FYI - this report is for sightings from March 18 through March 24 and was
compiled by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 3/25/2014
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions:
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 $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 18 and
was completed on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at about 4:45 PM.
Top birds this week are PACIFIC LOON* in VA, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in
VA, and SNOWY OWL in MD.
Other birds of interest are waterfowl including ROSS'S GOOSE,
TRUMPETER SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, and HARLEQUIN DUCK, RED-NECKED GREBE,
EARED GREBE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON,
"NORTHERN" RED-TAILED HAWK*, COMMON GALLINULE, , shorebirds including
PIPING PLOVER, RAZORBILL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, LITTLE GULL, EURASIAN
COLLARED DOVE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, LAPLAND LONGSPUR,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, sparrows including VESPER, WESTERN TANAGER,
PAINTED BUNTING, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, and RED
CROSSBILL.
TOP BIRDS
The PACIFIC LOON* which has visited Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, VA
for years was found again on March 23. It was seen from Palmer Point
Day Use Area in the cove to the left of the boat ramp.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen in Northampton Co, VA on March 19 and
20; the one on the 19th was seen in the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR
and the one on the 20th was seen at the Magothy Bay Natural Area
Preserve.
SNOWY OWLS have almost disappeared from our area though two were seen
March 19 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD. Another was seen
March 20 at the Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
Many different waterfowl species continued to be seen throughout the
week though their numbers are dwindling. A CACKLING GOOSE was seen
March 18 at Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD. Two CACKLING GEESE were
seen March 20 at the Study Road Farm Pond, Carroll Co, MD. A CACKLING
GOOSE was seen March 22 in a field near Kingston Landing Rd, Talbot
Co, MD. A CACKLING GOOSE was also seen March 24 at Fulton Pond, Howard
Co, MD. Both a SNOW GOOSE and a ROSS'S GOOSE were found March 21 in a
flock of Canada Geese in Rockingham Co, VA just outside Harrisonburg
along Port Republic Rd and in the vicinity of the Rockingham Memorial
Hospital. A ROSS'S GOOSE was found March 22 at Green Springs, Louisa
Co, MD. The two continuing TRUMPETER SWANS along Rte 50 south of Big
Millpond in Dorchester County, MD were seen throughout the week. Two
drake EURASIAN WIGEONS were seen March 22 and 23 in a field with a
flock of Canada Geese and other ducks on the side of Rte 90 about a
half mile west of Rte 113 in Worcester Co, MD. A drake EURASIAN WIGEON
was seen March 22 on the far shore line from the pier at Castaways
Campground at the end of Eagles Nest Rd, Worcester Co, MD. A drake
COMMON TEAL, the Eurasian subspecies of Green-winged Teal, was found
March 23 at Southwest Area Park, Baltimore and seen again March 24 and
25. Another COMMON TEAL was found March 24 at the privately-owned
McCune's Pond, Fishersville, Augusta Co, VA. A KING EIDER and three
HARLEQUIN DUCKS were seen March 20, 21, and 22 at the Ocean City
Inlet, Worcester Co MD; a female KING EIDER was also seen there on
March 22. A HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen March 20, 21, 22, and 23 at Fort
Armistead Park, Baltimore. WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and LONG-TAILED DUCKS
also continued to be seen at a number of inland locations.
While RED-NECKED GREBES are normally rare in our area, they continued
to be seen in significant numbers throughout the area this past week.
An EARED GREBE was found March 22 at St. Inigoes WMA in St. Mary's Co,
MD.
Five AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen March 20-23 at the Hog Island
WMA, Surry Co, VA. A large flock of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, perhaps
as many as 75, was seen March 22 at the Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co,
MD.
A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was found on March 22 near where Schuyler
Rd intersects with Sligo Creek Pkwy, Montgomery Co, MD. Another
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was found March 23 in Baltimore, MD; it was
above the spillway, viewed from Wyman Park Dr bridge. Also on the 23rd
there were three YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS along Jones Falls/Falls
Rd close to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.
The College Creek Hawkwatch, Williamsburg, VA, recorded its first ever
"NORTHERN" RED-TAILED HAWK* on March 21.
Six PIPING PLOVERS were scoped on the mudflats on Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD on March 20. Two PIPING PLOVERS were seen March 21 at
Fowler Beach, Sussex Co, DE. A PECTORAL SANDPIPER was found March 22
on the Occoquan Creek mudflats at the Point, Prince Wm Co, VA; one was
also found the same day at Tanyard Marsh, Caroline Co, MD.
A RAZORBILL was found March 23 between Island 4 and the high-rise
bridge on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel, Northampton Co, VA.
The BLACK-HEADED GULL continued to be seen at Hunt Valley Towne
Centre, Baltimore Co MD. A LITTLE GULL was seen March 24 at the
Diamond Points Flats, Baltimore MD.
Two EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES were seen on March 18 at Mt Solon, Augusta
Co, VA. A EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE was also reported March 21 from its
usual location along Magotha Rd, Northampton Co, VA.
A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE continues at a residence on Cavey Lane,
Howard Co, MD, being reported on March 18, 19, and 20.
A "gorgeous" LAPLAND LONGSPUR "in near-perfect breeding plumage" was
seen March 18 along Norman's Ford Rd, Remington, Fauquier Co, VA.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen March 24 at Southwest Area Park,
Baltimore. Another was reported from Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on March 23.
An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was found March 18 along Mill Ln, Jefferson
Co, WV. An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen March 23 in a field at the
parking lot on the Mortitz/Greenberg side of the Rickman/Woodstock
Equestrian Pk in northern Montgomery Co, MD. Two VESPER SPARROWS were
found March 23 on the western end of Harrison Rd, Fauquier Co, VA in
corn stubble across from the old farm manse and two more were found
the same day at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, near the fence line of
the Rolling Meadows trail. A VESPER SPARROW was singing along
Sugarland Rd, Montgomery Co, MD on March 24. A very early GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW was found March 18 along Grassdale Rd, Remington, Fauquier Co,
VA; a VESPER SPARROW was also seen in the same location.
Continuing male WESTERN TANAGERS were seen at feeders in several
locations in VA including the one in Locust Grove, Orange Co from
March 19 to 25. The one in Settler's Mill, James City Co was seen
again on March 21 and 23.
A PAINTED BUNTING was seen at a feeder on March 24 at Oaklette,
Chesapeake, VA.
While their numbers are down from what has been seen in previous
years, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were reported from a number of people in a
number of locations. Two BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS were found March 19 in a
pasture on the west side of Daisy Rd just north of Bushy Park Rd,
Howard Co, MD.
Five RED CROSSBILLS were seen March 21 feeding in a grove of pines on
Judge Rye Rd. in western Shenandoah Co, VA; at least 10 were seen
there on March 22. A male and a female RED CROSSBILL were seen March
23 at the crossroads at the top of Briery Branch Rd in Rockingham Co,
VA.
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.
