DC Area, 7/14/98

Steve Cordle (scordle@tidalwave.net)
Tue, 14 Jul 1998 23:00:21 GMT 

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               7/14/98
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, Jul 14, at
3:30 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: WHITE IBIS, CURLEW SANDPIPER,
WILSON'S PHALAROPE, REEVE, and possible YELLOW-LEGGED and LITTLE
GULLs in DE.

     Other birds of interest include: LEAST BITTERN; GLOSSY IBIS;
UPLAND SANDPIPER and other shorebirds; LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL;
LEAST and BLACK TERNs; WILLOW and ALDER FLYCATCHERs; swallows;
and BOBOLINK.

     Delaware's Bombay Hook NWR held some interesting birds this
week.  An immature WHITE IBIS, seen in a group of Glossy Ibises
at the south end of Shearness Pool, Jul 9-11, was a good find, as
were a male, breeding-plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER, in Shearness on
Jul 9 and 12, and a REEVE, also in Shearness, on Jul 11 and 12. 
WILSON'S PHALAROPEs were also frequenting Bombay Hook, with
reports of between two and six birds, Jul 9-13; most of the
sightings were in Raymond Pool.  

     Other reports from DE included two gulls identified as
unusual species by separate, individual observers, but not
noticed by other birders there over the weekend. Both gulls were
seen along Pt Mahon Rd, Little Creek Wildlife Area, on Sat, Jul
11.  One of the gulls was identified as a first-summer LITTLE
GULL.  It was frequenting the area beyond the two piers and
before the bait/tackle shop.  The other bird was identified as a
first-summer YELLOW-LEGGED GULL.  This bird was frequenting a
small inlet just past the main, or north, impoundment. 
Corroboration of the identification of both of these gulls is
needed.  

     Three LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs were reported near the
possible YELLOW-LEGGED GULL on Pt Mahon Rd Jul 11, and a single
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen along this road Jul 12.  Three
more LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs were spotted at Hart-Miller Is,
Baltimore Co, MD, on Jul 10, and five were seen there Jul 11.

     Shorebird reports, in addition to those already mentioned,
included five UPLAND SANDPIPERs on the north side of Oland Rd,
just west of Rt 85, Frederick Co, MD, on Jul 12; and another five
UPLAND SANDPIPERs at Dover AFB, DE, on Jul 11.  The remainder of
the shorebird reports consisted mainly of a wide variety of
returning migrants, seen on mudflats and in other wet areas
around our region.  Species reported included:  LEAST, WESTERN,
SOLITARY, and STILT SANDPIPERs; SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER; DUNLIN;
and GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGs.

     Seventeen LEAST TERNs were resting on a tidal bar at
Horsehead Wetlands Center, Grasonville, Queen Annes Co, MD, on
Jul 13.  Four LEAST TERNs were frequenting the Wildlife Viewing
Area of Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract, Anne Arundel Co,
MD, on Jul 10.  A BLACK TERN was spotted at Ted Harvey Wildlife
Area, DE, on Jul 13.

     LEAST BITTERNs were still being observed at Hughes Hollow,
Montgomery Co, MD, with a report of several birds there on Jul 8.

     A GLOSSY IBIS was spotted feeding along the water's edge, in
view of the visitor center deck, at Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary,
Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges Co, MD, on Jul 11.

     Swallows were reported widely and, in some places,
abundantly this week.  Highlights included a total of more than
200 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWs at Hughes Hollow and on nearby
phone lines along River Rd between Hughes Rd and Sycamore Landing
Rd, Montgomery Co, MD, on Jul 12.  BANK SWALLOWs were reported in
large numbers on wires along the north side of Rt 656 (Hibler
Rd), Lucketts, Loudoun Co, VA, also on Jul 12.

     Other land bird reports included two BOBOLINKs at Hart-
Miller Is, MD, Jul 11.

     A singing ALDER FLYCATCHER and five singing WILLOW
FLYCATCHERs were reported from along Oatlands Mill Rd, Loudoun
Co, VA, on Jul 9.  WILLOW FLYCATCHERs were also noted at Hughes
Hollow, MD, on Jul 8.

     A pelagic trip will depart VA Beach, VA, on Sun, Sept 13; to
reserve your spot, call Brian Patteson, at 703-765-4484, as soon
as possible.

     There will be a reservations-only trip to DE coastal areas
on Sat, July 18; call the leader, John Bjerke of Rockville, at
301-963-8525, to secure your place.  There will be another
reservations-only trip to DE coastal areas on Sat, Jul 25; call
the leader, Harvey Mudd of Bethesda, at 301-530-7322, 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
email reports to:  voice@capaccess.org.  Thank you for calling,
and GOOD BIRDING.
Steve Cordle
Arlington, VA
scordle@tidalwave.net