FYI Joe Coleman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Cordle"
To: birdeast
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 3:55 PM
Subject: DC Area, 8/16/2005
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/16/2005
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, August 16, at 3 p.m.
Top bird this week is YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER in VA.
Other birds of interest include WILD TURKEY, CLAPPER RAIL, LEAST
BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE HERON, COMMON MOORHEN, AMERICAN COOT, SANDHILL
CRANE, shorebirds including UPLAND, BAIRD'S, and BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE; SANDWICH and BLACK TERNS, COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, SEDGE WREN, warblers, HENSLOW'S
SPARROW, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, and BOBOLINK.
A brightly-colored YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was found Aug 13 during
the monthly bird walk at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in central
Loudoun Co, VA; it was on the recently opened bottomland trail.
Two WILD TURKEY hens were foraging at Quantico Marine Corps Base,
Prince William Co, VA, Aug 10.
As many as 2 dozen LITTLE BLUE HERONS, including 21 juveniles, have
been frequenting the pond on Williams Rd near Elkton, Cecil Co, MD.
CLAPPER RAILS were plentiful over the weekend in the marshes adjoining
Delaware Bay, in the vicinity of Slaughter Beach and Mispillion.
A family of COMMON MOORHENS--2 adults and 4 young--were seen August 13
at the Tanyard Marsh, along Rte 331 in Caroline Co, MD.
Breeding AMERICAN COOTS--this week, five adults and three young--were
seen Aug 13 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD. Also at
Hart-Miller: 3 LEAST BITTERNS, 17 species of shorebird, including 5
WHITE-RUMPED and 70 STILT SANDPIPERS.
A bird thought to be a juvenile SANDHILL CRANE paid a visit to a yard
in Colesville, Montgomery Co, MD, on August 9.
UPLAND SANDPIPERS--at least 11--continue in the fields of southwestern
Fauquier Co, VA, with reports through Aug 14. The Woodward Turf Farm
is located south of Remington on Sumerduck Rd (Rte 651) and Rte 654.
On Aug 14, the area also offered a juvenile RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, as
well as the occasional DICKCISSEL.
A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was reported Aug 12 from Craney Island,
Portsmouth, VA; the bird was seen from the south dike, just past the
entrance.
A juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was discovered the evening of Aug
15 in Caroline Co, MD; it was with other shorebirds in the newly
harvested portion of a cucumber field at the corner of North Oak Grove
and Kinder Rd.
On Aug 13, shorebirds were plentiful at Bombay Hook NWR, DE (so were
the bugs); the assortment included WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Waders were abundant, too.
Other DE sites with lots of shorebirds were Cape Henlopen SP, Prime
Hook NWR, and the Slaughter Beach bayshore.
On Aug 11, the ongoing survey of Poplar Island in Chesapeake Bay
(Talbot Co, MD) turned up both WILSON'S PHALAROPE and RED-NECKED
PHALAROPE.
For most of the week the pond on Williams Rd in Elkton held a rich
cache of shorebirds--including WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL, and STILT
SANDPIPERS. However, the habitat was wiped out, at least temporarily,
by rains on the evening of Aug 14.
On Aug 14, 3 BLACK-BILLED TERNS were present at Cape Henlopen SP and 1
each at Gordon's Pond and Prime Hook. Cape Henlopen also held a
SANDWICH TERN, while Gordon's Pond featured 5 SANDWICH TERNS,
including a juvenile with an all-yellow bill.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS have begun their nocturnal acrobatics over the
bright lights at Tyson's Corner, Fairfax Co, with reports from Aug 11,
13, 14, and 15.
Singing SEDGE WRENS were again found at the Logan Lane Tract of Ted
Harvey Conservation Area, DE, with reports on Aug 10 and 13.
Two singing SEDGE WRENS were relocated Aug 13 in Allegany Co, MD, near
the intersection of Bald Knob and Blank Rds outside of Savage River.
The area also held some singing HENSLOW'S SPARROWS and calling
BOBOLINKS.
A sprinkling of WARBLERS migrated through this week, including YELLOW,
BLACKBURNIAN, and CANADA, as well as AMERICAN REDSTART.
A ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was spotted Aug 16 at Lake Fairfax Park; it
was near group campsite G9.
As recently as Aug 13, 2 DICKCISSELS were singing in western
Montgomery Co, southeast of White's Ferry; these birds favor fields
across from the Patton Turf Farm at 24000 River Rd.
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 please do not submit photographs. 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
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.
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