FYI - this report is for sightings from April 14 through April 20 and was
compiled by John Bjerke & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/21/09
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: John Bjerke
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 report was completed Tuesday, April 21, at
8:00 am.
Top birds this week are WHITE-FACED IBIS* in MD and DE and HARRIS'S
SPARROW* in VA
Other birds of interest include BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK*,
EURASIAN WIGEON, RUFFED GROUSE, RED-NECKED GREBE, LITTLE BLUE HERON,
NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE, BLACK RAIL, SORA,
SANDHILL CRANE, shorebirds, FRANKLIN'S GULL, LITTLE GULL, BONAPARTE'S
GULL, terns, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE*, SNOWY OWL, SHORT-EARED OWL,
vireos, COMMON RAVEN, CLIFF SWALLOW, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, warblers
including SWAINSON'S, VESPER and LINCOLN'S SPARROWS*, EASTERN
MEADOWLARK, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS* was seen near Berlin, Worcester Co, MD on Apr 18
and 19. The bird was on the east side of Rt 113 just south of Rt 346.
Another WHITE-FACED IBIS* was spotted on the Prime Hook Beach Road,
Sussex Co, DE on Apr 18 and 19.
The HARRIS'S SPARROW at a residence near Dayton, Rockingham Co, VA was
present all week with last report on Apr 19. The owner at 5946 West
Dry River Rd is happy to share with courteous birders. A first year
HARRIS'S SPARROW continues at a feeder in Columbia, Howard Co, MD.
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* continued this week at Silver Lake,
Rehoboth, DE. A EURASIAN WIGEON was found in Snow Goose Pool,
Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on Apr 18.
WILD TURKEY AND RUFFED GROUSE were seen in Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co,
MD on Apr 18.
Two RED-NECKED GREBES were found in the Potomac River near Hains
Point, Washington, DC on Apr 15.
Among the many egret and heron sightings were LITTLE BLUE HERONS at
Schoolhouse Pond, Prince Georges Co, MD on Apr 16, Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, Washington, DC on Apr 17, and Harford Glen, Harford Co, MD on
Apr 19.
A juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over Columbia, Howard Co, MD on Apr
18. The largest of several flights of BROAD-WINGED HAWK was 176 at
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD on Apr 17. A GOLDEN EAGLE flew
over the hawk watch at Ft Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Apr
18.
Four BLACK RAILS were heard in the marshes of southern Dorchester Co,
MD on Apr 19. Three SORAS were found at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on
Apr 15. Another SORA was seen at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD on
Apr 17. A SORA was heard at the Union Mills wetland, Carroll Co, MD on
Apr 19.
A SANDHILL CRANE graced the Dulles Greenway Wetlands, Loudoun Co, VA
on Apr 17.
Shorebird migration has begun. AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were seen
outside Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE this week. A WESTERN SANDPIPER
was seen at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on Apr 18. Thousands
of DUNLIN are staging to leave the area. WILSON'S SNIPE moving through
our region were widely reported.
An adult FRANKLIN'S GULL was found at Back River, Baltimore Co, MD on
Apr 20. A LITTLE GULL in breeding plumage was seen on Hart-Miller
Island on Apr 18. Hundreds of BONAPARTE'S GULLS are at Back River. A
third year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was there on Apr 20.
A ROYAL TERN flew past Fletcher's Boathouse on the Potomac,
Washington, DC on Apr 19. A COMMON TERN was on Diamond Pt, Back River,
on Apr 14.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE* was seen at a feeder in Fruitland, Wicomico
Co, MD on Apr 15.
A SNOWY OWL was spotted in the Drexel Woods townhomes in Catonsville,
Baltimore Co, MD on Apr 16. A SHORT-EARED OWL was found at Griffith
Neck, Dorchester Co, MD on Apr 16.
As migration progresses, first-of-season reports flood the list-serves
and hotlines. Birders took particular note across the region of
CHIMNEY SWIFTS, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, vireos, especially
BLUE-HEADED, swallows and HOUSE WREN. CLIFF SWALLOW was noted at Oxbow
Lake in Anne Arundel Co, MD and along the Patuxent River near Mt.
Calvert, Prince Georges Co, MD. All six of the regularly occurring
swallow species were seen at Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal on Apr
20.
COMMON RAVEN continue to wander from traditional areas; a single bird
was seen at Oxbow Lake on Apr 16 and two were there on Apr 18.
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS are on their way out of area but birders saw 50
on Apr 19 at Rockburn Park, Howard Co, MD.
Warbler sightings continued to multiply. Among the sites with the most
reports were Huntley Meadows and Dyke Marsh in Fairfax Co, VA; Hughes
Hollow and Little Bennett Regional Park in Montgomery Co, MD; and Rock
Creek Park in Washington, DC. Five SWAINSON'S WARBLERS were heard and
one was photographed along Jericho Ditch, in Great Dismal Swamp NWR,
Suffolk, VA on Apr 18.
Two VESPER SPARROWS were found in Southwest Area Park, Baltimore Co,
MD on Apr 19. Another VESPER SPARROW was at the intersection of Wilt
Rd and Wakefield Valley Rd, Carroll Co, MD on Apr 19. A LINCOLN'S
SPARROW was seen near milepost 163 on the C&O Canal on Apr 19.
Unusual inside the Beltway, an EASTERN MEADOWLARK was observed in Ben
Brenman Park, Alexandria, VA on Apr 19.
Winter lingerers included several reports of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, the
largest count was 230 in the Main Meadow at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA on Apr 19. Eight PURPLE FINCHES stopped in a Bethesda,
Montgomery Co, MD yard on Apr 19. Nineteen WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS
were seen on Hillandale Rd between Fountainhead Rd and Briarcliff Dr
in Washington Co, MD on Apr 19. Another WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was in
Centennial Park, Howard Co, MD on Apr 15.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and Delaware list servers.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606,
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=511) is an excellent
source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or call 301-652-1088 and select 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 the records committee.
