MD and Dyke Marsh WP, Fairfax Co,
VA; a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal,
Montgomery Co, MD; and a BALTIMORE ORIOLE at the Cape Henlopen SP Hawk
Watch, Sussex Co, DE.
With thanks for the birds and best wishes to all this Thanksgiving.
***
This week's report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers via the ABA Internet links, and on eBird records.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, http://anshome.org/shop)is
an excellent source for guidebooks and many other nature-related
titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice@xxxxxxxxxxx.
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as
well as the state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning
contact, e-mail or phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the applicable state records committee
