FYI - this report is for sightings from Oct 27 through Nov 2 and was
compiled by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/3/2015
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:voice@xxxxxxxxxxx>
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 Tuesday, October 27, and was
completed on Tuesday, Nov 3, at 9:30 a.m.
Top birds this week were TRUMPETER SWAN and BROWN BOOBY*, both in MD.
Other birds of interest this week were waterfowl including EURASIAN WIGEON,
HARLEQUIN DUCK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, grebes including RED-NECKED GREBE, GREAT
CORMORANT, GOLDEN EAGLE, SANDHILL CRANE, shorebirds including godwits and
phalaropes, PARASITIC JAEGER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD,
WESTERN KINGBIRD, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, WHITE-EYED VIREO, SEDGE WREN,
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, SNOW BUNTING, warblers including ORANGE-CROWNED,
sparrows including CLAY-COLORED and LARK, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, and PINE SISKIN.
TOP BIRDS
The TRUMPETER SWAN remains at Lake Churchill, Montgomery Co MD, with the
most recent sighting on Nov 2.
The adult BROWN BOOBY* is still hanging around Baltimore Harbor with
occasional sightings throughout the week and as recently as Nov 2.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
First of Season flocks of SNOW GEESE as well as a few CACKLING GEESE turned
up at a few locations this past week. A EURASIAN WIGEON was seen Oct 31 at
the Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD. A SURF SCOTER was found Oct 28 at
Violette's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD; seven were seen there Oct 30.
The BLACK SCOTER off of Hains Point, SW DC, was seen again on Oct 27. The
HARLEQUIN DUCK at the Indian River Inlet, DE turned up again on Oct 30.
Three LONG-TAILED DUCKS were found Oct 29 at South Thimble Island (Island
#1), Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel islands, Northampton Co, VA. A COMMON
GOLDENEYE, seen Oct 27 in the Potomac off of Hains Point, was also visible
from Gravelly Point, Arlington Co, VA. Five COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen the
same day at Violette's Lock, C&O Canal.
HORNED GREBES turned up at a number of locations this past week. A
RED-NECKED GREBE was seen Oct 27 at Assateague Island National Seashore,
Worcester Co, MD.
A juvenile GREAT CORMORANT was seen in the Baltimore Harbor on Nov 2.
GOLDEN EAGLES turned up in decent numbers at some of the hawk watches this
past week with reports from the Rockfish Gap Hawkwatch, Augusta Co, VA; from
the Snicker's Gap Hawkwatch (Loudoun Co, VA); and Kiptopeke SP. Another
good spot this past week for GOLDEN EAGLES was the Town Hill Overlook in
Allegany Co, MD with 3 seen and photographed there on Oct 30 and 5 reported
from there on Oct 31. An immature was also seen Nov 1 at Magothy Bay Natural
Area Preserve, Northampton Co, VA. And an immature GOLDEN EAGLE, its first
for the season, was reported from the Turkey Point Hawkwatch, Cecil Co, MD
on Nov 2.
Six SANDHILL CRANES flew by the Harvey's Knob Hawkwatch, Roanoke, Botetourt
Co, VA Oct 31. On Nov 1 and 2 four SANDHILL CRANES were seen in King George
Co (VA) ponds from the closed gates at Aggregate Industries along Rte 3
between Sealston and King George.
Ten AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS flew over a group of birders at Magothy Bay
Natural Area Preserve on Nov 1. A trip to the Craney Island Disposal Area,
Portsmouth, VA on Oct 29 found an AMERICAN AVOCET, 4 WHITE-RUMPED
SANDPIPERS, and a RED PHALAROPE. Bombay Hook NWR (Kent Co DE) continued to
host HUDSONIAN GODWITs with 4 seen on the 31st. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT,
apparently injured, and a late LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER were among the
shorebirds seen Nov 1 and 2 along LaGrange Lane, King George Co, VA. Ten
MARBLED GODWITS were at Castaways Waterfront Campground (formerly Eagles
Nest), Worcester Co, MD on Nov 2. A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was seen at Bombay
Hook on Oct 31.
Two PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen Oct 27 from the Cape Henlopen Hawkwatch,
Sussex Co, DE. A PARASITIC JAEGER was seen Oct 31 while scanning the ocean
off of 88th St. in Virginia Beach.
The BLACK-HEADED GULL continued at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co, MD, with
sightings as recently as Nov 2.
A few lingering RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS continued in the area with one
still visiting a feeder in Leesburg, Loudoun Co, VA through Oct 31 and
another visiting a feeder in Norfolk, VA through Oct 28.
A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen and photographed at Back Bay NWR, Virginia
Beach, VA on Oct 31.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was found and photographed Oct 31 along the Bridle Trail
just north of the intersection with the Hayfield Trail at Sky Meadows State
Park, Fauquier Co, VA; it was seen along the Hayfield Trail on Nov 1 near
the northern intersection of the Rolling Meadow and Hayfield Trails.
A late WHITE-EYED VIREO was reported from the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE
DC on Nov 1.
A SEDGE WREN was seen Oct 31 at the Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co, DE.
A late GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was found Oct 30 at Wheaton RP, Montgomery Co,
MD.
A SNOW BUNTING was found during the Winter Waterbird Survey at Jug Bay
Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Oct 29. Another one was found
along John Shirk Rd in NW Carroll Co, MD on Oct 31.
Two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were found at the entrance to Hughes Hollow,
Montgomery Co, MD on Oct 29; one was still being seen there as recently as
Nov 2. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was in the picnic area of Washington's
Birthplace, Westmoreland Co, VA Nov 1.The same day one was seen at the
Millington WMA, Kent Co, MD. Late warblers included a couple of CAPE MAY
WARBLERS, one at Aquia Landing, Stafford Co, VA and one in Alexandria, VA on
Nov 2; a NORTHERN PARULA on Oct 29 at Riley's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery
Co, MD and on Nov 2 at the Third Winchester Battlefield, Winchester, VA; and
a late YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Oct 31 in a yard In Pasadena, Anne Arundel Co,
MD.
A wide variety of sparrows was found throughout the reporting area. A
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen Oct 31 near bath house 5 in the F loop
campground of Assateague SP, Worcester Co, MD. Over the past few days a
probable CLAY-COLORED SPARROW has been visiting a yard in Taylorstown,
Loudoun Co, VA. A few VESPER SPARROWS were seen this past week including one
Oct 30 at Kenilworth Park, NE DC; another Oct 31 along Brookfield Rd north
of Slate Run in the Nokesville area of Prince William Co, VA; and still
another at Sky Meadows SP on the 31st and 1st. A LARK SPARROW was found Oct
29 at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE between the Shearness and Raymond Pools.
A LARK SPARROW was seen Oct 31 along the entrance road to Bristoe Station
Battlefield Heritage Park, Prince William Co, VA; in spite of several
attempts it was not relocated later. A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW as well as a
LINCOLN'S SPARROW were seen at Sky Meadows on Oct 31 and Nov 1. A LINCOLN'S
SPARROW was among the sparrows at Fletcher's Boat House, NW DC, on Oct 30; a
LINCOLN'S was also found during the Bristoe Station walk on the 31st..
A late female BLUE GROSBEAK was seen at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE
DC on Oct 29. DICKCISSELS and PURPLE FINCHES were seen during the week from
the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, Northampton Co, VA. A single DICKCISSEL was seen at
Fletchers Boat House on Oct 31; another was seen the same day at the Bayside
Campground, Assateague Island National Seashore. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS turned up
at a few locations this past week including a flock of about 100 in the
Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA on Oct 30. PURPLE FINCHES and PINE
SISKINS were seen at a few widely scattered locations throughout the region
this past week.
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://anshome.org/shop) is an
excellent source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:voice@xxxxxxxxxxx> .
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 applicable records committee
