DC Area, 7/21/98

Steve Cordle (scordle@tidalwave.net)
Tue, 21 Jul 1998 19:18:58 GMT 

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               7/21/98
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:           Steve Cordle
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, July 21, at
1:00 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, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and
COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL in DE.  

     Other birds of interest include: AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERN;
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER; SOLITARY, WESTERN, UPLAND, PECTORAL, and
STILT SANDPIPER; RED-HEADED WOODPECKER; SUMMER TANAGER; and
BOBOLINK.  

     The Delaware coastal area continued to provide good shore
birding this week.  The imm WHITE IBIS, presumably the one seen
last week at Bombay Hook NWR, DE, was seen again across from and
at the south end of Shearness Pool on Sat Jul 18.  Two WILSON'S
PHALAROPES and a number of STILT SANDPIPERS were also reported
there that day in Raymond Pool.  A well-described COMMON BLACK-
HEADED GULL was seen on Sat Jul 18 from Port Mahon Rd, but was
not reported again.  It was on the stretch of shore between the
pipeline pier and the bait shop at about 1pm.  If you're headed
that way this weekend, keep your eye out for this bird.  Also
spotted from Port Mahon Rd on Sat Jul 18 were SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
and PECTORAL SANDPIPER.  Bright-plumaged WESTERN SANDPIPERS were
seen at both Bombay Hook and Port Mahon Rd, and UPLAND SANDPIPERS
continued to be present on Dover AFB in the field across from Rt
9 the same day.  

     Closer to home, Hart-Miller Is, Baltimore Co, MD hosted
early arrivals of 1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and 1 female adult
WILSON'S PHALAROPE.  

     A number of birds were reported from Huntley Meadows Pk,
Fairfax Co, VA.  On Sat, Jul 18, an AMERICAN BITTERN was spotted
catching dragonflies just 15 ft from the outer loop of the
boardwalk.  On Mon, Jul 20, an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was
seen in the dead trees beyond the observation tower, and a male
BOBOLINK was seen both near the observation tower and near the
start of the boardwalk.  Also on the boardwalk there, six baby
KING RAILs were providing enjoyable views.  

     A male SUMMER TANAGER was seen foraging among a group of N
Parula Warblers in the black locusts next to a grassy field
between the parking lot and the road just beyond the railroad
bridge at Leesylvania St Pk, Prince William Co, VA on Sat Jul 18. 
Nearby, at Julie Metz Wetlands Bank on Neabsco Rd, two SOLITARY
SANDPIPERs were spotted the same day. [DeLorme p 76, D4]

     Finally, but not--a LEAST BITTERN was at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax
Co, VA on Tue, July 14.  

     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, Jul 25; call the leader, Harvey Mudd of Bethesda, at 301-
530-7322, to reserve your spot.  There will be another
reservations-only trip to DE coastal areas on Sun, Aug 8; call
the leader, Henry Bielstein, of Fort Washington at 301-292-9592
to secure your place.  

     There will be a reservations-only trip to Huntley Meadows
Park, VA on Sun, Aug 2; call the leader, Ed Eder of Alexandria at
703-360-7994 right away, as spaces are limited.  

     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
http://www.tidalwave.net/~scordle