FYI - this report is for sightings from Oct 4 through Oct 10 and was compiled
by Joe Coleman & transcribed by Steve Cordle.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 10/11/2011
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Compiler: 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, October 11, at
10:00 AM.
Top birds this week are MASKED BOOBY* in MD, SAY'S PHOEBE* in VA,
BELL'S VIREO* in MD, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER* in VA.
Other birds of interest include NORTHERN FULMAR, CORY'S SHEARWATER,
GREAT SHEARWATER, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, WHITE IBIS, rails including
COMMON GALLINULE, shorebirds including phalaropes, PARASITIC JAEGER,
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, LAPLAND
LONGSPUR, warblers, sparrows, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
A MASKED BOOBY* was found Oct 8 just west of the Baltimore Canyon in
MD waters. Also found on the same pelagic trip were two NORTHERN
FULMARS, a CORY'S SHEARWATER, 160 GREAT SHEARWATERS, and three RED
PHALAROPES.
A SAY'S PHOEBE* was seen and photographed on Oct 7 along the eastern
entrance road to Maplewood Gardens, south of Exmore, Northampton Co,
VA.
A BELL'S VIREO* was reported Oct 8 from Assateague State Park,
Worcester Co, MD just around the corner from the end of "shell rd"
which is north of the park's parking lot. In spite of numerous efforts
from several birders it was not relocated.
On Oct 8 a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER* was found on Arrowhead Rd, Rte
670, off Stonewall Rd, Rte 608, just north of Concord, Appomattox Co,
VA.
A single AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack
Co, VA on Oct 6.
440 WHITE IBIS were tallied Oct 6 at the Eastern Shore of VA NWR,
Northampton Co, VA.
Raptor migration continued. An early ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was reported
from the Cromwell Valley Park Hawkwatch, Baltimore Co, MD on Oct 4.
Both a KING RAIL and a SORA were found Oct 9 at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA. Five VIRGINIA RAILS and a SORA were found Oct 10 at
the Swan Creek facility, Anne Arundel Co, MD. Two SORAS were chorusing
the morning of Oct 4 at Bentivar Marsh, Albemarle Co, VA.
Among the birds seen Oct 7 on a trip to Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD
were a COMMON GALLINULE, four AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, a BLACK-NECKED
STILT, eight HUDSONIAN GODWITS, and a MARBLED GODWIT.
Birders at Raymond Pool at Bombay Hook NWR, DE on Oct 6 found 495
AMERICAN AVOCETS, eight HUDSONIAN GODWITS, and a MARBLED GODWIT.
Twelve MARBLED GODWITS were reported from the Chincoteague NWR on Oct
6.
A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was seen Oct 5 at Taylor Pond at Kiptopeke St
Pk, Northampton Co, VA.
A RED PHALAROPE was viewed Oct 4 from the observation platform at
Jackson Landing, Prince George's Co, MD, feeding in the hydrilla not
far from a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. RED PHALAROPES were
reported from the Craney Island Dredge Management Area, Portsmouth, VA
on Oct 10.
During the past week PARASITIC JAEGERS were reported from the Cape
Henlopen Park Hawkwatch with possibly as many as six seen from the
park during the Big Sit on Oct 10.
A hatch-year BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found Oct 6 at Wheaton Regional
Park, Montgomery Co, MD.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen Oct 4 at Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC
on the Ridge opposite the sign for picnic area 18.
A COMMON RAVEN was reported from Oxbow Lake, Anne Arundel Co, MD on
Oct 4. Two COMMON RAVENS were calling as they passed over the ridge at
Rock Creek Park, Washington DC on Oct 6. On Oct 8 a COMMON RAVEN flew
over the Occoquan Bay NWR, Woodbridge, Prince William Co, VA. A COMMON
RAVEN flew over Elklick Woodlands, Fairfax Co, VA on Oct 10.
A likely LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen during an impoundment survey at
Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA on Oct 4.
Numerous warbler species were again seen throughout the area this past
week with some of the best hot spots being Rock Creek Park,
Washington, DC; Leesylvania State Park and Occoquan Bay NWR, both in
Prince William Co, VA; and Wheaton Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS popped up at a few locations including one on
Oct 8 at Terrapin Park, Stevensville, Queen Anne's Co, MD and another
on Oct 9 at Soldiers Delight Natural Area, Baltimore Co, MD. A
CONNECTICUT WARBLER was seen and photographed at the Rock Creek Park
Nature Center on Oct 5.
Sparrows appeared to pour into our area during the week with numerous
sightings including a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in Lower Senate Park, NE
Washington, DC on Oct 4 and another CLAY-COLORED SPARROW on Oct 5 at
Bayside, Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
was also seen from the Hawkwatch at Kiptopeke on Oct 5, 6, and 7. A
LARK SPARROW was well-photographed at the bend in Shelltown Rd from
Assateague State Park on Oct 5. LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were reported from
several locations. Ten sparrow species, including four LINCOLN'S
SPARROWS, were seen Oct 5 at Mount Pleasant Farm, Howard Co, VA. A
NELSON'S SPARROW was found Oct 6 at the Swan Creek/Cox Creek dredge
containment facility in northern Anne Arundel Co, MD; one was also
found there on Oct 10. Another NELSON'S SPARROW was found on private
property in Howard Co, MD on Oct 9.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were reported from a few locations this past week,
including one at Meadowbrook Park, Howard Co, MD on Oct 4; two on Oct
5 at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD; and two
at Huntley Meadows Park on Oct 9.
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
