DC Area, 12/30/97
Steve Cordle (scordle@erols.com)
Tue, 30 Dec 1997 16:19:36 -0500
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 12/30/97
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: Jane Hill
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org)
!!Check http://www.capaccess.org/snr/chase.txt for updates
between tuesdays, and www.capaccess.org/snr/vguide.txt for
guidelines on reporting your sightings!!
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the
Audubon Naturalist Society. This tape was made Tue, Dec 30, at
2:30 pm. 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: YELLOW-LEGGED GULL in VA; GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in MD; and RED and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLs in
MD and DE.
Other birds of interest include: EARED GREBE, HARLEQUIN
DUCK, KING and COMMON EIDER, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, MERLIN,
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, and BALTIMORE ORIOLE.
A carefully described, first-winter YELLOW-LEGGED GULL was
discovered on the beach at Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA, on
Dec 28. The bird was with Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, about 2
miles south of the refuge visitor center. It was being harassed
by the Herring Gulls.
An adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was spotted in a flock
of several thousand Snow Geese in pond 3c at Blackwater NWR,
Dorchester Co, MD, on Dec 26.
Pine trees in Carroll and Harford Cos, MD, continue to host
crossbills feeding on the seeds in the cones. In the Liberty
Lake Reservoir area, Carroll Co, 25 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLs and
flocks of up to seven RED CROSSBILLs were observed on Dec 23.
Approximately 45 CROSSBILLs, at least six of them WHITE-WINGED,
were spotted on Dec 25. All of these sightings were along Deer
Park Rd [DeLorme Pg 74, D2], north of the Oakland Rd area where
crossbills were reported last week. To reach
this site from the DC area, take I-95 north to the Baltimore
Beltway (I-695); go north and west on the Baltimore Beltway to
Exit 18 (Rt 26, or Liberty Rd). Follow Rt 26 through
Randallstown and Holbrook, across Liberty Reservoir, and through
Carrolltowne. Then turn right (north) on Rt 32 (Sykesville Rd).
Continue north on Rt 32 to Rt 91 (Gamber Rd), and turn right. Go
about 1-1/2 miles on Rt 91, and turn right on Deer Park Rd.
Follow Deer Park road south, under a powerline crossing. The
road will then curve eastward. When you come to a second
powerline crossing, park along the road and search the pines
along the powerline, on the north side of the road. Also search
the pines along the road itself, about 1/4 mile west of the
powerline.
Sixteen RED CROSSBILLs were spotted near the headquarters of
Broad Creek Memorial Boy Scout Reservation, Harford Co, MD
[DeLorme Pg 76, A3], on Dec 23, and at least 15 RED CROSSBILLs
were there on Dec 28. To reach the camp headquarters from the
Washington, DC, area, follow I-95 through Baltimore, and get off
at Exit 80, MD Rt 543, heading north. Go 1.5 mi on Rt 543 and
turn right onto MD Rt 136, going north. Go about 12 mi north
(crossing MD Rt 222, US Rt 1, and MD Rt 440 along the way). Turn
right onto Peach Orchard Rd. After 1.5 mi, turn right onto
Susquehanna Hall Rd, then after another 0.5 mi, turn right into
the camp entrance. Go about 100 yds, then look for the camp
headquarters, which will be the first building on your right.
Birders are welcome on weekends, but check in at headquarters
first. On weekdays, you must arrange a visit ahead of time, by
calling 410-452-8155 or 410-879-4922.
Flocks of RED CROSSBILLs were also seen in the Great Dunes
Trail area of Cape Henlopen St Pk, DE, over the weekend, with one
of the flocks containing up to 60 birds. A flock of 30-40 RED
CROSSBILLs was seen in this same general area on Dec 29.
An EARED GREBE was spotted in Assateague Channel, between
Chincoteague Island and Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, on
Dec 28. Counters on the Bowie, MD, Christmas Bird Count turned
up a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center, Anne Arundel Co, MD, on Dec 27.
A MERLIN was seen near the intersection of Columbia Pike and
So Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA, on Dec 28, and another MERLIN
was turned up at Manassas Battlefield Park, Prince William Co,
VA, on the Manassas-Bull Run CBC, the same day.
HARLEQUIN DUCKs continue to frequent Ocean City Inlet,
Worcester Co, MD, with the most recent report being four males
and two females, spotted on Dec 28. Both male and female COMMON
EIDER were reported at the inlet on Dec 27. As many as two dozen
eiders, at least four of them male COMMON EIDERs, were spotted at
CBBT Is #3, on Dec 29. A male KING EIDER was still frequenting
the fishing pier at Cape Henlopen St Pk, DE, on Dec 25 and 26.
A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was still lingering at Dyke Marsh,
Alexandria, VA, on Dec 26. Another late migrant seen this week
was a BALTIMORE ORIOLE, found in the Bull Run Regional Park area,
Fairfax Co, VA, by counters on the Manassas-Bull Run CBC, Dec 28.
Upcoming pelagics in our region depart VA Beach, VA, on
three Saturdays: Jan 17, Feb 7, and Feb 21. Call Brian
Patteson, at 703-765-4484, for more information.
The last round of Christmas Bird Counts in our area
includes:
WED, Dec 31: SOUTH DORCHESTER CO (BLACKWATER), MD,
compiler, Chan Robbins, call 301-725-1176 (h), 301-497-5641 (o).
SAT, Jan 3: BALTIMORE HARBOR, MD, compiler, Peter Webb,
call 410-486-1217.
SUN, Jan 4: FORT BELVOIR, VA, compiler, David Abbott, call
703-729-7036. SUGARLOAF MTN, MD, compilers, Gary Nelson and Rob
Gibbs; call Gary at 202-686-7062 (h) or 703-558-4700 (o), or Rob
at 301-253-6903. ANNAPOLIS/GIBSON IS, MD, compilers, Sue
Ricciardi and Hal Wierenga; call Sue at 410-647-9513, or Hal at
410-647-7439. CALMES NECK, VA, compiler, Frances Endicott, call
540-837-1471. PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, MD, compiler,
Doug Lister, call 301-994-2582 (h) or 301-342-3670 (o).
For information on other counts, see the December Audubon
Naturalist News, p. 17, or call 301-652-9188, x 0, and ask for
information.
There will be a reservations-only walk at the National
Arboretum, DC, on Sun, Jan 11; call the leader, Ottavio Janni of
Washington, at 202-244-6009, 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.