FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
Birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 8:38 PM
Subject: DC Area, 1/3/06
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 1/3/2006
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 $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 tape was made Tuesday, Jan 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Top birds this week are *PACIFIC LOON, *CLARK'S GREBE, *CALIFORNIA
GULL, *ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, and LECONTE'S
SPARROW in VA and *TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and *OREGON JUNCO in MD.
Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, CACKLING
GOOSE and other waterfowl, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, NORTHERN GANNET, GREAT
CORMORANT, AMERICAN BITTERN, raptors including NORTHERN GOSHAWK,
rails, RED KNOT, PURPLE SANDPIPER, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, LOGGERHEAD
SHRIKE, TREE and CAVE SWALLOWS, warblers, AMERICAN TREE and other
SPARROWS, SNOW BUNTING, and PINE SISKIN.
A *PACIFIC LOON was seen Jan 1 at Palmer's Point, Kerr Reservoir, in
Mecklenburg Co in far southern VA. This is the same area that hosted a
Pacific Loon in the winter of 2004.
A *CLARK'S GREBE was once again found on the Little Creek CBC in
Virginia Beach on Dec 31. It was just off the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier,
where it could be easily studied with a scope from First Landing State
Park just to the east
An adult *CALIFORNIA GULL was reported from Neabsco Creek, Prince
William Co, VA, on Dec 28.
The *ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD was an irregular visitor this week to the
yard in Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA. It was last seen Dec 30.
A BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was discovered Dec 31 at Occoquan Regional
Park, Fairfax Co, VA, and relocated Dec 31 and Jan 1. This bird, a
Northern VA first, was initially seen just past the power line cut
near a 25 mph sign. It later moved a little further down the road, to
an area with pines on both sides. Occoquan RP is located on Rte 123/Ox
Rd, north of the Occoquan River; when the gate to the park is closed,
you can park and walk in.
A *TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was discovered Jan 2, and seen again repeatedly
and at length Jan 3, at Noland's Ferry in Frederick Co, MD. This bird,
a first state record, favors the tops of deciduous trees along the C&O
towpath below and about 1/4 mile above the entrance road, New Design
Rd.
A *LECONTE'S SPARROW was seen Jan 1 in James City Co, VA, just west of
Williamsburg. It was along the Green Springs Trail, at the base of a
large earthen berm about a mile from the trail entrance at Jamestown
HS.
An *OREGON JUNCO made a third appearance at a feeder in Frostburg,
Allegany Co, on Dec 31.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was observed Dec 30 at Schoolhouse Pond,
Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD.
A CACKLING GOOSE was found during the Ft. Belvoir CBC Dec 31, in a
retention pond behind the new Lorton High School, Fairfax Co, VA.
Waterfowl continue to congregate at various area locations, including,
in MD, Piney Run Park, Carroll Co; Black Hill RP, Montgomery Co; and
Centennial Lake, Howard Co. A COMMON GOLDENEYE was again seen on Lake
Artemesia, Prince George's Co, MD on Dec 28.
Male and female EURASIAN WIGEONS were found Dec 28 at the Eagle's Nest
Golf Course south of Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD. A drake EURASIAN
WIGEON was found Dec 28 at Horsehead Wetlands Center, Queen Anne's Co,
MD. A EURASIAN WIGEON was found Jan 2 at Loch Raven Reservoir,
Baltimore Co; it was in the cove opposite the fishing center.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was found at Occoquan Bay NWR Dec 31.
A GREAT CORMORANT was seen at Indian River Inlet, DE on Dec 27. The
Inlet also showcased NORTHERN GANNETS, COMMON EIDERS, and PURPLE
SANDPIPERS.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was found during the Sugarloaf CBC Jan 2 at
Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick Co, MD.
A perched COOPER'S HAWK was seen Jan 1 in NW DC at the C&O Canal and
31st St.
A juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK was briefly seen on Dec 31 in Washington
Co, MD, along Broadfording Rd near Spickler Rd.
A GOLDEN EAGLE was spotted Jan 1as it flew overhead during the
Walkerton CBC in Prince William Co, VA, at Elson Green.
On Jan 1 in the District, one PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at the
railroad bridge (adjacent to the 14th St bridge) over the Potomac,
while another was present at Kenilworth Park, NE DC.
A BLACK RAIL was heard along Rumbly Point Rd near Irish Grove,
Somerset Co, MD, during the Crisfield CBC.
A KING RAIL was reported from Occoquan Bay NWR Dec 31.
At Lilypons, a VIRGINIA RAIL responded to a tape on Dec 31 but was
silent for the CBC Jan 2. However, a SORA seen Jan 2 at Lilypons was a
first for the Sugarloaf Count.
On Dec 28, 62 RED KNOTS were present at Back Bay NWR in Virginia
Beach; they were about a mile south of the VC along the beach trail.
One LITTLE GULL and two BLACK-HEADED GULLS were among many BONAPARTE'S
and RING-BILLED GULLS at Fort Story, Virginia Beach, on Dec 31.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were noted Jan 1 in DC, one on the right
bank of the Anacostia and two near the Navy Yard visible from
Anacostia River Park. Other sightings of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
occurred at the Prince George's Co landfill Dec 29, Neabsco Creek,
Prince William Co, VA, Dec 31, and at the mouth of Hunting Creek,
Fairfax Co, Jan 1.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was discovered on Smith Island, Northampton Co, VA,
during the Cape Charles CBC.
Three and four SHORT-EARED OWLS again made pre-dusk appearances along
Crenshaw Road at Rectorstown, Fauquier Co, VA on Dec 27 and 30. Two
SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen Dec 30, and again Jan 1, just north of
Winchester, Frederick Co, VA, where they could be observed from
Milburn Rd.
On Dec 30, a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE flew in at sunset and perched at the
top of a small tree in the southern cell of the Dulles Wetlands, a
privately owned property in Loudoun Co, VA.
A TREE SWALLOW was spotted Jan 1, during the Patuxent River CBC, over
Solomon's Island.
Two CAVE SWALLOWS were observed Jan 2 as they fed for several hours
along the northeastern corner of Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA.
Several huge gatherings of AMERICAN ROBINS have been noted in
Montgomery Co. On the south side of Kensington, a grove of bamboo
along Glenrose Rd, just one block off Connecticut Ave, hosts thousands
of Robins each night. On Dec 28, an estimated 7.5 thousand Robins were
noted along the C&O Canal between Edward's Ferry and White's Ferry.
Another roost was reported north of Bonifant Rd in Silver Spring
Warbler sightings this week included YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER visiting
a feeder at Lake Smith in Virginia Beach, on Dec 27 and Dec 30; PINE
WARBLER at a suet feeder in Montgomery Co Dec 30, and at Pohick RP,
Fairfax Co, Dec 31; and two PALM WARBLERS Dec 28 in Loudoun Co, one at
Banshee Reeks NP and one at the Dulles Wetlands. A male COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT was on display at Lilypons on Dec 31.
On Jan 2, fields near the horse farm on West Offutt Rd in western
Montgomery Co held a nice collection of SPARROWS, including AMERICAN
TREE, FIELD, and FOX. Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were present at Vint
Hill Farms Park, Culpeper Co, VA, Dec 30.
Twenty SNOW BUNTINGS were found on Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD, on
Dec 28. Two SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Sandy Point SP, Anne Arundel
Co, MD, Dec 27.
A PINE SISKIN was discovered at Sandy Run RP, Fairfax Co, on Dec 31.
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 of 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. But no photographs, please. 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 either the MD/DC Records Committee
(www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html) or the VA Records Committee
(www.virginiabirds.org)
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