Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist Date: 7/31/2012 Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1 Reports, comments, questions: (e-mail): <voice...> (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2 Compiler: Lydia Schindler Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!) Transcriber: Steve Cordle (<scordle...>)
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This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist Society. This report was completed Tuesday, July 31, at 6 AM.
Dominating the reports this week are migrating SHOREBIRDS and SWALLOWS.
Other birds of interest include NORTHERN BOBWHITE, ANHINGA, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BROWN PELICAN, LEAST BITTERN, herons, PEREGRINE FALCON, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, terns YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, MARSH WREN, warblers, VESPER SPARROW, LARK SPARROW, DICKCISSEL, and BOBOLINK.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was herding 5 tiny chicks along Whitehall Neck Rd, the entrance to Bombay Hook NWR, DE, on July 24. On July 29, a NORTHERN BOBWHITE was found at Merrimac Farm WMA, Nokesville, Prince William Co, VA.
An ANHINGA first observed more than a week ago at Chamberlayne Marsh on the outskirts of Richmond, VA, was relocated several times through July 28; on that date the bird disappeared into the water, not to be seen again.
Five AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continued off Prime Hook Beach Rd, DE, through July 28. One AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN lingered at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co, MD, July 28.
A July 25 kayak trip through Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, turned up 4 LEAST BITTERNS as well as 2 MARSH WRENS. On July 29 a LEAST BITTERN was at Bombay Hook, lurking in the reeds at Raymond Pool.
Assortments of HERONS-GREAT BLUE, LITTLE BLUE, GREEN, NIGHT-HERONS, and GREAT, SNOWY, and CATTLE EGRETS-are enlivening marshes throughout the area, including Herrington Harbour Marina and Swan Creek, both in Anne Arundel Co, MD. The GREAT BLUE HERON (GREAT WHITE) was still to be seen at Ft Frederick SP, Washington Co, MD, as of July 29.
On July 24, PEREGRINE FALCONS were reported from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, from the Solomons bridge dividing Calvert and St. Mary's Counties, MD, and over the Potomac River in DC; the latter two were dive-bombing cormorants.
The Delaware shore sported more than 20 species of shorebird this past weekend. On July 28, among thousands of peeps and dowitchers at Bombay Hook NWR were 2 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS; AMERICAN AVOCETS numbered 200. On July 29, a HUDSONIAN GODWIT rested in a large dowitcher flock in Raymond Pool. Mid-week, Raymond Pool held as many as 50 STILT SANDPIPERS. The assortment at Taylor's Gut also included STILT SANDPIPERS.
On July 28, more than 200 KILLDEER, as well as 13 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, massed at Youghiogheny Reservoir, Garrett Co, MD. Two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were among half a dozen shorebird species at Swan Harbor, Harford Co, MD, on July 30.
An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was reported from the 72nd Street beach, Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD, on July 26.
Six AMERICAN AVOCETS appeared July 28 off Jones Point Park, where Hunting Creek empties into the Potomac, in Alexandria, VA.
On July 29, 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES flew from Belle Haven Marina, Fairfax Co, VA, across the Potomac into Prince George's Co, MD. That same day two RUDDY TURNSTONES turned up at Oxon Cove, Prince George's Co.
The dredge cells at Swan Creek, Anne Arundel Co, have drawn hundreds of shorebirds, although distance and heat shimmer makes ID a challenge. A survey on July 28 tallied 10 species, including WESTERN, WHITE-RUMPED, and STILT SANDPIPERS and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER.
On July 29, as many as 7 UPLAND SANDPIPERS foraged at a sod farm opposite Gallup Lane off Bristow Rd in Manassas, VA. These birds can be scoped downhill from the end of the paved road.
The weekly shorebird survey at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, on July 26 uncovered BROWN PELICAN, TRICOLORED HERON, GLOSSY IBIS, and 2 WHITE IBIS. Among 19 species of shorebird were 48 PIPING PLOVERS.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL continued at the Chesapeake Biological Lab's pier in Solomons, Calvert Co, MD as of July 24. Four LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were noted at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD, on July 30.
Gordon's Pond, Rehoboth Beach DE, hosted large groups of TERNS, with six species--COMMON, FORSTER'S, ROYAL, CASPIAN, LEAST, and 4 SANDWICH TERNS--on July 28. On July 29 the flocks of gulls and terns at Holland Point, Anne Arundel Co, held 5 BLACK TERNS. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS were widely reported.
A pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS was discovered at Assawoman Wildlife Area, Sussex Co, DE, on July 28; they were at a nest site at the end of Strawberry Landing Rd.
Richmond, VA, is enjoying a PURPLE MARTIN extravaganza; each evening some 16,000 Martins swirl though the air prior to diving at high speeds into a stand of Bradford Pear trees on 17th St near the Farmers Market. This spectacle is likely to continue until mid-August.
On VA's Northern Neck on July 29, some 500 BANK SWALLOWS gathered on power lines along Rte 627 (Wilmot Rd) at the intersection with Ranger Wood Blvd, King George's Co.
A CLIFF SWALLOW was among BARN and TREE SWALLOWS at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, on July 25.
The monthly walk at the Blue Ridge Center in Loudoun Co, VA, on July 28 found 5 warbler species, including an early migrant BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER and a late-singing LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.
A LARK SPARROW discovered at Hart-Miller Island on July 30 was only the second record for the island.
On July 25, in Carroll Co, MD, 2 DICKCISSELS were singing in a big alfalfa field on Harpes Mill Rd, while a VESPER SPARROW posed on a nearby utility wire. That same day in Sussex Co, DE, a VESPER SPARROW was singing along Ponder Rd north of Ellendale and a DICKCISSEL was again present on Cods Rd south of Fowler Beach Rd. A DICKCISSEL visited a yard on Cods Rd on July 29. A DICKCISSEL was found on Egypt Rd, near Blackwater NWR, on July 28.
BOBOLINKS were enjoyed at Swan Harbor, Harford Co, MD, on July 25 and again July 29; they frequent the new, vegetation-covered impoundment on the right.
This week's reports have been gleaned from the MDBirding, VA-Bird, West Virginia Birding List, and Delaware 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...> 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 possible interest to the records committees
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