FYI - this report is for sightings from 3/31 through 4/7 and was compiled by
Helen Patton & transcribed by Steve Cordle
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/7/09
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: Helen Patton
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 7, at
7:45 pm.
Top birds this week are WHITE-WINGED DOVE* in VA and PAINTED BUNTING*
and HARRIS'S SPARROW*, both in MD.
Other birds of interest include BRANT, TRUMPETER SWAN*, EURASIAN
WIGEON, RED-THROATED LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, NORTHERN GANNETT,
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, AMERICAN BITTERN, night-herons, hawks, rails,
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, WILSON'S SNIPE, LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS,
terns, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, vireos, warblers, sparrows, RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and PINE SISKIN.
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE* was spotted from an office window in South
Boston, Halifax Co, VA on April 2.
The HARRIS'S SPARROW* reported last week in Howard Co, MD, continued
to be seen during the week at 6760 Alexander Bell Drive in Columbia.
(From I-95, take MD 175 west 1/2 mile to Gateway Drive; go south on
Gateway to a right on A. Bell. Walk around the right side of the
building to the rear, where there are several feeders.) As always,
treat this private property with respect.
A brilliant male PAINTED BUNTING continues to enliven another
neighborhood in Howard County, near Savage, with sporadic and
typically brief appearances through the week. Detailed directions to
two homes with feeders that the bird frequents were on the MDOsprey
list server. The homeowners and neighbors are being extremely
accommodating to birders, so please respond in kind.
A BRANT was seen at Cobb Island, Charles Co, MD on April 1. A
EURASIAN WIGEON was at Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD on April 1.
Another EURASIAN WIGEON was sighted at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co,
VA over the weekend.
A TRUMPETER SWAN* was again present at Lakeside Business Park, Harford
Co, MD, on March 31.
Reports of RED-THROATED LOONS came from the C&D Canal, Cecil Co, MD,
Fort Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co, MD, March 31 and Black Hill Regional
Park, Montgomery Co, MD on April 2 and 3.
RED-NECKED GREBES were noted at Hains Point, DC, Triadelphia
Reservoir, Montgomery/Howard Co, MD, March 31; Wilde Lake, Howard Co,
MD, April 3; Lake Elkhorn, Howard Co, April 5.
NORTHERN GANNETS were observed at a variety of locations.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were still at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co,
MD, as of April 1.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on
April 3. An AMERICAN BITTERN was at the Snowden Wetlands on the
Fredericksburg Canal Path, Fredericksburg, VA on April 5. Another
AMERICAN BITTERN was at the Oxbow Nature Preserve, Anne Arundel Co, MD
on April 5 and 7.
A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was spotted by the little pond in the
middle of the Grosvenor Park apartment complex, Bethesda, Montgomery
Co, MD on March 31 while others were seen at Hains Point, DC and Ben
Brenman Park, Alexandria, VA on the same day. Two BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS were seen from Fisherman's Park at Conowingo Dam, Harford
Co, MD on April 6. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS have returned to
Hyattsville, Prince George's Co, MD, as of April 3.
An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over the Gwynns Falls Trail in
Baltimore City, MD on April 2. A light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was at
Deal Island, Somerset Co, MD on April 5. A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at
Blackwater NWR, on April 5. A PEREGRINE FALCON flew over Flint Hill
School, Oakton, Fairfax Co, on April 3. Another PEREGRINE FALCON was
seen at Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore Co, MD on April 5.
A SORA was reported March 31 and April 2, 3 and 4 from Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co. The SORA was accompanied by a VIRGINIA RAIL on
April 5 and 6.
An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD
on April 2.
Seventy-four WILSON'S SNIPE were at Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince
George's Co, MD on April 2 and 230+ were noted at Swoope, Augusta Co,
VA on April 3. One hundred fifty WILSON'S SNIPE were seen at Tanyard
Marsh, Caroline Co, MD on April 5.
LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS were noted in the Susquehanna River,
seen from Port Deposit, Cecil Co, MD on March 31. On April 2, two
LITTLE GULLS were seen at Back River, Baltimore Co. A LITTLE GULL was
spotted at the CBBT, Northampton Co, VA on April 6.
TERN sightings included CASPIAN at the Oxbow Nature Preserve on April
2, 4, 5 and 7. CASPIAN TERNS were at the Georgetown Reservoir, DC,
April 4; Henricus marsh, Chesterfield Co, VA, April 5; Hunting Creek,
Fairfax Co, VA, Diamond Point, Baltimore Co, April 6. A COMMON TERN
was at Deal Island WMA, on April 5.
A pair of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES was seen again near Dividing Creek,
Somerset Co, MD, on April 3; the birds sat on a telephone wire in the
vicinity of Pocomoke River Rd and Clearfield Dr.
A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was singing in Green Ridge State Forest, Allegany
Co, MD on April 4. A WHITE-EYED VIREO was noted in Fredericksburg, VA
on April 6.
Warbler migration is getting underway. Reports of BLACK-THROATED
GREEN, YELLOW-THROATED, PINE, PALM, BLACK-AND-WHITE, LOUISIANA
WATERTHRUSH and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT have come in from many locations
throughout the region.
On March 31, the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD
hosted an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. A SEASIDE SPARROW was singing at
Ragged Island WMA, VA also on March 31. VESPER SPARROWS were at
Kenilworth Park, DC on April 2 and 4. Three VESPER SPARROWS and two
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were at the Rte 234 Wetlands near Nokesville,
Prince William Co, VA on April 5. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen
near the Polo Grounds on Hughes Road, Montgomery Co on April 5.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS continued, with appearances at Schoolhouse Pond,
Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co; Huntley Meadows; Kenilworth
Aquatic Gardens, DC; Tuckahoe SP, Caroline/Queen Anne's Cos, MD; Race
Road wetlands, Howard Co, MD; Harford Glen, Harford Co, MD; Forbay
Pond, Howard Co, MD, Prime Hook NWR, DE; Windsor Mill, Baltimore Co.
MD.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS persist. Most notably a group of at least
seventeen was seen at Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore on April 3 and
Twenty in a DC neighborhood near the National Zoo on April 6. Thirty
to forty PINE SISKINS visited a feeder at Lake Frederick, Frederick
Co, VA on April 3. Smaller flocks were noted at feeders in
Davidsonville, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 2; Eldersburg, Carroll Co,
MD on April 4; Crofton, Anne Arundel Co, MD; Springfield, Fairfax Co,
VA on April 5; Potomac Falls, Loudoun Co, VA on April 6. A PINE
SISKIN flock of fifty to sixty birds were seen on a driveway in
Reisterstown, Baltimore Co, MD on April 7.
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.
