DC Area, 11/25/97
Steve Cordle (scordle@erols.com)
Tue, 25 Nov 1997 17:00:27 -0500
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 11/25/97
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088
Reports (voice): 301-652-9188 x3101
(fax): 301-951-7179
(email): voice@capaccess.org
(deadline): midnight mondays
Compiler: Steve Cordle
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org)
!!Visit the ANS web site at http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org,
and check http://www.capaccess.org/snr/chase.txt for updates
between tuesdays!!
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the
Audubon Naturalist Society. This tape was made Tue, Nov 25, at
3pm. Please consider joining the Society, especially if you are a
regular user of the Voice (Indiv.$30; Family $40; Nature Steward
$60; Audubon Advocate $100). The membership number is above and
the address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.
Top birds this week are: PACIFIC LOON, COMMON EIDER, KING
EIDER, ROSS'S GOOSE, SWAINSON'S HAWK, FRANKLIN'S GULL, THAYER'S
GULL, ICELAND GULL, WESTERN KINGBIRD, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW
BUNTING, RED CROSSBILL and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
Other birds of interest include: NORTHERN GANNET, LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL, and AMERICAN PIPIT.
The top new bird this week is a ROSS'S GOOSE, seen each day
from Fri, Nov 21 through Tue, Nov 25 in southern Anne Arundel Co,
MD. [DeLorme p38, A1-A2, p48, D1-D2] It was seen among large
flocks of Canada Geese in several locations. Also seen were 2
smaller Canada Geese, sometimes known as "Cackling Geese."
To find the Ross's Goose, from the West, start from the
intersection of US 301 and MD Rt 4 in Upper Marlboro MD, head
east on Rt 4, cross the Patuxent River, and take the right-hand
exit to MD Rt 408. At the traffic light, start mileage: at 3.6
miles east on Rt 408 is a small farm pond where the Ross's was
seen Saturday afternoon. At 4.15 miles, turn left onto Rt. 259
[Greenock Rd]. At 4.6 miles on the left is the pond where the
Ross's was discovered on Friday (11/21) evening and seen again
Saturday (11/22) morning. This morning (11/25) it was seen again
in that general area, but on the right hand side to the left of
the barn. At 5.1 miles on the left is the pond where the Ross's
was seen Sunday (11/23) and Monday (11/24) at Midday.
From the South: Take Rt 4 west and exit at Bristol [the sign
there also indicates Deale], cross over Rt 259 and head north to
the blinking light in Bristol [the gas station is the "town"]
onto Rt 259 [Greenock Rd]. Go east on Greenock Rd 2.85 miles and
check the pond on the right [behind the horse pastures]. If the
goose is not there, go .5 miles further and check the pond
on the right with large Weeping Willows. If this is not
successful, proceed .35 miles further to the intersection with Rt
408 and head west on Rt 408 for .55 miles and check the pond on
the right.
From Annapolis: South on Rt 2 to the traffic circle at Mt.
Zion. Go halfway around the circle and onto Rt 408. Go west on
Rt 408 about 1.5 miles and turn left onto Rt 259 [Greenock Rd].
The main pond will be on the left side about .35 mile along
Greenock Rd If the goose is not there, go .5 miles further and
check the pond on the left behind the horse pasture. If this is
also unsucessful, retrace to Rt 408 and head west about .55
miles to view the pond on the right side of the road.
The PACIFIC LOON that has been seen in the Susquehanna River
area above Conowingo Dam for more than two weeks was seen again
on Sun Nov 24 just across the border into PA, just below the
northernmost RR tunnel.
NORTHERN GANNETs were reported from two locations last
weekend. Twenty-five were resting on the smooth ocean water at
Chincoteague NWR on Fri, Nov 21. On Sun, Nov 23, one was spotted
at Point Lookout SP, Saint Mary's Co, MD.
EIDER were also seen in several locations this past week.
On Fri, Nov 21 three KING EIDER were seen from Island #2 and one
from Island #3 on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. A COMMON
EIDER was seen from Island #2 the same day. A first-winter male
KING EIDER was seen in Cambridge, Dorchester Co, MD along the
waterfront near the Cambridge Yacht Club on Sat, Nov 22. Another
male KING EIDER in nearly full plumage was seen at Cape Henlopen
State Park, DE off the breakwater on Sun, Nov 23. SNOW BUNTINGs
were also seen at Cape Henlopen the same day.
A pair of SWAINSON'S HAWKs were seen flying along Rt.50 in
the shrubs by Freeway Airport, Prince Georges Co, MD, on Wed Nov
19. [DeLorme p 47, C6]
Several interesting GULLs were seen this week. Two
FRANKLIN'S GULLS, a first-winter and a second winter, were
spotted at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges Co,
MD on Tue, Nov 18. [DeLorme p 48, D1] A first-winter THAYER'S
GULL was seen at the Charles Co Landfill, near St. Charles, MD on
Fri, Nov 21. [DeLorme p37, C5] A 3rd-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL was there the same day. To find this landfill, go south on
MD Rt 5 from Waldorf, turn right on Piney Church Rd and in about
3 miles follow the signs to the left. Please ask permission to
bird there at the gate. At the Georgetown Reservoir, District of
Columbia, on Sun, Nov 23, a first-winter ICELAND GULL was seen.
Two adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs were also seen there on both
Sat and Sun, Nov 22 and 23.
A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen on VA Rt 600, north of the
Eastern Shore NWR, Northampton Co, VA on Fri, Nov 21.
AMERICAN PIPIT sightings were widespread this past week.
Six were reported from the New River Valley Airport, just N of
Dublin, Pulaski Co, VA on Thu, Nov 20. A winter-plumaged male
LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen there the same day. [DeLorme p41, C4]
Fifteen more AMERICAN PIPITs were at Blackwater NWR on Fri, Nov
21. Seven were seen on Hart-Miller Is, Baltimore Co, MD on Sun,
Nov 23. Twenty SNOW BUNTINGs were also seen on Hart-Miller Is
the same day.
Finally, both RED CROSSBILLs and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLs
were reported from a number of locations. One RED CROSSBILL flew
over the North Tract of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on Wed, Nov 19. At Cape Henlopen SP, DE, on Fri,
Nov 21, about 30 RED CROSSBILLS were flying overhead and six
WHITE-WINGED were seen between the point and the hawk watchtower.
Also at Cape Henlopen on Sun, Nov 23, about 25 RED CROSSBILLs
were seen near the parking lot for the great dunes trail, and an
adult male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was seen near the closed
campgrounds. Eight WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLs were seen at Turkey
Point, Cecil Co, MD on Mon, Nov 24. [DeLorme p77, D5]
There will be a trip to the Delaware Coastal Refuges on Sat,
Nov 29. Call the leader, Paul DuMont of Arlington at 703-931-8994
for more information and to reserve your place.
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.