FYI - this report is for sightings from July 6 through July 12 and was compiled
by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 7/13/2010
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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 $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, July 13, at
10:30 AM.
Top bird this week is BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* in MD.
Birds of interest this week include AMERICAN BITTERN, LEAST BITTERN,
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, COMMON MOORHEN,
shorebirds including UPLAND SANDPIPER and RUFF, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO,
CLIFF SWALLOW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, SWAMP SPARROW, and PINE SISKIN.
The five BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS* that were reported at the
Charlestown Retirement Community Pond off Wilkens Ave in Catonsville,
Baltimore Co, MD, were seen again on July 6 and 7. Since then they
have not been reported from this private community where access is
strictly limited.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was found at Swan Creek Wetland at the end of
Kembo Rd near Key Bridge in northern Anne Arundel Co, MD on July 9; it
was in the large impoundment on the west side of the rd. A
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was also seen there as it flew over the gate
at dawn.
On July 6 a LEAST BITTERN was found at Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford
Co, MD. The highlights of the regular weekly bird walk on July 11 at
Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA were the sightings of three different LEAST
BITTERNS south of the trail on the dogleg as well as a nearly grown
juvenile HOODED MERGANSER. A LEAST BITTERN was also found July 12 on
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD.
A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was also seen July 12 on the Baltimore Co,
MD side of Liberty Reservoir.
A BROAD-WINGED HAWK was observed July 6 along the Appalachian Trail in
G. Richard Thompson WMA, Fauquier Co, VA as it perched in a snag along
Skyline Drive in VA's Shenandoah NP.
A COMMON MOORHEN was found at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro,
Prince George's Co, MD, on July 7 and seen there through July 10.
Numerous shorebirds, including a BLACK-NECKED STILT, were found at
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on July 12.
Five AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen on July 10 at Violette's Lock, C&O
Canal, Montgomery Co, MD. The same day four AMERICAN AVOCETS were also
found, as well as three SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, at Brown Station Rd
pond, Upper Marlboro Prince George's Co, MD. The pond is best viewed
from the parking lot at the Public Convenience Center. An AMERICAN
AVOCET was also seen July 11 on Liberty Reservoir located on the
border of Baltimore Co and Carroll Co, MD.
An UPLAND SANDPIPER was found in DE on July 11 in the field directly
across from the entrance to the Air Mobility Command Museum at the
Dover Air Force Base on Route 9.
A MARBLED GODWIT was found July 10 at Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach,
VA.
A black RUFF was found on July 6 and 11 at the north end of Raymond
Pool in Bombay Hook NWR, DE. Another RUFF, this one with a white ruff,
was seen there between July 7 and July 9.
In addition to the four SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS at the pond at Brown
Station Rd in Upper Marlboro Prince George's Co, three were also
reported at Blue Mash, Montgomery Co, MD, and four were at the Dulles
Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project, Loudoun Co, VA, all on July 10.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen at Blue Mash, Montgomery Co, MD on July
10.
In spite of bridge cleaning, the colony of approximately 20 nesting
CLIFF SWALLOWS persists under the bridge from Brunswick, Frederick Co,
MD to VA. A report from July 12 indicated the swallows are nesting on
both the north and side of the bridge but are being forced to get to
their nests through a gap in the tarp in the middle of the bridge.
CLIFF SWALLOWS were also reported on a wire near the Visitor Center at
Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA on July 10.
A very out-of-season DARK-EYED JUNCO was seen in Darnestown,
Montgomery Co, MD on July 10.
A SWAMP SPARROW, an unusual summer find, was seen during the regular
weekly bird walk at Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co, VA on July 12.
A PINE SISKIN was found July 12 at Piney Reservoir, Garrett Co, MD.
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
