FYI - this report is for sightings from April 21 through April 27 and was
compiled by Gerry Hawkins & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
My apologies for the late posting - just got back yesterday from an owling
trip in MT Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 04/28/2015
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:voice@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Compiler: Gerry Hawkins
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle
Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of the
Voice (Individual $50; Family $65; Nature Steward $100; Audubon Advocate
$200). 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 covers the week starting Tuesday, April 21, and was
completed on Tuesday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m.
The top birds this week were SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in Virginia and MARBLED
GODWIT* well outside the coastal plain in southwestern Virginia.
Other birds of interest this week included EGYPTIAN GOOSE, GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, TRUMPETER SWAN, TUNDRA SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, COMMON
EIDER and other diving ducks, RED-THROATED and COMMON LOONS, EARED and
RED-NECKED GREBES, GREAT CORMORANT, AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS, CATTLE
EGRET, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE, several rails,
SANDHILL CRANE, PARASITIC JAEGER, LITTLE GULL, GULL-BILLED TERN, EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, nightjars and nighthawks, COMMON RAVEN,
many species of wood warbler, GAMBEL'S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, VESPER
SPARROW, RUSTY BLACKBIRD and PINE SISKIN.
TOP BIRDS
A couple of birders were fortunate to see a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in flight at
Kiptopeke State Park, Northampton Co, VA on April 22.
A MARBLED GODWIT* found at Burke's Garden in Tazewell Co, VA on April
24 is one of the rarest spring shorebird records in Southwest Virginia's
history.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
Although unseasonably cold weather and northern winds depressed migration in
the reporting area during much of the week, many Neotropic migrants were
observed, including various shorebirds, terns, flycatchers, vireos,
swallows, thrushes, warblers, tanagers, orioles and Passerina grosbeaks and
buntings, while migratory waterfowl and other winter residents were seen in
reduced numbers.
On April 26 an EGYPTIAN GOOSE was observed flying down the Anacostia River
and across Hains Point in Washington, DC toward Reagan National Airport in
Arlington, VA. This non-countable exotic likely is an escapee and not from
the countable established feral population of this species in southeastern
Florida or a regular unestablished feral population in other states (e.g.,
Texas, California).
Lingering geese included four GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE found in Pepper
Mill Creek, King George Co, VA on April 26 and a small number (high of ten)
of SNOW GEESE at Byrd Park and Berlin WWTP, Worcester Co, MD on April 25 and
26.
A tagged TRUMPETER SWAN continues at Lake Churchill in Montgomery Co, MD,
with the latest sighting on April 27. Subject to further evaluation, an
untagged swan seen at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince
George's Co, MD on April 26 and 27 appears to be an immature TRUMPETER SWAN.
A TUNDRA SWAN was reported at several locations, including a continuing
individual at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on April 23-25.
Two late COMMON EIDERS were found at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co, MD
on April 26. Lingering inland diving ducks included a couple of WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS at Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore Co, MD on April 21, a
LONG-TAILED DUCK on the C&O Canal just above Dam #5 in Washington Co, MD on
April 21 and a GREATER SCAUP at Riley's Lock on the C&O Canal in Montgomery
Co, MD on April 21 and at Piney Reservoir, Garrett Co, MD on April 25 and
27. Noteworthy dabbling ducks included a continuing EURASIAN WIGEON at
Chesapeake Farms in Kent Co, MD, with the latest sighting on April 22.
RED-THROATED LOONS were seen again at East and West Potomac Parks in
Washington, DC on April 21-23 and 26. Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford Co, VA
appears to be a staging area for northward migration of COMMON LOONS, with
as many as 45 seen there on April 26.
An EARED GREBE was found at Point Lookout SP, St. Mary's Co, MD on April 25.
A RED-NECKED GREBE continues at Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co, MD, with the
latest sighting on April 27.
On April 23 a GREAT CORMORANT was seen in flight from Dent Road in Anne
Arundel Co, MD.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was spotted at several locations in Maryland, including
along the Paint Branch Trail just north of the Paint Branch Golf Course in
Prince George's Co, along Dent Road in Anne Arundel Co and along the Black
Marsh Trail in North Point SP, Baltimore Co.
During the week this species also was found at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic
Gardens, Washington, DC, Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA and along
Laural Fork Road in Augusta Co, VA.
A LEAST BITTERN was reported at a few locations, including Swan Harbor Farm
Park, Harford Co, MD on April 21, Jack Creek Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD on
April 24 and Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 25.
On April 22 a CATTLE EGRET was seen at Poplar Point and Kenilworth Park and
Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC, which likely was the same bird. Inland
sightings of CATTLE EGRETS undoubtedly will become more common as they
continue to move up the coasts of the reporting area.
Two MISSISSIPPI KITES returned to the area near Waynewood Elementary School
in Fairfax Co, VA, with a sighting on April 25. BROAD-WINGED HAWKS continue
to move through the area, with a high of 336 over Cromwell Valley Park,
Baltimore Co, MD in the afternoon on April 21. A late GOLDEN EAGLE was seen
along Route 640 in Highland Co, VA on April 26.
Migrants can be found almost anywhere during migration, as indicated by a
CLAPPER RAIL found on the playground of the Maury Elementary School in
Washington, DC on April 24. Birders enjoyed seeing KING and VIRGINIA RAILS
and a SORA at Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford Co, MD on April 21, 24 and 25.
A continuing COMMON GALLINULE was seen at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery Co, MD
on April 22-26, and two were found there on April 27. A COMMON GALLINULE
also was spotted on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 22 and 27.
Migrating shorebirds included an early AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER spotted in
Tom's Cove, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on April 26 and a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE seen at the Craney Island Disposal Area,
Portsmouth, VA on the same date.
A SANDHILL CRANE was seen in the marshes at Cherry Creek Glades, Garrett Co,
MD on April 21 and at a nearby location in Garrett Co on April 26, as well
as in flight over Montezuma, Rockingham Co, VA on April 25.
A PARASITIC JAEGER was reported in flight at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester
Co, MD on April 22.
On April 25 and 26 three adult LITTLE GULLS were observed flying near the
Eastern Boulevard Bridge over the Back River in Baltimore Co, MD, and on
April 26 a juvenile LITTLE GULL was seen in the Choptank River from Hog
Island Road in Caroline Co, MD. Three LITTLE GULLS also were found on
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 27. Migratory terns included a
GULL-BILLED TERN seen at Fort Monroe, Hampton, VA on April 25.
Continuing EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen in the Swoope area of Augusta
Co, VA on April 24, at a couple of locations in Fairlawn, Pulaski Co, VA on
April 25 and along Magotha Road and another location in Northampton Co, VA
on April 26.
An early BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found at Laural Hill Park in Fairfax Co, VA
on April 25.
Also in the migrants can be anywhere category is an EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL
heard in a residential yard in Alexandria, VA on April 22. A
CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW was heard again at Assawoman Wildlife Area, Sussex Co, DE
on April 21 and at various other locations in the reporting area.
An early COMMON NIGHTHAWK was seen over Henricus Historical Park,
Chesterfield Co, VA on April 23.
Lowland COMMON RAVENS continue to be encountered in the reporting area,
including as far east as Lake Smith in Virginia Beach, VA on April 21.
The number and diversity of warblers in the reporting area increased, and
double digits of warbler species were recorded at several locations. The 31
warbler species reported during the week included relatively early sightings
of BLUE-WINGED, NASHVILLE, KENTUCKY, CAPE MAY, CERULEAN, MAGNOLIA,
BAY-BREASTED, BLACKBURNIAN, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE,
BLACK-THROATED GREEN and WILSON'S WARBLERS and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Reports
of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER included an individual seen at Patuxent Research
Refuge-Central Tract (private), Prince George's Co, MD on April 24 and The
Elms Environmental Education Center (private), St. Mary's Co, MD on April
25. Birders continue to enjoy breeding SWAINSON'S WARBLERS at Great Dismal
Swamp NWR, Suffolk Co, VA, which currently is the only place one can see
this species in the reporting area.
A GAMBEL'S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was found along Long Neck Road in St.
Mary's Co, MD on April 25. A VESPER SPARROW was encountered at several
locations, including at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Washington,
DC on April 21 and along Budd, Westerly and Hughes Roads and at Ken-Gar
Palisades Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April 26.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS continue in the area, with a high of over 100 on the edge
of the central wetlands at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 23.
PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS also continue to be seen in the area as they
move back to their northern breeding grounds.
***
This week's report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers via the ABA Internet links, and on eBird records.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, anshome.org/shop) is an excellent
source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:voice@xxxxxxxxxxx> .
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as well as
the state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, e-mail or
phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the applicable state records committee
