FYI - this report is for sightings from 9/30 through 10/6.
Joe Coleman
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 10/7/2008
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(deadline): midnight Mondays
Compiler: Helen Patton
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the
Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
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, October 7, at
3:30 p.m.
Top birds this week are WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL in WV and CALIFORNIA
GULL* in VA.
Other birds of interest include AMERICAN BITTERN, NORTHERN GOSHAWK,
falcons, shorebirds, BONAPARTE'S GULL, BLACK TERN, woodpeckers,
flycatchers, BLUE-HEADED and PHILADELPHIA VIREO, WINTER WREN, thrushes
including BICKNELL'S, warblers including CONNECTICUT, and sparrows,
including CLAY-COLORED and LINCOLN'S.
A WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL has been present since mid-Sept in a pond at
the Huntfield subdivision south of Charles Town, Jefferson Co, WV. It
can be found by taking Rte 340 south at Charles Town from the
interchange of US 340, Rt. 9, and Rt. 51, go about 3.3 miles to
Augustine Avenue where you need to take a sharp right. The Huntfield
subdivision is just ahead on the left. Take the second left onto
Prospect Hills Blvd. At the circle/obelisk, go right onto Butler
Street. At the next circle, go 3/4 of the way around circle, taking
the first right (Colston Road). The pond will be on your right a
little ways ahead.
On October 1, a juvenal-plumaged CALIFORNIA GULL was found on the
beach at Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA.
A juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported from the Turkey Point Hawk
Watch, Cecil Co, MD on October 5.
A MERLIN and six PEREGRINE FALCONS were noted at Washington Monument
SP, Washington Co, MD on October 3. On the same day, two MERLINS and a
PEREGRINE FALCON were seen at Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD.
Other PEREGRINE sightings included a yard in Ferndale, Anne Arundel
Co, MD and Rock Creek Park, DC, on October 1; Point Lookout, St.
Mary's Co, MD on October 3 and Western Regional Park, Howard Co, MD on
October 6.
A trip to Hart-Miller Island on October 4 recorded 10 shorebird
species including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.
Non-shorebird sightings included AMERICAN BITTERN, MERLIN, PEREGRINE
FALCON and LINCOLN'S SPARROW.
Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS and a BLACK TERN were spotted at Point Lookout,
St. Mary's Co, MD on October 5.
Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were reported from Hughes Hollow,
Montgomery Co, MD on October 1 and another was seen on October 3.
There were also several reports of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS returning
to the area this past week.
An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen at Lake Artemesia, Prince George's
Co, MD on October 4.
A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was seen at Rock Creek Park, DC on October 1, 4
and 6 while another was at Rockburn Branch Park, Howard Co, MD on
October 2. Another BLUE-HEADED VIREO was at Little Bennett Regional
Park, Montgomery Co, MD on October 6. A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was banded
at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co, VA on October 1.
WINTER WRENS are starting to appear with sightings from Rock Creek
Park on October 1, 2 and 5 and Little Bennett Regional Park on October
6.
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were among the different species of thrushes
found moving through the area this past week. One was found at the
Hashawha Nature Center, Carroll Co, MD on October 3. Both GRAY-CHEEKED
and SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were seen at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co,
MD and at Mason Neck NWR, Fairfax Co, VA on October 5. SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES were seen at Rock Creek Park on October 1 and 2. The banding
station at Kiptopeke SP caught six thrush species, including
GRAY-CHEEKED, BICKNELL'S and SWAINSON'S during the week.
Warbler migration continued throughout the area with a wide diversity
of different species being reported from a number of different
locations.
A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was spotted on Lower Pindell Road, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on October 2. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen at Fort
Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co, MD on October 3. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was
banded at Kiptopeke SP on October 1. CONNECTICUT WARBLERS were seen on
Lower Pindell Road and Hughes Hollow on October 3. A CONNECTICUT
WARBLER was seen at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on October 4.
Another CONNECTICUT WARBLER appeared at Mason Neck NWR on October 5. A
MOURNING WARBLER was sighted at the Elkhorn Garden Plots, Columbia,
Howard Co, MD on October 1. Another MOURNING WARBLER was seen at
Governor Bridge Road Park, near the Patuxent River, MD on October 2. A
female WILSON'S WARBLER paid a visit to a yard in Ferndale, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on October 1.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was sighted at the Swan Creek Facility, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on October 1. Another CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was at the
Indian Creek WMA, Charles Co, MD on October 2. Yet another
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen on Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD
on October 4. Both a CLAY-COLORED and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW were seen at
Millington WMA, Kent Co, MD on October 4. Two LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were
on Grace Hill Farm in the scrub along Ebenezer Church Road (Rte 779)
near Bluemont in western Loudoun Co, VA on October 1. Another
LINCOLN'S SPARROW was banded at Kiptopeke SP on the same day. More
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were in Howard Co, MD: one at Rockburn Branch Park
and another at Meadowbrook Park on October 2. On October 3, two
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were sighted at Hashawha Nature Center while
another LINCOLN'S SPARROW was at Terrapin Park, Queen Anne's Co, MD on
October 4. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was noted at Rock Creek Park on October
5. Another LINCOLN'S SPARROW was noted at the Elkhorn Garden Plots on
October 6. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen near Melvin Hazen Park, DC
on October 3.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and DE-bird list servers.
Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an
excellent source for directions to many birding sites. The ANS
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source
for this and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or call 301-652-1088 and select menu
option 2. 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.