Date: 8/14/12 10:24 am
From: <lydiaschindler...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Fwd: DC Area, 8/14/12





-------- Original Message --------
From: "Steve Cordle"
Date: Aug 14, 2012 10:34:41 AM
Subject: DC Area, 8/14/12
To: <BIRDEAST...>

Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/14/2012
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: Bob Hartman
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the
Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (<scordle...>)

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, August 14, at
11 AM.

Top birds this week are MISSISSIPPI KITE and BLACK-TAILED GODWIT in
VA, and BROWN NODDY in DE.

Other birds of interest include early waterfowl, migrating hawks,
AMERICAN COOT, early shorebirds, BONAPARTE'S GULL, FRANKLIN'S GULL,
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER, SEDGE WREN, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, MOURNING WARBLER, and
HENSLOW'S SPARROW.

MISSISSIPPI KITES made appearances at two locations in Northern VA
recently: on Aug 8, two were reported over the Home Depot in Fairfax
City, Fairfax Co, and on Aug 10, three were spotted over P.B. Smith ES
in Fauquier Co. A BLACK-TAILED GODWIT at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co
VA, was seen by only a few on Aug 11 & 12. On Broadkill Beach Rd, Kent
Co DE, a flyby BROWN NODDY was observed on Aug 11.

Over the past week, early waterfowl showed up, mostly between the
Potomac River and the coast. Two SNOW GEESE were at the North East
Community Pk in Cecil Co MD on Aug 12. TUNDRA SWANS were seen at
Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co DE, on Aug 7, 8, 11, and 12. Also at Bombay
Hook, a NORTHERN PINTAIL was spotted on Aug 11, and a NORTHERN PINTAIL
hen was seen Aug 13 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co MD. A
RING-NECKED DUCK was seen at Little Meadows Lake, Garrett Co MD on Aug
7. LESSER SCAUP were seen at several locations including Swan Creek
Wetland, Anne Arundel Co MD, on Aug 8, 10, and 12, two at Occoquan Bay
NWR on Aug 12, and two more at Hart-Miller Island on Aug 13. A single
BUFFLEHEAD hen was at Hart-Miller Island on Aug 13. Two COMMON
MERGANSERS were seen Aug 12 on the Potomac River from Great Falls NHP,
Fairfax Co VA, and two RUDDY DUCKS were at Hart-Miller Island on Aug
13. Also along the Potomac, a HORNED GREBE was spotted near Violette's
Lock (C&O Canal), Montgomery Co MD, on Aug 12.

Five AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co
DE, on Aug 7 and Aug 12. A GREAT CORMORANT was seen Aug 12 on Skimmer
Island, Ocean City, MD (Worcester Co). The ANHINGA continues in
Henrico Co VA, at Chamberlayne Marsh, just north of Richmond near the
intersection of Richfood Rd and Old Richfood Rd, with a sighting on
Aug 12. Another continuing bird is the GREAT WHITE HERON (white morph
of GREAT BLUE HERON) at Big Pool, Fort Frederick SP, Washington Co MD,
seen on Aug 8 and 12. A young WHITE IBIS was seen Aug 9 at Oxon Cove,
Prince George's Co MD.

Hawk migration is well underway, with a count of 57 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS
at the Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, Augusta Co VA, on Aug 12, and 21 seen
there the next day. Other hawk watches have had small numbers of
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.

An AMERICAN COOT showed up at Northampton Lake, Prince George's Co MD,
with sightings on Aug 7 and 13.

Early shorebird were seen, mostly in MD. AMERICAN GOLD-PLOVERS were
seen, one on Aug 9 at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co VA, and another in MD at
Swan Creek Wetland on Aug 10. On Aug 7, AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen
from both sides of Triadelphia Reservoir, Montgomery and Howard
Counties. Pictures posted on eBird show that there were at least two
different birds present, one still in full alternate plumage, the
other starting toward basic plumage. Single MARBLED GODWITS were seen
at three locations in MD, including at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, on
Aug 10 and 13, at Violette's Lock on Aug 11, and at Skimmer Island,
also on Aug 11. Single WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were seen, at Swan
Creek Wetland on Aug 9 and 10, at Chincoteague NWR on Aug 9, at Browns
Bridge Rd (Patuxent River, Howard/Montgomery Counties) also on Aug 9,
and at Poplar Island on Aug 10. A single BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was
seen at Murray Sod Farm, Worcester Co MD, on Aug 7, 8, and 9. Another
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was at Central Sod Farm, on John Brown Rd in
Queen Anne's Co MD, on Aug 11 and 12.

On Aug 10, a BONAPARTE'S GULL was spotted at Swan Creek Wetland, and
one or two more were seen at Bombay Hook on Aug 11 and 12. Five
BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen at Poplar Island on Aug 13, and a
FRANKLIN'S GULL was at Hunting Creek, Alexandria VA, on Aug 10.

A light sprinkling of early migrants was reported. A young
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was photographed Aug 7 in Garrett Co MD at Mt
Nebo WMA. On Aug 12, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen at West
Friendship Pk, Howard Co MD. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was a nice
yard bird in Woodbine MD (Carroll Co) on Aug 11. At the Chester River
Field Research Center, Queen Anne's Co MD, a SEDGE WREN was spotted on
Aug 8. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was at Hart-Miller Island on Aug 13,
and a MOURNING WARBLER was seen along the Ted Harvey WMA entrance road
(Kent Co DE) on Aug 7. Finally, HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were seen along
Russell Road, in Garrett Co MD, on Aug 9, 11, and 12.

Most of this week's reports have been gleaned from the VA-Bird, West
Virginia Birding List, and DE-Birds list servers, the mdbirding
website, and eBird Rare Bird Alerts.

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 interest to the records committee

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