Below is the Voice of the Naturalist for the current week, whlch was
compiled by Helen Patton and transcribed to Birdeast by Steve Cordle.
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/14/2017
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments and questions: voice@xxxxxxxxxxx
Compiler: Helen Patton
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.anshome.org
<http://www.anshome.org/> .
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon
Naturalist Society. This report covers the week starting Tuesday,
November 7 and was completed on Tuesday, November 14 at 7:20 p.m.
Information on noteworthy birds is presented below in taxonomic order,
as set forth in the American Ornithological Society Checklist for
North and Middle American Birds, as revised through the 58th
Supplement (July 2017).
The top birds this week were WHITE-WINGED DOVE in VA, POMARINE JAEGER
and PARASITIC JAEGER in VA, BROWN BOOBY* in MD, HARRIS'S SPARROW* in
MD and WESTERN TANAGER* in MD and VA.
Other birds of interest this week included waterfowl, RING-NECKED
PHEASANT, RED-NECKED GREBE, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, GREATER
SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM- PETREL,COMMON GALLINULE, shorebirds,
gulls, hawks, shrikes, swallows, SEDGE WREN, LAPLAND LONGSPUR,
sparrows, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, warblers, BOBOLINK and YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD.
TOP BIRDS
On November 11 and 12, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was observed on Magotha
Road in Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA.
During the week southbound jaegers continued to be observed at the
Cape Charles Coastal Habitat NAP in Northampton Co, VA. The sightings
of a single POMARINE and one to two PARASITIC JAEGERS occurred on
November 8, 10, 11 and 14, a reduction in the numbers seen the
previous week.
A BROWN BOOBY* was seen from northern Assateague Island, Worcester Co,
MD on November 11. Two BROWN BOOBIES* were at the Ocean City Inlet,
Worcester Co, MD on November 14.
A HARRIS'S SPARROW* was on the Anacostia River Trail, Prince George's
Co, MD on November 12 and 13.
On November 11, a WESTERN TANAGER* was at Cedar Lane Rd., Worcester
Co, MD. On the same day a WESTERN TANAGER was at the Hamantown Road
Farms (private) Northampton Co, VA.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was on Executive Blvd, Rockville,
Montgomery Co, MD on November 9. A SNOW GOOSE was at Lake Churchill,
Germantown, Montgomery Co, MD on November 11. ROSS'S GEESE were seen
on Main Chapel Way in Gambrills and Waugh Chapel East, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on November 8. Another ROSS'S GOOSE was on Princess Anne Lane,
Virginia Beach, VA on November 9. TUNDRA SWANS were observed (and
heard) from many locations throughout the area during the week.
A trip to Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on November 7, noted 667
NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 306 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER,
a PECTORAL SANDPIPER plus a WESTERN PALM WARBLER and a WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW. REDHEADS were seen at many venues in Virginia during the
week. November 9 was a good day for SCOTERS. SURF SCOTERS were seen at
Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD; Daingerfield Island, Alexandria,
VA and Silver Lake RP, Prince William Co, VA; WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS
were also at Violette's Lock and North Point SP, Baltimore Co, MD and
a BLACK SCOTER was at Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD. A visit to Lake
Frederick, Frederick Co, MD on November 9 observed 8 duck species
including: NORTHERN SHOVELER, GADWALL and AMERICAN WIGEON. A
LONG-TAILED DUCK was at the Sandy River Reservoir, Prince Edward Co,
VA on November 8. COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen in a variety of venues.
A RING-NECKED PHEASANT was at Assateague Island NS, Bayside, Worcester
Co, MD on November 10
Two RED-NECKED GREBES were at Flintville Road, Broad Creek Bridge,
Harford Co, MD on November 8. On November 10 and 11 a RED-NECKED GREBE
was at Sherwood Lakes, Virginia Beach, VA.
On November 12, a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was at Back Bay NWR,
Virginia Beach, VA.
On November 10, 8 SANDHILL CRANES were seen at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent
Co, DE.
A GREATER SHEARWATER and 5 WILSON'S STORM PETRELS were in the sea off
the Mouth of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach, VA on November 9.
A COMMON GALLINULE was at the West Ocean City Pond, Worcester Co, MD
on November 10 and 12. A COMMON GALLINULE was at Cheriton Landfill,
Northampton Co, VA on November 11.
An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co, VA on
November 11 and 12. A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was at the Swan Creek
dredge containment facility, Anne Arundel Co, MD on November 9. A
PIPING PLOVER was at the Assateague NS, Worcester Co, MD on November
11.
Shorebird highlights also included ten WHIMBRELS at Box Tree Marsh and
30 WHIMBREL at Cape Charles, Seaside Road, both in Northampton Co, VA
and both on November 11; two WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS at Bombay Hook
NWR, Kent Co, DE on November 9; a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at the North
Beach marsh, Calvert Co, MD on November 14 and a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
at E.A. Vaughn WMA-Central, Worcester Co, MD on November 11.
BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen at many locations with a high count of 30
at Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD on November 9. An ICELAND GULL and a
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were at Sandy Point SP, Anne Arundel Co, MD
during the week. A GLAUCOUS GULL was at the CBBT, Northampton Co, VA
on November 9.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on November
10 and 12. GOLDEN EAGLES were observed at all the local Hawk Watches
during the week.
On November 14, a single continuing LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen at the
Smith Farm in Lunenburg Co, VA. A NORTHERN SHRIKE* returned to the
Sully Woodlands in Fairfax Co, VA for the winter, with a sightings on
November 8, 11 and 12.
Two TREE SWALLOWS were at Lake Frederick, Frederick Co, MD on November
9. CAVE SWALLOWS appeared throughout the region this week.
A SEDGE WREN was at Prime Hook NWR, Fowler Beach Road, Sussex Co, DE
on November 9 and 12. A SEDGE WREN was found at the Sully Woodlands,
Fairfax Co, on November 12. Another SEDGE WREN was at Gordon's Pond,
Cape Henlopen, Sussex Co, DE on November 12.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was at Assateague SP, Worcester Co, MD on November
11.
An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was at Sunset Park in Ocean City, Worcester
Co, MD on November 12. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was at Sandy River
Reservoir, Prince Edward Co, VA on November 9. Two CLAY-COLORED
SPARROWS were at E. A. Vaughn WMA-Central, Worcester Co, MD on
November 11. VESPER SPARROWS showed up at many locations in the area.
A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was at Sunset Park, Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD
on November 12. LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were at Ilia Fehr NP, Lizard Hill
in Bishopville and Deer Run Golf Course, all Worcester Co, MD and all
on November 11. Another LINCOLN'S SPARROW was at the Cheriton
Landfill, Northampton Co, VA also on November 11.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were seen at several locations.
Several late migratory warblers were seen in Maryland during the week,
including a NASHVILLE WARBLER at Masonville Cove, Baltimore Co, on
November 11; a CAPE MAY WARBLER at Assateague Island NS, Bayside,
Worcester Co, on November 10 and 12 and a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WATBLER
at Club House Road pond, Worcester Co, on November 12.
A BOBOLINK was at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co, VA on November 12. A
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen in the Seaside Road vicinity of Cape
Charles, Northampton Co, VA on November 11 and 12. An amazing 10,000
COMMON GRACKLES were at Great Falls NP, VA on November 12.
***
This week's 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/naturalist-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
