(Fwd) DC Area, 2/2/99
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Tue, 2 Feb 1999 18:03:43 -0500
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: scordle@capaccess.org
To: birdeast@listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: DC Area, 2/2/99
Date sent: Tue, 02 Feb 1999 22:14:05 GMT
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 2/2/99
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.sitesbysteve.com/nvbc/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 Tues, Feb 2, at
2:30 pm. Please consider joining ANS, 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: BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, RAZORBILL,
BLACK-TAILED GULL, and rufous morph RED-TAILED HAWK in VA; and
possible TRUMPETER SWAN and THAYER'S GULL in MD.
Other birds of interest include: AMERICAN BITTERN; TUNDRA
SWAN; GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE; KING and COMMON EIDERs;
HARLEQUIN DUCK; REDHEAD; AMERICAN AVOCET; AMERICAN WOODCOCK;
PURPLE SANDPIPER; MARBLED GODWIT; BLACK-HEADED GULL; BLACK
SKIMMER; COOPER'S HAWK; NORTHERN GOSHAWK; PEREGRINE FALCON;
MERLIN; SHORT-EARED OWL; EASTERN PHOEBE; ORANGE-CROWNED, PALM,
and PINE WARBLERs; SNOW BUNTING; AMERICAN TREE SPARROW; and
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.
An adult BLACK-TAILED GULL was seen again at Chesapeake Bay
Bridge/Tunnel Island #4, Northampton Co, VA, on Jan 30 and 31 and
Feb 1. It was with a flock of Ring-billed Gulls on the west, or
bay, side of the island, both on the rocks and in the water.
Also spotted from Is #4 this week were a first-winter BLACK-
LEGGED KITTIWAKE, on Jan 31, and a RAZORBILL the following day.
A first-winter THAYER'S GULL and a possible second- or
third-winter THAYER'S GULL were spotted at Conowingo Dam, on the
Harford/Cecil Co, line, MD, on Jan 26. They were just above the
dam, feeding on the trash and ice. A first-winter THAYER'S GULL
was seen at the base of the dam on Jan 30.
Two swans believed to be TRUMPETER SWANs were spotted in the
Potomac River, about 3/4 mi upstream from the old tavern at Great
Falls Park, Montgomery Co, MD, on Jan 31. Confirmation of the
sighting would be welcome.
The rufous-morph RED-TAILED HAWK that was reported Jan 11
and 26 along I-66, in the vicinity of the interchange at VA Rt
234, near Manassas, VA, was seen again on Jan 28. This time, the
bird was observed flying north over I-66 and on both sides of Rt
234. Remember, this is the new Rt 234 bypass, not the old,
"business" Rt 234.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was reported in a flock of
Canada Geese at Black Hill Reg Pk, Montgomery Co, MD, on Jan 29;
this sighting, which was not confirmed, was made from near
Shelter I, Parking Lot #8.
Four adult male COMMON EIDERs were frequenting Ocean City
Inlet, Worcester Co, MD, on Jan 30. The following day, four
COMMON EIDERs were again seen, three of them adult males.
An adult male KING EIDER was noted at CBBT Island #4, Jan
31, and an immature male HARLEQUIN DUCK was observed there the
following day. Ten HARLEQUIN DUCKs were frequenting Ocean City
Inlet, MD, on Jan 30, and at least five were seen there the
following day. Farther north, an adult male HARLEQUIN DUCK was
observed at the marina on the south side of Indian River Inlet,
DE, on Jan 31.
A BLACK SKIMMER was noted at Ocean City Inlet, MD, on Jan
30. Farther south, six BLACK SKIMMERs were resting on mud flats
near the town of Chincoteague, Accomack Co, VA, the following
day.
A BLACK-HEADED GULL continues to be seen at Indian River
Inlet, DE, with reports for Jan 27, 30, and 31. It was on the
north side of the inlet, near the marina and the beginning of the
causeway to Burton's Island. An AMERICAN BITTERN was spotted at
Little Creek Wildlife Area, DE, on Jan 30.
Raptor reports included an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK seen near
Olney, Montgomery Co, MD, on Jan 30. A SHORT-EARED OWL was
spotted on the north side of the causeway connecting the mainland
with the town of Chincoteague, VA, near dusk on Jan 30. A MERLIN
continues to frequent Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co, VA, with a
report for Jan 31; this bird was first seen in a tree southwest
of the tall observation tower, down a trail unofficially known as
"Barnyard Run", and then flew towards the tower. A MERLIN was
also spotted about 200 yds north of the "Awakening" statue on
Hains Pt, DC, on Jan 30. Also in DC, an adult female COOPER'S
HAWK was seen near the Hart building, at the intersection of
Constitution Ave and 2nd St, NE, on Jan 27, 29, and 30. A
PEREGRINE FALCON was resting on mud flats at the north end of
Accotink Bay, Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Ft Belvoir, Fairfax
Co, VA, on Jan 30.
A flock of about 200 ducks, mostly REDHEADs, was observed in
the Potomac River, about a mile upstream of the Great Falls Park
tavern, MD, on Jan 31. Other reports of REDHEADs included
approximately 20 birds on Zion Pond, at the SW corner of the
intersection of Zion Rd and Sundown Rd, northwest of Olney, MD,
on Jan 30; 40 birds in Perryville Town Park, Cecil Co, MD, on Jan
27; and at least 12 birds in flocks of Canvasbacks at Silver
Lake, Rehoboth, DE, on Jan 30 and 31.
Flocks of 20-25 PURPLE SANDPIPERs were frequenting Indian
River Inlet on Jan 27 and 30, and CBBT Is #4, VA, on Jan 31.
Other shorebird reports this week included at least 30 MARBLED
GODWITs, seen at Willis Wharf, Northampton Co, VA, on Jan 31.
Reports of AMERICAN AVOCETs included eight birds at
Shearness Pool, Bombay Hook NWR, DE; and seven birds on the west
beach at Craney Island-Portsmouth, VA, all on Jan 30. Six
TUNDRA SWANs were spotted in a field at the intersection of Oland
Rd and Rt 85, Frederick Co, MD, on Jan 31.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen at Riley's Lock (Seneca), C&O
Canal, Montgomery Co, MD; and another was at nearby Pennyfield
Lock--both sightings on Jan 31. An EASTERN PHOEBE was also
spotted at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC, on Jan 29. This week
DC also hosted an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, seen again with two
PINE WARBLERs in LBJ Grove, Columbia Island, on Jan 31.
Reports of SNOW BUNTINGs at Sandy Point St Pk, Anne Arundel
Co, MD, included nine birds seen on the beach, Jan 28; and four
birds seen in the grassy area between the beach and the far left
parking lot, Feb 1. An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was spotted on
Monocacy Bottom Rd, near the Monocacy River, Frederick Co, MD, on
Jan 31. And WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs were reported from several
locations around our region.
An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was observed displaying near Olney, MD,
on Jan 28. Several more AMERICAN WOODCOCK display flights were
noted at Pocahontas St Pk, off Courthouse Rd, Chesterfield Co,
VA, on Jan 30.
A PALM WARBLER was seen again near Old Baltimore Rd and
Carter Mill Way, northeast of Olney, MD, on Jan 30. Space is
still available on the Feb 20 pelagic trip out of VA Beach, VA.
Call Brian Patteson, at 252-986-1363, to reserve your spot.
There will be a walk at Dyke Marsh, Alexandria, VA, on Sun,
Feb 7; call the leader, Len Alfredson of Arlington, at 703-416-
2718, for more information. There will be a reservations-only
trip to Eastern Shore coastal areas, DE through VA, the weekend
of Sat, Feb 13, through Mon, Feb 15; call the leader, Paul DuMont
of Arlington, at 703-931-8994, to reserve your place.
To report bird sightings, you can FAX your report to ANS at
301-951-7179, or email it to voice@capaccess.org. You may also
call 301-652-9188, extension 3101, for a dedicated answering
machine at all hours. Please post email reports by midnight
Monday, and be sure to include your name and a Tuesday morning
phone number. Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.