DC Area, 6/16/98

Steve Cordle (scordle@tidalwave.net)
Tue, 16 Jun 1998 17:53:34 -0400


Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               6/16/98
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)

!!Check 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, Jun 16, 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,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 and PA;
NORTHERN GANNET and WHITE-WINGED DOVE in DE;  MISSISSIPPI KITE in
VA; SOOTY, MANX, and GREATER SHEARWATERs, and WILSON'S STORM-
PETREL in MD; and DICKCISSELs in MD and VA.

     Other birds of interest include:  AMERICAN BITTERN, LEAST
BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE HERON, HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK,
probable RINGED TURTLE-DOVE, LEAST and WILLOW FLYCATCHERs, CLIFF
SWALLOW, VEERY, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.

     The PACIFIC LOON in nearly full breeding plumage discovered
May 25 and seen daily through Jun 8 in the Washington Channel and
nearby stretches of the Potomac R, DC, was last reported the
afternoon of Jun 10.  That day, it was in DC waters of Roaches
Run, as seen from Gravelly Pt, Arlington, VA.  It came as far up
the creek as the boat ramp.

     Three days later, on Jun 13, a PACIFIC LOON reported as
being in breeding plumage was spotted at a reservoir a few miles
south of Hanover, PA.  This bird was seen again on Jun 14 and the
morning of Jun 15th,  but not relocated on the afternoon of the
15th.  Call the Central PA Birdline, at 717-255-1212, ext. 5761,
for directions.

     A boat trip to Baltimore Canyon (MD waters of the Atlantic
Ocean) on Jun 14 yielded sightings of a MANX SHEARWATER, three
SOOTY SHEARWATERs, numerous GREATER SHEARWATERs, and more than
100 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELs.  Three WILSON'S STORM-PETRELs were
also spotted from a boat in the Chesapeake Bay, 3 miles east of
Pt Lookout, St Mary's Co, MD, the same day.

     A sub-adult NORTHERN GANNET was winging slowly southward
along the beach at Dewey Beach, DE, on Jun 14, fueling
speculation that the bird was either left behind by the species'
main migration northward, or blown south by weather events
farther north.

     A MISSISSIPPI KITE was reported flying over Huntley Meadows
Pk, Fairfax Co, VA, again, on Jun 13 and 15.

     A WHITE-WINGED DOVE was frequenting bird feeders at the
nature center at Cape Henlopen St Pk, DE, on Jun 9 and 11.

     Another dove, believed to be an escaped RINGED TURTLE-DOVE,
has been frequenting a backyard in the White Oak area of Silver
Spring, Montgomery Co, MD, most of the week, with the most recent
report for Jun 15.  If you would like to try to see this bird,
call Emily Pugsley at 301-593-2012.

     Two DICKCISSELs, apparently a mated pair, were observed
along Oland Rd near Rt 85, Frederick Co, MD, on Jun 11.  Three
male and two female DICKCISSELs were also found along Oland Rd,
about 1/3 - 1/2 mi from Rt 85 [DeLorme Pg 55, B5], on Jun 14.
Another DICKCISSEL, a male, was noted in a field along Rt 656
(Hibler Rd), about 0.15 mi east of Rt 661, Lucketts, Loudoun Co,
VA [DeLorme Pg 80, C-1,2], on Jun 13; this field will be on your
right as you come east from Rt 661.  Also in that field that day
were two GRASSHOPPER SPARROWs.

     VEERYs were seen and heard singing in Glover-Archbold Pk,
DC, during the week.  The most recent report was of four birds
heard on Jun 15.

     CLIFF SWALLOWs are building nests at the aquaduct over
Seneca Ck, Riley's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD, with a
report for Jun 14.  Viewing is especially good from the aquaduct
bridge, where the activity can be watched from above.

     A LEAST BITTERN was spotted at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co,
MD, on Jun 11.  It was frequenting the first impoundment on the
right as you come from the parking lot.  First spotted in marshes
near the crossdike, it was also seen flying into a nearby tree
and then back to the marsh.

     A LITTLE BLUE HERON was frequenting Huntley Meadows Pk, VA,
on Jun 13.  Also at Huntley that day was an adult female HOODED
MERGANSER with five young; and an AMERICAN BITTERN was seen there
on Jun 13 and 14.  Seven LITTLE BLUE HERONs, four of them adults
and three immatures, were seen at Courthouse Point Managed
Hunting Area, Cecil Co, MD [DeLorme Pg 78, D-1], on Jun 11.

     Late water bird migrants included ten RUDDY DUCKs--five
males and five females-- present at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD,
all day on Jun 13, but then gone by the evening of the following
day.

     Late land bird migrants included a LEAST FLYCATCHER and a
BLACKPOLL WARBLER, found at Patuxent River Pk at Jug Bay, Prince
George's Co, MD, on Jun 13.  Another BLACKPOLL was seen and heard
near the nature center at Cape Henlopen St Pk, DE, also on Jun
13.

     WILLOW FLYCATCHER reports included one bird along Rt 658,
near US Rt 15, Loudoun Co, VA [ADC Map 11, B-3] on Jun 13; and
another bird at Patuxent River Pk at Jug Bay, MD, the same day.

     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.  There will
be a reservations-only trip to Elliott Is, MD, on Sat, Jun 27;
Hal Wierenga will lead; make reservations with Paul O'Brien of
Rockville, at 301-424-6491.

     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