FYI - this report is for sightings from March 15 through March 21 and was
compiled by John Bjerke & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: March 22, 2011
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
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
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, March 22, at
8:30 AM.
Top birds this week are ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* in VA and LITTLE GULL in
MD.
Other birds of interest include waterfowl, RED-NECKED GREBE, EARED
GREBE, NORTHERN GANNET, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, PIPING PLOVER,
BLACK-HEADED GULL, ICELAND GULL, SHORT-EARED OWL, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE*,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, VEERY, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, sparrows, RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
The tenacious ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* continues in Chester, Chesterfield
Co, VA, with the most recent report from Mar 20.
LITTLE GULLS made an impressive showing this week. At least two and as
many as five LITTLE GULLS were seen from Lapidum Landing, Harford Co,
MD through Mar 19. Two LITTLE GULLS were seen on Back River from
Diamond Pt Rd, Baltimore Co, MD on Mar 16. An adult winter LITTLE GULL
was found on the Back River near the Eastern Blvd. bridge on Mar 21.
A ROSS'S GOOSE was found in a flock of SNOW GEESE at Bombay Hook NWR,
Kent Co, DE during the week.
The EURASIAN WIGEON at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co, MD was seen
again on Mar 16. The Eurasian subspecies of GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen
along Broadkill Beach Rd, Sussex Co, DE on Mar 18. Another of the
Eurasian subspecies was found at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co, MD on Mar
21. Five COMMON EIDERS were near the jetties at Cape Henlopen SP,
Sussex Co, DE on Mar 19. Two HARLEQUIN DUCKS were in the Ocean City
Inlet, Worcester Co, MD on Mar 16.
RED-NECKED GREBES were spotted in at least four locations including
Knapp's Narrows, Tilghman Island, Talbot Co, MD on Mar 18; Hains
Point, Washington, DC on Mar 19; the Fitzhugh Run section of Loch
Raven Reservoir, Baltimore Co, MD on Mar 19, and four birds under the
Key Bridge, Baltimore, MD on Mar 21. A probable EARED GREBE was found
on the Potomac River about 1.5 miles north of Mt Vernon on Mar 16.
NORTHERN GANNETS ranged well up the Chesapeake Bay with sightings in
Calvert Co, MD on Mar 20 and off North Point, Baltimore Co, MD on Mar
21.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS joined the list of returning summer
residents with appearances at Sligo Creek, Montgomery Co, MD; and two
spots in Baltimore: Ruxton Rd and Jones Falls.
PIPING PLOVERS returned to beaches at False Cape SP, Virginia Beach,
VA and Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co, DE. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen
in or near the company of LITTLE GULLS at Lapidum Landing Mar 15
through 17. Several adult nonbreeding BLACK-HEADED GULLS were spotted
on the Back River from Diamond Point Rd on Mar 16. A second winter
ICELAND GULL was found at the Havre de Grace Marina, Harford Co, MD on
Mar 16 and 17.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford Co, MD on
Mar 19. Another SHORT-EARED OWL was spotted from Lewis Wharf in
Wicomico Co, MD on Mar 18.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE* was found along Russell Road, Clarke Co, VA on
Mar 19.
A few BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES are still being reported in the area;
the BLACK-CAPPED at Hains Point, Washington, DC was seen on Mar 19.
An early VEERY was heard on Madison Run Fire Rd on the western edge of
Shenandoah NP, Rockingham Co, VA on Mar 19.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was in Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA on
Mar 19.
FOX SPARROWS continued their major push through the region; one birder
reported six in his back yard. A pair of LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were seen
at Goose Creek in Loudoun Co, VA on Mar 20.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were reported from a number of different locations
this past week. Approximately 150 were found at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA on Mar 18 and about 90 were at Oxbow Lake, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on Mar 21.
The WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL continues to visit a feeder in Glen Allen,
Henrico Co VA, with a report as recently as March 19.
Most of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, West Virginia Birding List, 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. 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
