DC Area, 6/9/98

Steve Cordle (scordle@tidalwave.net)
Tue, 09 Jun 1998 16:38:09 -0400


Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               6/9/98
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)

     This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the
Audubon Naturalist Society.  This tape was made Tue, Jun 9, at 2
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,the
address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, and the
website is http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.

     Top birds this week are:  PACIFIC LOON in DC; possible
YELLOW-LEGGED GULL in DE; WHITE-FACED IBIS and MISSISSIPPI KITE
in VA; RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and ICELAND GULL
in MD; and CURLEW SANDPIPER and DICKCISSEL in MD, VA, and DE.

     Other birds of interest include: LEAST and AMERICAN
BITTERNs, LITTLE BLUE HERON, KING RAIL, BLACK and LEAST TERNs,
PEREGRINE FALCON, CLIFF SWALLOW, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, warblers, and
SUMMER TANAGER.

     The PACIFIC LOON discovered Memorial Day Weekend in the
Washington Channel, off East Potomac Park (Hains Pt), SW DC, was
seen again every day, Jun 2-8.  The loon has been reported
increasingly on the Potomac R side of Hains Pt, as far upstream
as the 14th St Bridge, and sometimes is close to the VA shore.
The most recent report was from the mouth of Roaches Run, off
Gravelly Pt, Arlington, VA.  Another spot to try is near the
parking lot just north of National Airport, where there is a boat
ramp and people park to watch jets take off.  This lot is
accessible only from the northbound lanes of GW Pkwy.  Heading
south on the parkway, exit at the airport, stay in the right
lane, go under the bridge, and take an immediate right (sign says
"Washington") to get back onto the parkway northbound.  Keep
right again for the first exit into the lot.

     The possible YELLOW-LEGGED GULL, atlantis race, first
spotted on May 30 along Pt Mahon Rd, Little Ck Wildlife Area, DE,
was seen again on Jun 2 and observed at length on Jun 3, on the
shore side of the road.  The bird visited various feeding areas
along the road that day.  This week's observers concurred in the
initial identification of the gull as a YELLOW-LEGGED, but if the
bird can be relocated, birders are encouraged to take careful
field notes and photographs to confirm its identity.

     An adult WHITE-FACED IBIS was seen--mostly in flight--over
Snow Goose Pool and the Wildlife Drive, Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA, on Jun 4.  It was flying into a stiff, south
breeze.

     There were no reports this week of the WESTERN GREBE, first
reported on May 21 on Lake Thoreau, Reston, Fairfax Co, VA.

     Three RED-NECKED PHALAROPEs, two males and a female, all in
breeding plumage, were spotted at Hart-Miller Is, Baltimore Co,
MD, on Jun 6.  Also there that day were two male WILSON'S
PHALAROPEs in breeding plumage, a first-summer ICELAND GULL, and
a breeding-plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER.  If you would like to go on
one of the Sat or Sun boat trips to this island, call Gene
Scarpulla, at 410-821-0575, evenings after 7 pm; be sure to call
by Thursday evening to schedule for the following weekend.

     Another CURLEW SANDPIPER, in winter plumage, was spotted in
Snow Goose Pool, Chincoteague NWR, VA, on Jun 5.

     An adult MISSISSIPPI KITE made appearances again this week
at Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co, VA, with reports for Jun 3 and
8.  Another report of an adult MISSISSIPPI KITE, possibly the
same bird, came from less than 10 mi away, in the Accotink Bay
Wildlife Refuge, Ft Belvoir, Fairfax Co, VA, on Jun 2.

     DICKCISSELs were reported from many of the same fields they
were frequenting last week.  The males are often seen singing
from small shrubs or trees along the roads, and from the tops of
grain or other crops in the fields.  One reliable spot for these
birds over the years has been the vicinity of the intersection of
Lily Pons Rd, Oland Rd, and Rt 85 (Buckeystown Pk), Frederick Co,
MD [DeLorme Pg 55, B5].  This week, DICKCISSELs were reported
from this area on Jun 2, 4, and 6.  A male DICKCISSEL was also
singing persistently along Hibler Rd (Rt 659), Lucketts, Loudoun
Co, VA, on Jun 6 and 7; coming east, from Limestone School Rd (Rt
661), go about 0.15 mi and check the fields on the right side of
the road [DeLorme Pg 80, C-1,2].  And a DICKCISSEL was observed
again in the area where the road turns toward Bear Swamp Pool,
Bombay Hook NWR, DE, on Jun 6 and 7.

     A LEAST TERN continues at the Patuxent Research Refuge North
Tract, Anne Arundel Co, MD, with a report from the Wildlife
Viewing Area for Jun 4.  Other tern reports included a BLACK
TERN, spotted at Ted Harvey Wildlife Area, DE, on Jun 3.

     A LEAST BITTERN was seen flying over cattails at Dyke Marsh,
Alexandria, VA, on Jun 3.  An AMERICAN BITTERN was frequenting
Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co, VA, on Jun 6 and 8; at least
once, this bird came within 10 ft of the boardwalk.  KING RAILs
also continue to be seen easily from the boardwalk, and an adult
LITTLE BLUE HERON was frequenting the park's marshes on Jun 8.

     A SUMMER TANAGER was seen and heard at Manassas Natl
Battlefield Pk, Pr William Co, VA, on Jun 7; the bird was near
Marker #26 of the Blue Trail.

      A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen working the Rock Dove flock at
the VA end of the DC Beltway's Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the
Potomac R, on Jun 5.

     CLIFF SWALLOWs are nesting under the Rt 7 bridge across the
Shenandoah R, Clarke Co, VA, with a report for Jun 5.  You can
find them by heading west on Rt 7, turning left on Rt 606 just
before the bridge, then turning right at bottom of the hill and
parking under the bridge.  A late BOBOLINK was seen at the
Patuxent Research Refuge, MD, on Jun 4.

     Lingering migrant warblers included a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
near Pennyfield Lock, Montgomery Co, MD, on Jun 7; another
CHESTNUT-SIDED in a yard in Silver Spring, Montgomery Co, MD, on
Jun 5; and a BLACKPOLL heard at the Patuxent Research Refuge, MD,
on Jun 4 and 6.

     WILLOW FLYCATCHERs were reported from a number of spots
again this week.  A single bird was seen and heard along Monocacy
Bottom Rd, Frederick Co, MD, on Jun 6; two pairs were observed
along Oatlands Mill Rd at the Dulles Greenway Wetlands, Loudoun
Co, VA, on Jun 6; a single bird was noted at Sky Meadows St Pk,
Fauquier Co, VA, on Jun 7; and another single bird was found
along Yellow Schoolhouse Rd (Rt 831), approximately 1-1/2 mi off
Rt 7, western Loudoun Co, VA, during the week.

     There will be a reservations-only trip to Patuxent River Pk,
MD, on Sat, Jun 13; Greg Kearns will lead; call co-leader, Paul
DuMont of Arlington, at 703-931-8994, to reserve your place.
There will be a reservations-only trip to Loudoun Co, VA, areas
on Sun, Jun 14; call the leader, Bob Beard of Arlington, at 703-
534-3178, to secure your spot.  There will be a reservations-only
trip to Woodbridge Refuge, VA, on Sat, Jun 20; call one of the
leaders, Jim Waggener of Woodbridge, at 703-497-0506, 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
email reports to:  voice@capaccess.org.  Thank you for calling,
and GOOD BIRDING.
--
Steve Cordle
Arlington, VA
scordle@tidalwave.net