FYI - this report is for sightings from Dec 15 through Dec 21 and was compiled
by John Bjerke & transcribed by Steve Cordle
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 12/22/09
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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, Dec 22, at 7:30
am.
Top bird this week is any bird you were able to see during the
historic snow storm of Dec 19.
Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, CACKLING
GOOSE, LONG-TAILED DUCK, EARED GREBE, BROWN PELICAN, DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, WILSON'S SNIPE,
THAYER'S GULL, ICELAND GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, WHITE-WINGED
DOVE*, RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER*, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, LAPLAND LONGSPUR,
PAINTED BUNTING, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, PURPLE FINCH and EVENING GROSBEAK.
Several Christmas Bird Counts were snowed out this past weekend.
Compilers are attempting to reschedule. Please look for details online
or directly from the relevant compiler. Your help is needed more than
ever.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen in a large SNOW GOOSE flock on
the corner of Rt 50 and Woodyard Rd, Wicomico Co, MD on Dec 21.
Another GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at Herrington Harbor, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on Dec 21. A CACKLING GOOSE was found on Dec 16 at
Hains Point, Washington, DC and perhaps the same bird was seen between
the 14th St and Memorial Bridges, Washington, DC on Dec 18 and in the
Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial on Dec 15. At least two
CACKLING GEESE were spotted on Jug Bay, Anne Arundel and Prince
Georges Co, MD on Dec 18 and 20. Two CACKLING GEESE were in Charles
City Co, VA on Dec 20. Another CACKLING GOOSE was on Mill Creek Lake,
Amherst Co, VA on Dec 21.
Four LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen on the Potomac River near Piscataway
Park, Prince Georges Co, MD on Dec 16. Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS and a
REDHEAD were on the lake at Black Hill Reg Park, Montgomery Co, MD on
Dec 20.
An EARED GREBE was found near the Assateague Island Causeway in
Worcester Co, MD on Dec 16.
Some 60 BROWN PELICANS were still at Point Lookout, St Marys Co, MD on
Dec 15.
An unusual record for DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT comes from the Catoctin
CBC, Carroll Co, MD on Dec 14.
An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen
Proving Ground, Harford Co, MD on Dec 18. An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK
raided a bird feeder in a Kensington, Montgomery Co, MD back yard on
Dec 20.
A MERLIN was spotted during the week at the Beltsville Agricultural
Research Center, Prince Georges Co, MD. A MERLIN flew over Black Hill
Reg Park on Dec 20. A PEREGRINE FALCON continues in the area of
Bailey's Crossroads, Fairfax Co, VA.
Twenty one WILSON'S SNIPE were seen from the Anne Arundel Co, MD side
of Jug Bay on Dec 18.
A probable first winter THAYER'S GULL and an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL were found on Schoolhouse Pond, Prince Georges Co, MD on Dec 18.
A THAYER'S GULL and 5 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen at North
East Town Park, Cecil Co, MD on Dec 21. Five LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
were at the Fauquier Co, VA landfill on Dec 18. A first winter and a
second winter ICELAND GULL of the Kumlien's subspecies were found at
the Prince William Co, VA landfill on Dec 18 along with a first winter
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE* was photographed in a Chesapeake, VA yard on Dec
20.
The Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary College and
The Nature Conservancy announced that the Conservancy's Piney Grove
Preserve reached a record high 41 RED-COCKADED WOODPECKERS* in 8
clusters during the annual winter survey.
A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen Dec 16 along Interior Ditch in the Great
Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA.
The only LAPLAND LONGSPUR reports this past week were a bird in
Rockingham Co, VA and two birds in Kennedyville, Kent Co, MD on Dec
21.
A male PAINTED BUNTING was observed at a feeder in Williamsburg, VA on
Dec 17. A female PAINTED BUNTING visited the same yard as the
White-winged Dove in Chesapeake, VA on Dec 20.
A BALTIMORE ORIOLE continued at a feeder in Charles Co, MD through Dec
17.
Small numbers of PURPLE FINCHES were reported at feeders across the
region after the snow storm.
An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen from a yard in Jarrettsville, Harford Co,
MD on Dec 20.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and DE-Birds 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
