FYI - this report is for sightings from Oct 29 through Nov 4 and was compiled
by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/5/2013
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 was completed Tuesday, Nov 5, at 10:30
AM.
Birds of interest this week are waterfowl including ROSS'S GOOSE and
EURASIAN WIGEON, wading birds, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE, gulls
including BLACK-HEADED GULL, PARASITIC JAEGER, SHORT-EARED OWL, RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, CAVE SWALLOW, SEDGE WREN, warblers,
sparrows, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found Nov 3 and 4 at the primary dam
for Loch Raven Reservoir, Baltimore Co, MD. Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE were seen Oct 31 at the Heston Farm ponds off of Shalom Rd, near
Stuart's Draft, Augusta Co, VA. A SNOW GOOSE was found Oct 30 at
Little Meadows Lake, Garrett Co, VA.
The ROSS'S GOOSE found Oct 20 at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA,
continued to be seen every day this past week foraging at one or
another pond, not all of which were in the state park.
A EURASIAN WIGEON was found Nov 2 and 3 at the Loch Raven Reservoir
dam, Baltimore Co, MD. A EURASIAN WIGEON was also found Nov 2 at the
back side of Swan Cove, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA. A flock of
BLACK SCOTERS were found Nov 3 in the Potomac River between Violette's
& Riley's locks, C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD. LONG-TAILED DUCKS
turned up at inland locations this past week including one on Lake
Frederick, Frederick Co, VA on Nov 3 and three on the Potomac along
with a single BLACK SCOTER above Violette's Lock on Nov 4.
A CATTLE EGRET was found Nov 2 at Turney's Pond, Jarrettsville,
Harford Co, MD. One was also found Nov 3 along Whitehall Rd, Anne
Arundel Co, MD.
A dark-morph RED-TAILED HAWK was seen from the Rockfish Gap Hawk
Watch, Waynesboro, Augusta Co, VA on Nov 1. A juvenile light-phase
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was among the 15 species of raptors (including both
vulture species) passing by the Kiptopeke SP Hawk Watch, Northampton
Co, VA on Oct 29.
GOLDEN EAGLES continued to be seen throughout the week including one
from the hawk watch at Kiptopeke SP on Oct 29 and another there on Nov
4. There was one at the Rockfish Gap HW on Oct 30 and four there on
Nov 2. The hawk watch at Snicker's Gap on the Clarke/Loudon Co (VA)
line recorded one on Nov 3; another was seen in northwestern Loudoun
Co on Nov 2.
Four AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen Nov 1 at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD.
THE BLACK-HEADED GULL that spent last winter in the parking lot at
Hunt Valley Mall, Baltimore Co. MD has apparently returned as it was
seen Nov 4 mixed in with a flock of Ring-billed Gulls near Joe's Crab
Shack. On Oct 31 a BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen flying south near Silver
Lake, Rehoboth, DE. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen Nov 4 at the Wolfe
Neck Waste Treatment Plant, Sussex Co, DE. An adult FRANKLIN'S GULL
was found Nov 3 at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's
Co, MD.
A PARASITIC JAEGER was seen Oct 30 at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester
Co, MD.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen Nov 2 at Kenilworth Park, NE DC.
An adult male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was seen Nov 4 coming to a feeder in
Forest Hill, Harford Co, MD.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen again Nov 4 along Thirteen Curves Rd near
Cods Rd, near Milford, Sussex Co, DE.
A probable CAVE SWALLOW was seen Nov 3 at Kenilworth Park, NE DC. It
was well-described as it flew by in the distance.
The highlight of a visit to Sky Meadows SP Nov 3 was a SEDGE WREN on
the nature trail just south of the parking area/silo on the east side
of Rte 17.
Several rather late reports of various migrating warblers came in
during the past week. Additionally, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen
Nov 1 along the Meadow Trail at the Blandy Experimental Farm, Clarke
Co, VA. Another was found Nov 2 at Point Lookout SP, St Mary's Co, MD.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen Oct 31 and Nov 3 at the Assateague
Bayside Campground, Worcester Co, MD. Both VESPER and LINCOLN SPARROWS
turned up at a number of locations throughout the week.
A NELSON'S SPARROW was found Nov 2 at the White Marsh Wetlands,
Baltimore Co, MD, in the same location as it was seen a month ago.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen in a number of locations during the week.
This week's reports have been gleaned from the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers via the ABA Internet links and from 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. 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
