-------- Original Message --------
From: "Steve Cordle"
Date: Dec 18, 2012 3:33:35 PM
Subject: DC Area, 12/18/12
To: <BIRDEAST...>
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 12/18/2012
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, December 18, at
about 10 AM.
Top birds this week are TUFTED DUCK, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, and SANDHILL
CRANE in MD, and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in WV.
Other birds of interest include CACKLING GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON,
HARLEQUIN DUCK, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BROWN PELICAN, white morph
GREAT BLUE HERON (GREAT WHITE HERON), GOLDEN EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK,
ICELAND GULL, RUFOUS/Selasphorus HUMMINGBIRDS, COMMON RAVEN,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, VESPER
SPARROW, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, crossbills, COMMON REDPOLL, and a
variety of late southbound migrants.
On Dec 16 & 17, a female TUFTED DUCK was viewed and photographed by
many behind the Kent Narrows Holiday Inn, on the north side of US50 in
Queen Anne's Co MD. The female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE continued all week,
hanging out with scaup near the Choptank R bridge north of Cambridge,
MD (Dorchester/Talbot Co). The SANDHILL CRANE continued all week
around New Enterprise Ct, Huntingtown MD (Calvert Co). There were
additional sightings, probably of the same bird, not far away along
Hunting Creek Rd. A bird apparently matching the EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE description was seen repeatedly and photographed in a
yard in Martinsburg, WV (Berkeley Co). If confirmed, this may be the
first WV record.
Several CACKLING GEESE were reported, a single in a restricted area of
Fauquier Co VA on Dec 14, another at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co MD, on
Dec 15, and five along Lime Kiln Rd, Howard Co MD, also on Dec 15. Two
EURASIAN WIGEONS were reported in MD, one at Rumbly Point GC, Somerset
Co, on Dec 11, and one at Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, on Dec 15.
HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue at the Ocean City MD inlet (Worcester Co),
with 3 sighted on Dec 11.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS seem to be firmly established at
Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co MD, with 14 counted on Dec 16. Late
BROWN PELICANS were seen at several places on the Eastern Shore: on
Dec 13, three at Point Lookout SP, St. Mary's Co MD, and on Dec 15,
three near the Kiptopeke SP fishing pier, Northampton Co VA, four at
Black Walnut Pt, Talbot Co MD, and seven at Island #1 of the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (Northampton Co VA). The white morph
GREAT BLUE HERON (GREAT WHITE HERON) was back at Big Pool, Washington
Co MD, on Dec 15.
Near Allen's Fresh, Charles Co MD, at least 3 GOLDEN EAGLES were
feasting on a fish die-off on Dec 15 & 16. Two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were
reported, one Dec 15 along Cedar Creek Rd, Dorchester Co MD, and
another Dec 16 just north of Smyrna DE (Kent Co) near DE Rte 1.
Two ICELAND GULLS were seen in MD, one at the Salisbury landfill
(Wicomico Co) on Dec 11, and another at Swann Pk in Baltimore on Dec
13.
The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues at least through Dec 16 at Green
Spring Gardens, Fairfax Co VA. Another continuing RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
has been in a yard in Calvert Co MD for several weeks, last reported
Dec 16. A hummingbird described only as an immature SELASPHOROUS was
reported on Dec 16 at 9500 Thornhill Rd, Silver Spring MD (Montgomery
Co). The property owner says that visitors are welcome. Another RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD was reported in Amberley, Anne Arundel Co MD, on Dec 16.
COMMON RAVENS were encountered in Montgomery Co MD: one heard but not
seen near Pennyfield Lock of the C&O Canal on Dec 13, two in Upper
Northwest Branch Pk on Dec 15, and one at Hughes Hollow on Dec 16.
Another COMMON RAVEN was on Elk Ridge Landing Rd, Howard Co MD, on Dec
13.
Three BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were found well south of their normal
range during the Dec 15 Triadelphia Res. CBC (Montgomery Co MD).
LAPLAND LONGSPURS have again been seen along Oland Rd near MD85, three
on Dec 15. Also on Dec 15, a flock of 8 SNOW BUNTINGS was observed
around the Indian R bridge campground, Sussex Co DE. A VESPER SPARROW
was spotted Dec 15 in Upper Northwest Branch Pk.
The YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co MD,
has extended its stay to at least 3 months, with a sighting on Dec 17.
Crossbill reports seem to be down this week, but there were a few: two
RED CROSSBILLS Dec 13 on the grounds of the Capital Baptist Church,
Fairfax Co VA, and about 25 Dec 15 at Rocky Gorge Res, Prince George's
Co MD (identified as type 3 by analysis of recordings). WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILLS were more widespread. On Dec 12, 15 were spotted from the
Kiptopeke Hawk Watch, Northampton Co VA. A dozen were reported Dec 12
around Eagle Hill and Shady Lane in Laurel MD (Prince George's Co).
Two more WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in Carroll Co MD on Dec 13,
and six were spotted at Chesapeake Farms (MD) on Dec 16. Only one
COMMON REDPOLL was reported, a heard-only in Howard Co MD on Dec 17.
A variety of very late migrants was reported. One BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHER was seen Dec 11 about � mile upstream from Riley's Lock of
the C&O Canal, Montgomery Co MD, and another was seen Dec 12 along the
WV side of the Potomac R near Harper's Ferry, Jefferson Co. A single
WOOD THRUSH was reported in Patterson Pk, Baltimore MD, on Dec 14 &
16. A TENNESSEE WARBLER was at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co VA, on Dec 15,
and a YELLOW WARBLER was spotted at Swan Harbor Farm Pk, Harford Co
MD, on Dec 13. Finally, the female SUMMER TANAGER in Columbia MD
(Howard Co) was spotted again and photographed on Dec 15.
Most of this week's reports have been gleaned from the VA-Bird, West
Virginia Birding List, and DE-Birds list servers, and the mdbirding
website.
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 committees
--
|