Thought some of you might find this int'g. It is the Rare Bird Alert for
the greater Washington area. Since it gets forwarded to MDOSPREY
(Maryalnd's list server) every week when it is finished & sometimes includes
VA birds that have not been posted on VA-Bird I though some of you might
want to see it.
Thanks, Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
From: <scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <birdeast@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 3:24 PM
Subject: DC Area, 8/03/04
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/03/04
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, August 3, at 3 p.m.
Top birds this week are RED-NECKED STINT in DE, BLACK TERN in MD, and
ELEGANT TERN in VA.
Other birds of interest include LEAST BITTERN, waders including SNOWY
EGRET, MISSISSIPPI KITE, shorebirds including AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER,
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, and SEDGE WREN.
An adult RED-NECKED STINT was spotted at Bombay Hook NWR, DE, in the
late morning of July 31. This bird, which retained a good bit of
breeding plumage on the head and breast, was at the north end of
Shearness Pool. Around midday, the birds there were put up by a hawk
and the Stint was not relocated.
Some 35 BLACK TERNS migrated through Montgomery Co, MD, Aug 1--and one
still lingered Aug 2. They were seen across from Violette's Lock,
swooping for insects over the emergent vegetation above the rapids in
the Potomac River.
There was a report of an ELEGANT TERN at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack
Co, VA. On the afternoon of Aug 2 this bird was resting with a variety
of other terns on the Queen's Island Sound flats on the northeast side
of the causeway to Chincoteague (Rte 175), at low tide.
Two LEAST BITTERNS were spied at Neabsco Creek, Prince William Co, VA,
July 31.
Two SNOWY EGRETS were still at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC, July
31.
In Prince George's Co, MD, Lake Redington at the Patuxent Research
Refuge featured a variety of waders, including GLOSSY IBIS, an
immature LITTLE BLUE HERON, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
At least 42 CATTLE EGRETS were found July 29, amidst the cattle at
Todd's Inheritance, near Fort Howard in eastern Baltimore Co.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was again observed over the Waynewood Elementary
School, Fairfax Co, VA, July 27 and 31, both days around 6 p.m. (Take
the Waynewood Blvd exit off the George Washington Parkway. If you
enter the school grounds, please sign in at the office.)
Other Fairfax Co sightings of MISSISSIPPI KITES included one bird over
a yard in Annandale, west of the Beltway, on July 30, while and 2 or 3
were seen over Mason Neck SP July 31.
At Bombay Hook, edges are starting to appear in the formerly flooded
impoundments, and on July 31 they drew 17 species of shorebird (in
addition to the stint). At the Logan Tract of the Ted Harvey
Conservation Area, DE, July 31, the south end of the south pond was
full of herons and ibis as well as shorebirds--including AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER in nearly full breeding plumage.
Also on July 31, Hart-Miller Island, a dredge-containment facility in
the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore Co, featured 19 species of shorebird,
including HUDSONIAN GODWIT, RED KNOT, and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. At
Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA--another dredge-fill site--more than
2,000 small peeps were joined by DOWITCHERS, STILT SANDPIPERS, and at
least one juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER.
Closer to town, shorebirds are congregating on the mudflats at Hunting
Creek, Fairfax Co, and at Paper Mill Rd, Baltimore Co. Plus, the
vegetation on the Potomac at Violette's Lock hid a surprising variety
of shorebirds, including RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING, and PECTORAL
SANDPIPER.
A bird thought to be a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was reported from Ft.
C. F. Smith Park in Arlington, VA, on July 30.
The SEDGE WRENS of Augusta Co, VA, were observed repeatedly throughout
the week. As of Aug 1 at least 3 could be found--at a distance--in a
field along Rte 876 near its intersection with Rte 602. A scope is
recommended.
The Aug 28 pelagic trip from Lewes, DE, is fully subscribed. To
inquire about a waiting list, 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' 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, you can 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.
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
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