FYI - this report is for sightings from Aug 18 through Aug 24 and was
compiled by Gerry Hawkins & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/25/2015
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments and 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, August 18 and was
completed on Tuesday, August 25 at 8:30 a.m.
The top birds this week were TRUMPETER SWAN*, NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* and the
hybrid BREWSTER'S and LAWRENCE'S WARBLERS*, all in Maryland.
Other birds of interest this week included SNOW GOOSE, TUNDRA SWAN, EARED
GREBE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, TRICOLORED HERON, LITTLE BLUE HERON, WHITE
IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN AVOCET, AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER, UPLAND SANDPIPER, MARBLED GODWIT, STILT, BAIRD, WHITE-RUMPED
and WESTERN SANDPIPERS, RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES, FRANKLIN'S and
BONAPARTE'S GULLS, BLACK and ROYAL TERNS, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE,
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BLUE-HEADED and
PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, COMMON RAVEN, GOLDEN-WINGED and MOURNING WARBLERS, LARK
SPARROW and BOBOLINK.
TOP BIRDS
Birders continued to observe a longstanding tagged TRUMPETER SWAN* at Lake
Churchill and NEOTROPIC CORMORANT at Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal in
Montgomery Co, MD, with the latest sightings on August 22 and 23,
respectively.
On August 22 a BREWSTER'S WARBLER*, the more common hybrid between the
BLUE-WINGED and GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS, was found in a small flock of
warblers near the entrance to the Minebank Trail at Cromwell Valley Park,
Baltimore Co, MD. On the next day a LAWRENCE'S WARBLER*, the rarer form of
this warbler hybrid, was reported across from the lime kiln/dilapidated
house at this park.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
On August 18 a SNOW GOOSE was found along Figgs Landing Road in Worcester
Co, MD. On August 20 a TUNDRA SWAN was seen along Starr Road near the
intersection with Fox Meadow Road in Queen Anne's Co, MD. A TUNDRA SWAN that
has been present since last winter continues at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack
Co, VA, with the latest sighting on August 24. Waterfowl also included
sightings of several migratory duck species, including BLUE-WINGED TEAL,
NORTHERN PINTAIL, LESSER SCAUP, SURF SCOTER and BUFFLEHEAD.
An EARED GREBE that was first found on August 15 continues at Swan Creek
Wetland - Cox Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD, with the latest sighting on August
24.
On August 18 three AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen in flight over Rehoboth
Golf Park in Sussex Co, DE. Ten AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continue at Prime
Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE, with the latest sighting on August 23.
TRICOLORED HERONS were found at several locations, including a reporting
area high of nine at Hog Island WMA, Surry Co, VA on August 23, one or two
at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on August 18 and 21, and one at the North
Beach marsh in Calvert Co, MD on August 23. A juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON was
seen as far west as Big Pool in Fort Frederick SP, Frederick Co, MD on
August 19-21.
WHITE IBIS continue to be seen in good numbers at many coastal locations,
with a high count of 60 at Assateague SP - Causeway, Worcester Co, MD on
August 20. Four WHITE IBIS were seen again inland at the Staunton View
Public Use Area, Mecklenburg Co, VA, with the latest sighting on August 19.
There were fewer reports of MISSISSIPPI KITES during the week, but a high of
five were seen at two locations on Squirrel Level Road in the independent
city of Petersburg and in Dinwiddie Co, VA on August 19, 21 and 22, and one
or two were observed at Runt Powell Farm in Halifax Co, VA on August 19 and
22.
A SANDHILL CRANE was seen again at Pemberton Manor and the Quail Covey Farm
pond in Queen Anne's Co, MD on August 18 and 20, respectively. A SANDHILL
CRANE also was reported in flight over Valley Mill Road in Frederick Co, VA
on August 18.
Over 300 AMERICAN AVOCETS were present at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on
August 17 and 18, and well over 100 remained there later in the week. In
Virginia, 184 AMERICAN AVOCETS were counted at the Craney Island Disposal
Area in Portsmouth on August 20.
An UPLAND SANDPIPER, which is an uncommon migrant on the Eastern Shore, was
spotted in short grass on the South Wash Flats Impoundment at Chincoteague
NWR, Accomack Co, VA during the regular shorebird/gull survey on August 22.
On August 22-24 a high of seven UPLAND SANDPIPERS were seen in the alfalfa
fields along Sassafras-Caldwell Road in northeast Kent Co, MD, which is a
traditional stopover location for this species. On August 23 three UPLAND
SANDPIPERS were found in the grass field on the south side of Oland Road
west of Buckeystown Pike in Frederick Co, MD, another traditional stopover
location. A continuing UPLAND SANDPIPER was seen at the Central Sod Farm on
Swamp Circle Road in Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 18-20.
On August 22 an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was seen at Swan Creek Wetland - Cox
Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD, which may have been the same bird found there on
August 15. A high of 18 MARBLED GODWITS were seen at Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA during the week, while one was seen at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent
Co, DE on August 17 and the Craney Island Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA on
August 20. STILT SANDPIPERS ranged from a reporting area high of 21 at the
Craney Island Disposal Area, Portsmouth, VA on August 20 to one inland at
Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on August 22-24. On these same dates
two juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were seen at a pond on the north side of
Route 9 about five miles east of Georgetown in Sussex Co, DE, which is one
of the so-called Gravel Hill DelDOT/Besche Furniture Ponds. Three
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were found at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA
during the regular shorebird/gull survey on August 22, and one was seen at
Broadkill Marsh in Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on August 22 and the West
Ocean City Pond in Worcester Co, MD on August 23.
On August 24 a juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was spotted in the Potomac
River (District of Columbia waters) from the Washington Sailing Marina in
Alexandria, VA. Six RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and three WILSON'S PHALAROPES,
were among the many shorebirds at the Craney Island Disposal Area in
Portsmouth, VA on August 20, which also included 47 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, the
high in the area for the week.
On August 21 a FRANKLIN'S GULL was spotted in a mixed gull/tern flock in a
restricted part of Masonville Cove in Baltimore, MD. BONAPARTE'S GULLS began
moving through the area, with two seen at Dyke Marsh WP, Fairfax Co, VA on
August 21 and one observed from a private beach house in Calvert Co, MD on
the same date.
Migrating BLACK TERNS were observed at many locations and may be found at
almost any body of water in the reporting area at this time.
Sightings in Virginia included a high of four at Sandy River Reservoir,
Prince Edward Co on August 18 and 19, ten at McCune's pond on Kiddsville
Road (private) in Augusta Co on August 19, 15 at the Staunton View Public
Use Area, Mecklenburg Co on August 19, a high of 10 over the Potomac River
from Dyke Marsh WP and the nearby Hunting Creek bridge in Alexandria on
August 20-24 and two at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co on August 22. BLACK
TERN sightings in Maryland included nine at Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal
in Montgomery Co on August 18, two at Swan Creek Wetland - Cox Creek, Anne
Arundel Co on August 20, two at Triadelphia Reservoir, Howard Co on August
20 and one at the Chestertown WWTP, Kent Co on August 23 and 24. In Delaware
a high of six BLACK TERNS were seen at the hawk watch and Gordon's Pond in
Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co on August 21 and 22, and three wee seen at the
Ted Harvey WMA, Sussex Co on August 22.
On August 22 a ROYAL TERN was found on a hydrilla mat off the big dirt
parking lot at Ospreys Golf Club at Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, Prince
William Co, VA, which is a relatively uncommon sighting away from the coast.
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES continue in certain parts of southern Virginia,
including Virginia Beach and Back Bay NWR in the east and the city of
Radford and Pulaski Co in the southwest, where a high of
13 were found in the vicinity of Route 114 and nearby Belspring Road on
August 18.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was reported along the box trail at Cromwell Valley
Park, Baltimore Co, MD on August 23 and heard calling at the Smithsonian
Environmental Research Center, Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 19.
The scenic U. S. Air Force Memorial in Arlington Co, VA continues to be one
of the best locations in the area to see migrating COMMON NIGHTHAWKS,
especially on Friday nights, when the lights from the free concerts by the
U. S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants further illuminate these birds
against the night sky.
On August 21 a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen on Laurel Fork Road, about
one-half mile from the junction with Rt. 640, in Blue Grass, Highland Co,
VA.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen at Wheaton Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD on
August 22, Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD on August 23 and
Susquehanna SP, Harford Co, MD on August 23. Migrant vireos also included an
early BLUE-HEADED VIREO found on private property on Black Walnut Point in
Talbot Co, MD on August 23.
During the week a lowland COMMON RAVEN was seen as far east as Swan Creek
Wetland - Cox Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 20 and 22.
Warblers increased in numbers and diversity, and late in the week ten or
more warbler species were seen at Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC,
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD and Elk Neck SP, Cecil Co, MD.
Noteworthy warbler sightings included a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER found in a
mixed warbler flock at Chino Farms - Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory,
Queen Anne's Co, MD on August 18, which is an especially uncommon sighting
on the Eastern Shore. An always-desirable MOURNING WARBLER was found at Swan
Creek Wetland - Cox Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 22 and Cromwell
Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD on August 23. Warblers also included one to
several early TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, CAPE MAY, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL and
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.
On August 22 a LARK SPARROW was spotted near a feeder behind the visitors
center in Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA.
Migrant BOBOLINKS included flocks of 18 in Bardane, Jefferson Co, WV on
August 18, 10 at Mount Pleasant Farm - Howard County Conservancy, Howard Co,
MD on August 22, and 13 at Elk Neck SP, Cecil Co, MD on August 23.
***
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, http://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
