Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist Date: 10/28/97 Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE Telephone: 301-652-1088 Reports (voice): 301-652-9188 x3101 (fax): 301-951-7179 (email): voice@capaccess.org (deadline): 8am tuesdays Compiler: Jane Hill Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!) Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org) This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist Society. This tape was made Tue, Oct 28, at 3 pm. Top birds this week are: EURASIAN WIDGEON, CONNECTICUT WARBLER, and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in VA. Other birds of interest include: RED-THROATED LOON, EARED GREBE, NORTHERN GANNET, GREAT EGRET, BRANT, SNOW GOOSE, scoters, LESSER SCAUP, CANVASBACK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, REDHEAD, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, MARBLED GODWIT, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, MERLIN, OSPREY, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, warblers, EVENING GROSBEAK, SAVANNAH SPARROW and PURPLE FINCH. A EURASIAN WIDGEON was spotted at the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, Northampton Co, VA, on Oct 21; it was next to the pond near the Visitor's Center. Also in Northampton Co that day, a CONNECTICUT WARBLER was found at Kiptopeke State Park. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was reported in a mixed flock of other sparrows on the shoulder of Rt 653, about 1/2 mile west of its intersection with Rt 643, south of the Leesburg Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, on Oct 25. Birders should be alert to the possible pres ence of CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in other sparrow flocks at this time of year. Most of the other sightings this week were of coastal and other water birds. NORTHERN GANNETs are pushing through our region, with an estimated 500 birds seen winging southward, close to shore, behind Tom's Cove Visitor's Center, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, during a 20-minute period on Oct 25. Farther north, in DE, the sam e day, smaller flocks of NORTHERN GANNETs were also seen, with at least 15 birds spotted at Rehoboth Beach, and several birds at Indian River Inlet. Ninety-five BRANT were seen from the town of Chincoteague, VA, as they sat on a gravel bar, at low tide, about 100 ft offshore in Chincoteague Channel on Oct 25; these birds were seen easily from Main St, about 1 mile south of the causeway entrance into the town. Another flock of BRANT, estimated to number at least 75 birds, was seen from the south side of Indian River Inlet, DE, the same day. Other winter arrivals along the coast this past week included a RED-THROATED LOON at Dewey Beach, DE, on Oct 25. Newly arrived winter ducks included six REDHEADs--three males and three females--in the southwestern part of the reservoir at Black Hill Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD, on Oct 25. Reports of other arrivals included three male BUFFLEHEADs at Dewey Beac h, DE, and three CANVASBACKs in the Great Marsh area of Mason Neck NWR, Fairfax Co, VA, all on Oct 25. And the season's first report of RED-BREASTED MERGANSER came in, with one bird seen at Indian River Inlet, DE, the same day. Large flocks of scoters were reported, with several hundred BLACK and SURF SCOTERs spotted flying down the coast at Chincoteague NWR on Oct 22. Chincoteague also hosted a raft of at least 300 scoters about 200 ft offshore, behind Tom's Cove Visitor Ctr, on Oct 25; a few WHITE-WINGED SCOTERs were noted in this group of mostly BLACK and SURF SCOTERs. At both Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, DE, flocks of mostly BLACK SCOTERs, with a few SURF SCOTERs, were seen winging along the coast on Oct 26. Farther inland, an EARED GREBE was reported from Musick's Campground, South Holston Lake, Washington Co, VA, on Oct 25. And a MERLIN was spotted at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, on Oct 25--the second week in a row that this species has been seen there. Other raptor reports included an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK at Snickers Gap Hawkwatch, on the Loudoun-Clarke Co line, VA, on Oct 21. Some migrants continued to linger in our region this week. These included 21 MARBLED GODWITs spotted in a flock of several hundred Willets at Oyster, Northampton Co, VA, on Oct 21. Other lingering shorebirds were a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, working the mudd y bank close to the Lilypons Rd bridge, at Lilypons, Montgomery Co, MD, on Oct 22; and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, seen at Chincoteague NWR, on Oct 24. There were also reports of lingering OSPREY, with a single bird seen at Jefferson Patterson Park, Calvert Co, MD, on Oct 23 and 24, and another OSPREY spotted at Prime Hook NWR, DE, on Oct 26. A few GREAT EGRETs are also still hanging on, with a single bird spotted at Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, on Oct 27, and another in the Great Marsh area of Mason Neck NWR, o n Oct 25. LESSER SCAUP numbers are building on the Potomac River, with 120 birds counted from the area around River Farm Drive along the George Washington Parkway, Fairfax Co, VA, on Oct 27. RUDDY DUCK numbers are also swelling on the Potomac, with more than 100 birds spotted near the Great Marsh area of Mason Neck on Oct 25. AMERICAN BLACK DUCKs are also being reported in large numbers. SNOW GEESE were present in abundance in DE this week, with many thousands reported from fields between Rehoboth Beach and Prime Hook NWR, on Oct 26. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHes were reported from several locations in northern VA, including Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, and Clifton during the week. Warbler sightings have dropped off sharply as migration winds down, with only four species reported this week. In addition to the CONNECTICUT WARBLER already mentioned, a PALM WARBLER was found at Great Falls Park, Fairfax Co, VA, on Oct 21 and another was seen south of Leesburg, VA, on Oct 25. A NASHVILLE WARBLER was spotted in Augusta Co, VA, on Oct 22. And YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERs were reported in large numbers from Loudoun Co, VA, over the weekend. Up to 80 SAVANNAH SPARROWs were reported from Dulles Greenway Wetlands over the weekend, and a single SAVANNAH SPARROW was spotted at Lilypons, MD, on Oct 22. Winter finches are beginning to show up, with an EVENING GROSBEAK reported from a feeder in Monterey, Highland Co, VA, on Oct 23. A PURPLE FINCH was spotted in Augusta Co, VA, on Oct 22. There will be a reservations-only trip to Eastern Neck NWR, MD, and nearby areas, on Sun, Nov 9; call the leader, Paul DuMont of Arlington, at 703-931-8994, to reserve your spot. To report bird sightings you can FAX your report to ANS at 301-951-7179, or call 301-652-9188, extension 3101 for a dedicated answering machine at all hours. Internet users can e-mail reports to: voice@capaccess.org. Thank you for calling and GOOD BIRDING.