FYI - this report is for sightings from March 4 through the morning of March 11
and was compiled by Gerry Hawkins & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 3/11/2014
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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 March 4 and
was completed on Tuesday, March 11 at 11:00 am.
The top birds this week are SNOWY OWL in MD, VA and DE and TRUMPETER
SWAN in MD and VA.
Other birds of interest this week include MUTE SWAN, GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED, ROSS'S and CACKLING GEESE, MANDARIN DUCK, EURASIAN
WIGEON, KING EIDER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, RED-THROATED LOON, RED-NECKED
GREBE, WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBE, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK,
"NORTHERN" RED-TAILED HAWK*, GOLDEN EAGLE, BLACK-HEADED and ICELAND
GULLS, SHORT-EARED OWL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE,
SEDGE WREN, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, PALM WARBLER, CLAY-COLORED
and VESPER SPARROWS, PAINTED BUNTING and SUMMER and WESTERN TANAGERS.
TOP BIRDS
There were fewer sightings of SNOWY OWL in the reporting area in the
past week. In MD, a SNOWY OWL was spotted again at Essex-Newport
Circle in Baltimore Co on March 3, along Monument Road west of
Myersville, Frederick Co on March 6 and on top of retail
establishments near the pier in Chrisfield, Somerset Co on March 9. On
March 7 and 8, a SNOWY OWL was spotted at Reagan National Airport,
Arlington Co, VA from nearby Gravelly Point Park, which presumably is
one of the two SNOWY OWLS seen at this location in recent weeks. In
DE, a Snowy Owl was seen from Rt. 1 perched on dunes just north of
Savages Ditch Road in Sussex Co on March 8 and at Indian River Inlet,
Sussex Co on March 9, which may be the same individual.
Two continuing TRUMPETER SWANS were seen along Rt. 50 south of Big
Millpond in Dorchester County, MD on March 7. In VA, four TRUMPETER
SWANS were reported along Old White Hill Road in Augusta Co on March
7.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
In the past week many migratory waterfowl, gulls and blackbirds moved
northward from the reporting area while other migratory birds arrived
or were seen in increased numbers, including BLUE-WINGED TEAL, BROWN
PELICAN, OSPREY, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, LAUGHING GULL,
FORSTER'S and ROYAL TERNS, PURPLE MARTIN, BARN and TREE SWALLOWS, GRAY
CATBIRD and CHIPPING and FOX SPARROWS. In addition, there were reports
of the following other birds of interest.
Two MUTE SWANS were seen at Perryville Park, Cecil Co, MD on March 5.
In the past week there were the following sightings of a GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, generally in flocks of CANADA GEESE: one in
Solomons, Calvert Co, MD on March 5, three in farm fields in the
Leedstown area, Westmoreland Co, VA on March 8, one at Queen Covey
Farm pond in Queen Anne's Co, MD on March 8, one along Harford
Creamery Road in Harford Co, MD on March 9 and one along Kingston Road
in Talbot Co, MD on March 10. In MD, a ROSS'S GOOSE was spotted near
the intersection of Rt. 144 and Daisy Road in Howard Co on March 5, in
an enormous flock of SNOW GEESE in Reese's Landing, Talbot Co on March
6, in a flock of CANADA GEESE along Rt. 216 in Fulton, Howard Co on
March 8-10, along Kingstown Road in Talbot Co on March 8 and in a
flock of SNOW GEESE at the Plantations in Wicomico Co on March 8. A
CACKLING GOOSE was spotted with CANADA GEESE along Harrison Road in
Fauquier Co, VA on March 6, at Lake Anne in Reston, Fairfax Co, VA on
March 7 and near the Virginia Tech Veterinary Hospital in Montgomery
Co, VA on March 8-10, and two were spotted on Hart-Miller Island,
Baltimore Co, MD on March 10.
A male MANDARIN DUCK, of obvious questionable provenance, was spotted
with WOOD DUCKS at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Ann
Arundel Co, MD on March 10. A male EURASIAN WIGEON was seen in north
Norfolk, VA on March 4, off the north side of Craney Island,
Portsmouth, VA on March 10 and off Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on
March 10. A KING EIDER was viewed again at Rudee Inlet, Virginia
Beach, VA on March 10. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS continue to be seen
throughout the reporting area, with high counts of 23 in the Potomac
River at Violettes Lock on the C & O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on
March 9, 17 in the Potomac River at Riley's Lock on the C & O Canal in
Montgomery Co, MD on March 9, 12 at Fort McHenry NM, Baltimore, MD on
March 5 and 8, and 10 from the Lantern Queen dock in Havre de Grace,
Harford Co, MD on March 10.
RED-THROATED LOONS continue to be enjoyed at unexpected locations,
including in the Potomac River from Riley's and/or Violettes Locks on
the C & O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on March 4-9 and 11, in the
Shenandoah River from Jefferson Co, WV on March 4, 8 and 9, in the
Anacostia River near the Navy Yard in Washington, DC on March 8 and
off Ferry Bar Park in Baltimore, MD on March 10. A Western/Clark's
Grebe was spotted off Rogers A. Smith boat launch near Tabb, York
County, VA on March 9. RED-NECKED GREBES continue to be seen
throughout the reporting area, with extraordinary numbers following
winter storm Titan. The high counts during the week at the indicated
locations were 38 in the Potomac River and adjacent creek at Riley's
Lock on the C & O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD on March 8, 33 in the
Potomac River at Violettes Lock on the C & O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD
on March 9, 26 at Sandy River Reservoir and 12 at Briery Creek Lake in
Prince Edward Co, VA on March 4, at least 25 from the Lantern Queen
dock in Havre de Grace, Harford Co, MD on March 10, 23 at Swift Creek
Reservoir in Chesterfield Co, VA on March 8, 23 in the Kerr Reservoir
from Palmer Point Park, Mecklenburg Co, VA on March 8, 22 at Burke
Lake in Fairfax Co, VA on March 10, 19 at East Potomac Park,
Washington, DC on March 9, 16 at West Potomac Park - Tidal Basin,
Washington, DC on March 9, 16 in the Shenandoah River between Blair
and John Rissler Roads in Jefferson Co, WV on March 4, 15 at Little
Seneca Lake, Montgomery Co, MD on March 4, 15 at Fort McHenry NM,
Baltimore, MD on March 8, 14 in the Patuxent River from Sotterly
Plantation in St. Mary's Co, MD on March 8, 14 from the Rt. 121 bridge
across Little Seneca Lake, Montgomery Co, MD on March 9, 13 at Hungry
Mother State Park, Smyth Co, VA on March 9, 13 in the Potomac River
between the Roosevelt and Key Bridges in Washington, DC on March 9, 11
in the Potomac River from Georgetown Waterfront Park, Washington, DC
on March 4, 11 in Lake Frederick, Frederick Co, VA on March 6, 11 in
the Potomac River along the C & O Canal near Little Falls Dam,
Montgomery Co, MD on March 10, and 10 at Dyke Marsh Nature Preserve in
Alexandria, Fairfax Co, VA on March 4.
A juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported at Fort McHenry NM,
Baltimore, MD on March 5. A combination of traits suggests that a dark
Red-tailed Hawk seen perched on the southbound side of Rt. 13 on
Fisherman Island NWR, Northampton Co, VA on March 9 is a member of a
population in the Canadian boreal forest that is considered by some
authorities to be a separate subspecies, abieticola, known as the
Northern Red-tailed Hawk. A Northern Red-tailed Hawk also was reported
in the Underwood Road area in Howard Co, MD on March 4. These
sightings are noteworthy because, unlike the western calurus
subspecies, dark morphs are not known to occur in the Eastern
Red-tailed Hawk borealis breeding population. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was
reported in flight over the Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract in
Anne Arundel Co, MD on March 8, and a continuing individual was
reported at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on March 10. In the past week
there were several sightings of GOLDEN EAGLE in VA, consisting of a
single individual in flight east of New Hope, Augusta Co on March 4,
four individuals from two locations in Highland Co on March 6 and a
single individual in flight at Thrashers Lake Park in Amherst Co, VA
on March 8. In MD, a continuing GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at Pickering
Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co on March 10.
Three SANDHILL CRANES were seen along Bradshaw Road in Baltimore Co,
MD on March 9 and 10, five were seen along Mount Clinton Pike in
Rockingham Co, VA on March 10 and three were seen at Stauffer's Marsh
Nature Preserve, Berkeley Co, WV on March 11.
A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen again at the Hunt Valley Town Centre in
Baltimore Co, MD on March 9 and at Little Creek West Side Beach,
Norfolk, VA on March 10. A first-cycle ICELAND GULL was seen at North
East Community Park, Cecil Co, MD on March 5, and an adult was seen in
a large flock of gulls at Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA on March 9.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen along Harrison Road in Fauquier Co, VA on
March 4, and two were spotted at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on March
10. On March 4, a SHORT-EARED OWL also was reported at Reagan National
Airport, Arlington, Co, VA from nearby Gravelly Point Park.
A continuing banded male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was seen again at a
location in Governor's Land, James City County, VA on March 10.
A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE continues at a residence on Cavey Lane,
Howard Co, MD, where it was seen on March 5 and 10. On March 6, two
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were reported at feeders in McDowell, Highland
Co, VA. And a resident of Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co, MD reported
hearing a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE singing in his back yard on March 5.
Two SEDGE WRENS were reported at Bethel Beach, Mathews Co, VA on March
11.
A PALM WARBLER was seen at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co,
MD on March 6.
In MD, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was spotted in a flock of HORNED LARKS near
the intersection of Old Frederick and Underwood Roads in Howard Co on
March 4, in a flock of HORNED LARKS near the intersection of Rt. 194
and Oak Hill Roads north of Woodsboro, Frederick Co on March 4 and
near the intersection of Mt. Carmel and Gorsuch Mill Roads in
Baltimore Co on March 5-7. On March 5, there were 16 SNOW BUNTINGS
seen at Swan Creek/Cox Creek, an industrial site and mitigation
project in northern Anne Arundel Co, MD, and seven were seen at the
campground at Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co, DE on March 8.
An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was spotted near Centennial High School in
Columbia, Howard Co, MD on March 4, and two were seen in Meadowbrook
Park, Howard Co, MD on March 5. On March 4, a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was
seen again at the Bayside Campground in Worcester Co, MD, and on March
10 a continuing individual was reported at a residential yard in
Eastwind, Sussex Co, DE. On March 8, two VESPER SPARROWS were seen
along Levin Dashiell Road, Wicomico Co, MD, where three were seen in
the prior week. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was observed at the Smithsonian
Environmental Research Center, Anne Arundel Co, MD on March 4.
An overwintering SUMMER TANAGER was seen again at a private residence
in Bethesda, Montgomery Co, MD on March 6 Continuing male WESTERN
TANAGERS were seen at feeders in several locations in VA: a residence
in Settler's Mill, James City Co on March 6 and 10, a residence in
Locust Grove, Orange Co on March 4-5, 7 and 9-10, and a residence in
Henrico Co on March 3.
On March 3 an adult male PAINTED BUNTING was seen again at a
residential feeder in Great Bridge, Chesapeake Co, VA.
A male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was relocated in a flock of blackbirds
in Swan Harbor Farm Park, Havre de Grace, Harford, Co, MD on March 4.
***
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://www.audubonnaturalist.org/index.php/support-ans/shop) 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. Please post reports
before midnight Monday, identify the county as well as the state, and
include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, either e-mail or
phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the records committee.
