FYI - this report is for sightings from Aug 11 through Aug 17 and was
compiled by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 08/18/2015
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:voice@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Compiler: Joe Coleman
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, Aug
11 and was completed on Tuesday, Aug 18 at 10:30 a.m.
The top birds this week are the continuing NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* in MD,
RUFF* in VA, and ARCTIC TERN* in VA.
Other birds of interest this week included the continuing TRUMPETER SWAN and
other waterfowl, EARED GREBE, CORY'S SHEARWATER, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN,
EARED GREBE, TRICOLORED HERON, WHITE IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE, SANDHILL CRANE,
AMERICAN AVOCET, shorebirds, gulls, terns, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, and
DICKCISSEL.
TOP BIRDS
The continuing NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* near Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD,
was seen again on Aug 15.
A RUFF*, apparently a juvenile, was found on Aug 16 along the Wildlife Loop
at the Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA.
While not a shorebird, the highlight of the Aug 12 weekly shorebird survey
at the Chincoteague NWR was an ARCTIC TERN*.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
The tagged TRUMPETER SWAN continues at Lake Churchill, Germantown,
Montgomery Co, MD, with the most recent report from Aug 12. The continuing
TUNDRA SWAN at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA was seen as recently as Aug
17. NORTHERN PINTAILS turned up a couple of different locations including
one on the 12th at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE; two at the Swan Creek
Wetland/Cox Creek DCMF, Anne Arundel Co, MD on the 15th & 17th ; and one on
the 15th at the Craney Island Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA. Other
continuing out-of-season waterfowl this past week included two BUFFLEHEADS
through Aug 17 at the Swan Creek Wetland/Cox Creek DCMF and a BUFFLEHEAD on
the 12th and 17th at Hanlon Park, Baltimore, MD.
An EARED GREBE turned up at the Swan Creek Wetland/Cox Creek DCMF, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on the 15th and was photographed both that day and the 17th.
A CORY'S SHEARWATER was seen from a commercial fishing vessel off of
Worcester Co, MD on Aug 13.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continued to be seen at the Prime Hook NWR, Sussex
Co, DE. On Aug 15 a flock of ten AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS flew over a yard at
Rehoboth Beach, DE.
A TRICOLORED HERON continued to be seen throughout the week at the
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Queen Anne's Co, MD. Fifty WHITE IBIS
were seen Aug 15 at Gordon's Pond, Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co, DE, As many
as 60 juvenile WHITE IBIS were seen in the water near Freeman Hwy and Monroe
Ave right outside Cape Henlopen on Aug 16 and in slightly smaller numbers
earlier in the week. Two WHITE IBIS were seen Aug 15 at the Staunton View
Public Use Area, Mecklenburg, Co, VA.
MISSISSIPPI KITES continued to be seen throughout the week with three in a
yard in Virginia Beach, VA on Aug 12 and two on White House Ln, Virginia
Beach, VA on the 16th. MISSISSIPPI KITES, possibly the same ones as on White
House Ln, were also seen flying over Lake Smith, on the Five Forks Rd/Lake
Smith Terrace end of the lake the 15th & 16th.
While one MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen eating dragonflies along Squirrel Level
Rd in Dinwiddie Co, VA on Aug 13, four were seen there on the 17th. Three
MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen Aug 16 at Valley View Park, Nokesville, Prince
William Co, VA.
SANDHILL CRANE continues to be seen at Pemberton Manor, Queen Anne's Co, MD,
with the most recent reports from Aug 15 & 16.
Eleven AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen Aug 11 flying around Violette's Lock, C&O
Canal, Montgomery Co, MD before disappearing on the other side of the river.
An AMERICAN AVOCET, a western WILLET and a RED KNOT were among the several
birds seen on a weather-interrupted trip to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore
Co, MD on Aug 13.
Shorebird numbers continued to increase this past week. An AMERIAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER was found at Little Creek Wildlife Area, Kent Co, DE off of
Pickering Beach Rd on Aug 14. An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was seen Aug 15 at
the Swan Creek Wetland/Cox Creek DCMF. A PIPING PLOVER was seen Aug 17 the
Hog Island WMA, Surry Co, VA. A WILLETT (Western) was seen Aug 12 at the Hog
Island WMA. A WILLETT (Western) was also seen Aug 16 & 17 at Piney
Reservoir, Garrett Co, MD. An UPLAND SANDPIPER was found Aug 15, at the
Central Sod Farm on Swamp Circle Rd, Anne Arundel Co, MD and was seen again
by a number of observers on the 16th & 17th in the field closest to Rte 468;
if you go looking for this bird please do not trespass in any way on the sod
farm. An UPLAND SANDPIPER was seen in newly mown grass on the east sided of
Rte 9 at the Dover Air Force Base, Dover, DE on Aug 14 & 15. Two MARBLED
GODWITS were at Shearness Pool, Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on Aug 14; one
was there on Aug 16. The shorebird highlights of the weekly survey at the
Chincoteague NWR, on Aug 12 were one MARBLED GODWIT, 158 RED KNOTS, 4 STILT
SANDPIPERS, and 5 WESTERN SANDPIPERS. A juvenile WILSON'S PHALAROPE
continued at a pond across form the Target Distribution Center in Stuart's
Draft, Augusta Co, VA, through Aug 11; while the phalarope was gone the next
day a STILT SANDPIPER was still among the shorebirds still there. A juvenile
WILSON'S PHALAROPE was found at Little Creek Wildlife Area on Aug 14.
Among the birds seen at Violette's Lock, C& O Canal on Aug 11 were both a
LAUGHING GULL and a BONAPARTE'S GULL. A BONAPARTE'S GULL was found Aug 16 at
Lake Shenandoah, Rockingham Co, VA. Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen Aug 16
at the Chestertown WWTP, Kent Co, MD.
GULL-BILLED TERNS were seen Aug 11 & 12 at the Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE.
A GULL-BILLED TERN was reported on Skimmer Island, Ocean City, MD on Aug 11;
one was also seen at Figgs Landing Rd, Worcester Co, MD on Aug 14 & 16. One
was seen Aug 14 at Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA. Two BLACK TERNS were
seen Aug 11 over DC waters from the Alexandria, VA waterfront. The same day
two BLACK TERNS were also seen from Greenbridge Rd at the Triadelphia
Reservoir, Montgomery Co, MD. A BLACK TERN was seen Aug 14 at the
Susquehanna Flats grass beds, Cecil Co, MD. A BLACK TERN was found Aug 14 &
16 at the Ted Harvey Conservation Area, DE. A SANDWICH TERN was seen Aug 15
at Gordon Pond, Cape Henlopen SP.
A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen throughout the week at Rock Creek Park,
NW DC. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was also reported at the Adkins
Arboretum, Caroline Co, MD on Aug 13. LEAST FLYCATCHERS turned up at a
couple of locations this past week. On the 12th one was seen at Terrapin
Beach Park, Queen Anne's Co, MD and on the 13th one was at Orchard House,
Cecil Co, MD.
Warblers began turning up in decent numbers, especially mid-week after a
cold front came through, at some of the better spots for them in the area
such as Rock Creek Park, NW DC and Monticello Park, Alexandria, VA.
A DICKCISSEL was seen Aug 12 at the Antietam National Battlefield,
Washington Co, MD.
***
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
