Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 5/2/2017
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments and questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
Compiler: Gerry Hawkins
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 of the Naturalist (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, April 25 and was
completed on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:45 a.m.
Information on noteworthy birds is presented below in taxonomic order, as
set forth in the American Ornithologists¹ Union Checklist for North and
Middle American birds, as revised through the 57th Supplement (July 2016).
The top bird this week was RUFF in DE and MD.
Other birds of interest this week included SNOW and CACKLING GEESE, GREATER
SCAUP, SURF, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCK, TRUMPETER
SWAN, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, RED-NECKED GREBE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON
GALLINULE, SANDHILL CRANE, BLACK-BELLIED and WILSON¹S PLOVERS, STILT and
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, WILSON¹S PHALAROPE, PARASITIC and LONG-TAILED
JAEGERS, GULL-BILLED TERN, ANHINGA, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, AMERICAN and
LEAST BITTERNS, TRICOLORED HERON, WHITE and GLOSSY IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE,
LOGGERHEAD and NORTHERN SHRIKES, SEDGE WREN, SWAINSON¹S, MOURNING, CERULEAN
and CANADA WARBLERS, CLAY-COLORED, VESPER and LINCOLN¹S SPARROWS, DICKCISSEL
and BOBOLINK.
TOP BIRD
On April 27 and 29 birders enjoyed watching and photographed a RUFF in
the headquarters area at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE. A RUFF also was
reported on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 28.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
On April 26 an injured SNOW GOOSE was observed at Byrd Park and nearby
Pocomoke River SP-Shad Landing in Worcester Co, MD. A continuing CACKLING
GOOSE at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (Horsehead) in Queen Anne¹s Co,
MD was most recently seen on April 30. Lingering waterfowl also included
small numbers of most migratory duck species. Noteworthy sightings included
a singe CANVASBACK at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (Horsehead) in
Queen Anne¹s Co, MD on April 27; a LONG-TAILED DUCK at the North Beach marsh
in Calvert Co, MD on April 30; and small numbers of LONG-TAILED DUCKS and
SURF, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS among other ducks at Poplar Island in
Talbot Co, MD on April 26. Noteworthy inland waterfowl included 1-2 GREATER
SCAUP at Violette¹s Lock on the C&O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on April 29
and 30, and a SURF SCOTER at this location on April 28.
Two TRUMPETER SWANS were seen at the Owensville Road pond in Anne Arundel
Co, MD on April 26, and a continuing TRUMPETER SWAN was at the Jug Bay
Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 27.
The Chester River Field Research Center (Chino Farms)(restricted access) in
Queen Anne¹s Co, MD is one of the most reliable locations in the reporting
area for NORTHERN BOBWHITES, with a high of eight individuals reported there
on April 26. NORTHERN BOBWHITES also continue to be regularly encountered at
Bombay Hook NWR in Kent Co, DE, particularly around the Visitors Center and
Allee House.
On April 26 a late RED-NECKED GREBE visited Lake Frederick in Frederick Co,
VA.
Migrating cuckoos included BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS at several locations,
including along Aquasco Farm Road in Prince George¹s Co, MD on April 27; C&O
Limekiln Road in Washington Co, MD on April 27; Woodlawn Wildlife Area in
Cecil Co, MD on April 28; Beverly Farms Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April
29; Ivy Creek Natural Area in Albemarle Co, VA on April 30; Fort Dupont Park
in Washington, DC on April 28; and Rock Creek Park-Maintenance Yard in
Washington, DC on April 30.
Two pairs of COMMON GALLINULES were found during a survey of Poplar Island,
Talbot Co, MD on April 26.
On April 29 a likely continuing SANDHILL CRANE was seen along Orendorf Road
in Garrett Co, MD.
Breeding WILSON¹S PLOVERS have returned to Wallops Island in Accomack Co,
VA, with three individuals reported on May 1. A high of four BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS were counted at the Patton Turf Farm in Montgomery Co, MD on April
26 and 27. A small number (1-2) of early STILT SANDPIPERS were found at
several locations, including Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on
April 26 and 30 and May 1; Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on April 26;
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 28; Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co,
DE on April 28; and Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on April 30. A single
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was reported along Route 213 south of Redner¹s in
Cecil Co, MD on April 29; on Hart-Miller Island in Baltimore Co, MD on May
1; and on Hog Island WMA in Surry Co, VA on April 30; and 1-2 WHITE-RUMPED
SANDPIPERS were found at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 30
and May 1. A WILSON¹S PHALAROPE was spotted during the weekly survey of the
Craney Island Disposal Area in Portsmouth, VA on April 27.
A PARASITIC JAEGER was reported chasing gulls off Rehoboth Beach in Sussex
Co, DE on April 30, and single PARASITIC and LONG-TAILED JAEGERS were
reported (with photos) in DE waters from the Lewes-Cape May Ferry on the
same day.
GULL-BILLED TERNS continued to return to the southeastern Virginia coastal
plain, with sightings including two individuals at the Craney Island
Disposal Area in Portsmouth on April 27; four individuals at the Grandview
Nature Preserve in Hampton on April 29; and eight individuals at Fort Monroe
in Hampton on April 29.
An ANHINGA was seen at the Stumpy Lake Natural Area in Virginia Beach, VA
through May 1, and two ANHINGAS were found there on April 29. Two ANHINGAS
also were found at the Carson Wetland in Prince George Co, VA on April 29.
On April 30 a single AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was photographed in flight above
Hog Island WMA in Surry Co, VA.
Continuing AMERICAN BITTERNS were encountered at Black Marsh in Baltimore
Co, MD on April 25 and Bles Park in Loudoun Co, VA on April 25 and 30. An
AMERICAN BITTERN also was encountered at a closed bridge over Catoctin Creek
on Poffenberger Road in Frederick Co, MD on April 27; a vernal pool in the
campground section of Cabin John Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April 27;
Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project in Loudoun Co, VA on April 26
and 29; Broadlands Wetlands Nature Preserve in Loudoun Co, VA on April 27;
and Bombay Hook NWR-Refuge Headquarters in Kent Co, DE on April 29. In
addition, two AMERICAN BITTERNS were unexpectedly seen together at the
Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George¹s Co, MD on May 1.
Encounters with the elusive LEAST BITTERN included a continuing individual
at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery Co, MD on April 25-28 and 30, 1-2 calling
individuals at Dick Cross WMA in Mecklenberg Co, VA on April 27 and 29; and
two calling individuals at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co, MD
on April 27.
On April 27 a TRICOLORED HERON was photographed at Beverly-Triton Beach in
Anne Arundel Co, MD.
On April 27 38 WHITE IBIS were observed flying past the College Creek
Hawkwatch in James City Co, VA. Ten GLOSSY IBIS were at the Patuxent River
Naval Air Station in St. Mary¹s Co, MD on April 27, and 1-2 GLOSSY IBIS were
found at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 30 and May 1.
Raptor highlights included two early migrating MISSISSIPPI KITES at the
Smith Farm in Lunenburg Co, VA on May 1.
Two continuing LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES at the Smith Farm in Lunenburg Co, VA were
seen most recently on May 1. A NORTHERN SHRIKE* that has been present at the
Sully Woodlands in Fairfax Co, VA since late October 2016 was seen most
recently on April 29.
On April 26 a SEDGE WREN was heard and briefly seen doing a display flight
at the woodcock meadow by the hike-bike trail in Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA. A SEDGE WREN also was found at Franklin Point SP in Anne
Arundel Co, MD on April 28.
Birders enjoyed encounters with the expected migratory warbler species
throughout the reporting area. These included SWAINSON¹S WARBLERS, which
continued to arrive in the Great Dismal Swamp NWR in the southeastern
coastal plain of VA, the only place where this species is known to regularly
breed in the reporting area. Perhaps the most unlikely warbler report during
the week was a MOURNING WARBLER heard singing in overgrown vegetation in the
front yard of a residence on Alton Place in Washington, DC on May 1.
Individual CERULEAN WARBLERS were encountered at several locations,
including Milford Mill Park in Baltimore Co, MD on April 25 and 26; Cylburn
Arboretum in Baltimore Co, MD on April 30; Susquehanna SP in Harford Co, MD
on April 27 and 28; Fort Dupont Park in Washington, DC on April 28 and 29;
and Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC on April 28 and 30. An early CANADA
WARBLER was found long Big Run Road in Garrett Co, MD on April 29.
Continuing CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS at Big Water Farm (private) in Queen Anne¹s
Co, MD and 103 Exeter Court in James City Co, VA were most recently seen on
April 28 and 30, respectively. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW also was seen near the
playground at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April 27 and
29. Two VESPER SPARROWS were found near 2398 East Ruhl Road in Baltimore Co,
MD on April 25 and May 1. A LINCOLN¹S SPARROW was seen at Rock Creek
Park-Grosvenor in Montgomery Co, MD on April 30; Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince
William Co, VA on April 29; along the hike and bike trail at Huntley Meadows
Park in Fairfax Co, VA on April 30; and in brush along Lake Royal in Fairfax
Co, VA on May 1.
An early male DICKCISSEL was photographed at Mainland Farm in James City Co,
VA on April 30, and two DICKCISSELS were photographed at the Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center in Prince George¹s Co, MD on May 1.
Migrating BOBOLINKS became increasingly conspicuous during the week, with
high counts of 60 individuals at Mainland Farm in James City Co, VA on April
30; 57 individuals at the Fort Smallwood Park Hawkwatch in Anne Arundel Co,
MD on April 29; 50 individuals near the intersection of Sheep and Beaver Dam
Roads in Prince George¹s Co, MD on May 1 and 50 individuals at Staunton
River Battlefield Park, Halifax Co, VA on April 29.
***
This week¹s report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers, eBird records and various birding pages on Facebook.
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. Please
post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as well as the
state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, e-mail or phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the applicable state records committee
