FYI
Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
From: <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2004 8:28 PM
Subject: DC Area, 11/02/04
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/02/04
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 $30; Family $40; Nature Steward $60; Audubon
Advocate $100). 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, Nov 2, at 7 p.m.
Top birds this week are BRANT and *KELP GULL in MD.
Other birds of interest include GEESE, including GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED, SNOW, ROSS'S and CACKLING, raptors including NORTHERN
GOSHAWK and GOLDEN EAGLE, VIRGINIA RAIL, shorebirds including plovers
and godwits, BONAPARTE'S GULL, SHORT-EARED OWL, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE,
nuthatches, SEDGE and other WRENS, AMERICAN PIPIT, ORANGE-CROWNED and
other WARBLERS, SPARROWS including CLAY-COLORED, VESPER, GRASSHOPPER,
and FOX, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, DICKCISSEL, RUSTY BLACKBIRD,
BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE, PURPLE FINCH, and PINE SISKIN.
A BRANT made a highly unusual appearance in Montgomery Co, MD.
Discovered on Oct 29, it has been observed daily, most recently this
morning, Nov 2. It is being seen in the Potomac just upstream from
Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal. It is sometimes close to the
Maryland shore, sometimes obscured among rocks and fallen logs closer
to Virginia.
Seven BRANT were found at Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co, Oct 29. On Oct
31, a BRANT was spied at the Hurlock WWTP, Dorchester Co, MD (through
the fence, as all the gates are now closed for a major maintenance
project.)
Maryland's *KELP GULL was again found behind the Sea Breeze Crab
House, Sandgates, St. Mary's Co, on the morning of Oct 22.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was discovered Oct 30 at the Harrison Rd
pond in Fauquier Co, VA.
Great Oak Pond, near Melitota in Kent Co, MD, continued to host ROSS'S
GOOSE and CACKLING GOOSE, plus 2 HUDSONIAN GODWITS, with the most
recent reports from Nov 1. Fields to the left of the pond held
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. [Great Oak Pond can
be reached by taking Rte 20 west from Chestertown and Rte 514
(Flatland Rd) northwest to the Melitota. Here the road becomes Handy
Point Rd, which goes west 2-3 miles to a left turnoff with a sign
indicating the Great Oak yacht club. The pond is a short distance on
the left.]
Two CACKLING GEESE were reported from Bombay Hook's Bear Swamp Nov 1.
On Nov 1, the SNOW GEESE at Bombay Hook were estimated at 80,000.
BUFFLEHEAD arrived on the scene this week, with reports from Queen
Anne's Co, MD, at the pond on Rte 309 near Rte 213, and also at
Horsehead Wetlands Center near Grasonville; as well as from at
private ponds in Fauquier Co. RUDDY DUCKS were also noted at several
locations. A handsome HARLEQUIN DUCK was found Oct 29 at the CBB/T,
Northampton Co, VA.
On Nov 1, a BALD EAGLE soared high over the Smithsonian Castle, SW DC,
and a little later one was seen over the Lincoln Memorial. On Oct 31,
a BALD EAGLE was one of 7 species of raptor observed from the National
Arboretum, NE DC; the others included NORTHERN HARRIER and AMERICAN
KESTREL. Four BALD EAGLES were seen during the Sunday morning walk at
Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA, Oct 31.
The Snicker's Gap hawk watch (on the Loudoun/Clarke Co VA line)
tallied GOLDEN EAGLES on Oct 26, 28, and 31, plus NORTHERN GOSHAWK on
the 28 and 31. On Nov 1 a juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE flew over a hawk watch
at Cromwell Valley park in Baltimore Co. A GOLDEN EAGLE was reported
from Bombay Hook NWR, DE, on Oct 31, and that same morning one was
spotted near Oak Grove, west of Seaford, DE.
On Oct 31, the hawk watch at Rockfish Gap* in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, enjoyed a day of non-stop birds, led by 542 RED-TAILED
HAWKS. That same day Snicker's Gap tallied 148 RED-TAILS.
[*The Rockfish Gap hawk watch is located on the grounds of the Inn at
Afton, VA, just above where I-64 (exit 99) intersects with the
southern end of the Skyline Drive, just east of Waynesboro and
approximately 22 miles west of Charlottesville.]
A VIRGINIA RAIL or two were again found at Lilypons Water Gardens,
Frederick Co, MD, Oct 26, in the large impoundment near the pink
house.
At the Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, MD, from time to time a
passing raptor puts up more than 100 KILLDEER.
An unusual brown and white plover was observed at Shearness Pool,
Bombay Hook NWR, DE, Oct 30. However, it was not relocated thereafter.
On Nov 1, 2 MARBLED and 1 HUDSONIAN GODWIT were seen at the far end of
Shearness Pool.
Four BONAPARTE'S GULLS appeared at Beaverdam Reservoir, Loudoun Co,
VA, Oct 31. That same day a BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen at Loch Raven
Reservoir, Baltimore Co, MD.
A report of a SHORT-EARED OWL, and a NORTHERN HARRIER, came from
Hughes Hollow Oct 31.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was discovered Oct 30 along Broadkill Beach Rd
(Rte 16), DE. The shrike was sitting on phone wires along the dirt
road that begins where the main road turns left, before the
impoundments.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES showed up in yards in Charles, Cecil,
Montgomery, and Prince Georges counties in MD, and in Fairfax Co, VA.
A SEDGE WREN at E A Vaughn WMA, north section, was one of 5 species of
wren found Oct 30 on the lower Eastern Shore of MD. MARSH WRENS were
also reported from Lilypons and Hughes Hollow.
AMERICAN PIPITS were found in Kent Co, MD, at the Chestertown
filtration plant on John Hanson Rd; at sod farm fields in Remington,
SW Fauquier Co; at the privately owned North Fork wetlands in Prince
William Co; and at the Patton Turf Farm, just south of White's Ferry
in far western Montgomery Co.
On Oct 28, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was picking along the ground near
the big pond at the new National Museum of the American Indian, on the
Mall in SW DC. An OVENBIRD was reported from the deck of a home in
Silver Spring, Montgomery Co, on Oct 27. A female CONNECTICUT WARBLER
was reported from Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park, Montgomery Co, on
Oct 26.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was one of 10 species of sparrow reported at
Blue Mash Oct 30. On Oct 31, 7 sparrow species, including LINCOLN'S,
were found at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC. Nine species of
sparrow found Oct 30 at Vessey's Orchard in Somerset Co, MD, included
VESPER and LINCOLN'S. Three VESPER and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW were on
view at Milltown Landing, Prince George's Co, Oct 30. GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW was also seen along Grassdale Rd near Remington, Fauquier Co,
Oct 30.
FOX SPARROW was spotted at Lilypons Oct 26 and 28, a Baltimore Co yard
Oct 27, Blue Mash Oct 28, and Huntley Meadows Oct 30.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen at Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA, on Oct
30.
A SNOW BUNTING was reported at Blackwater NWR Oct 30, and another at
the Easton STP, Talbot Co, MD, Nov 1.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were noted at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Hughes
Hollow, and Sky Meadows.
Some 38 BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES were observed on the dikes at Bombay
Hook's Shearness Pool Nov 2.
PURPLE FINCHES appeared at feeders and parks throughout the area. And
there was something of an explosion of PINE SISKINS, especially at
niger feeders; the high count was likely the 29 or more seen at Zion
Crossroads, Louisa Co, VA.
A pelagic trip is scheduled for Dec 11 out of Lewes, DE. For more
information, contact See Life Paulagics at 215-234-6805 or check their
web site at www.paulagics.com.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY,
VA-Bird, and Delaware Birds list servers.
Claudia Wilds's book, Finding Birds in the National Capital Area, is
an excellent source of directions to many birding sites. And the ANS
Bookstore is an excellent source for this and many other
nature-related titles: 301-652-3606.
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 e-mail reports
before midnight Monday, identify the county and state, and include
your name and a Tuesday morning phone number.
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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