[MDOsprey] Voice of the Naturalist, 29 JUN 99
BlkVulture@aol.com
Tue, 29 Jun 1999 13:46:09 EDT
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 6/29/99
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(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 Tuesday, Jun
29, at 1:30 p.m. 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: LITTLE EGRET in DE; and WHITE-
FACED IBIS and possible MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD in VA.
Other birds of interest include: WILSON'S STORM-PETREL,
NORTHERN GANNET, winter ducks, RUFF/REEVE, WILSON'S PHALAROPE,
PIPING PLOVER,and a variety of other shorebirds; several
species of tern, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, VEERY,
and DICKCISSEL.
An adult, breeding-plumaged LITTLE EGRET continues at
Bombay Hook NWR, DE. It was reported Jun 24-28, and is being
seen in both Raymond and Shearness Pools. Early in the morning,
the bird tends to be close to the dike road, then retreats
farther back in the impoundments later in the day. Some
observers have reported that it now appears to have only one of
its two breeding plumes left. When searching for this egret
among the Snowy Egrets, look for a bird with grayish lores,
somewhat larger bill, chunkier appearance, and feet that,
though dark yellow, do not contrast as strongly with the dark
legs as in the Snowies.
A report was received, not first-hand, of a MAGNIFICENT
FRIGATEBIRD flying over Willow St, Town of Chincoteague,
Accomack Co, VA, on Jun 25. A bird of this species was spotted
at Chincoteague last year. Birders are encouraged to keep an
eye out, and to take careful notes and photographs of the bird,
if possible.
Across Assateague Channel from the Town of Chincoteague,
at Chincoteague NWR, a WHITE-FACED IBIS was observed at close
range about three-quarters of the way around the Wildlife Loop,
on the right-hand side, on Jun 27. This spot is just past the
point where you emerge from the woods into the open.
An adult MISSISSIPPI KITE was frequenting Huntley Meadows
Pk, Fairfax Co, VA, again this week. The most recent report
was for 8:30-8:40 a.m., Jun 28. From the observation tower, it
was seen flying over the trees on the far side of the marsh.
Later that same day, between 2:05 and 3:25 p.m., three
MISSISSIPPI KITEs, two of them adults and the third seen too
distantly to tell age, were observed over Haymarket, on the
Fauquier/Prince William Co line, VA.
Other raptor reports included an adult BROAD-WINGED HAWK,
seen daily along US Rt 29, just south of Gainesville, Prince
William Co, VA, Jun 25-27, then found dead on Rt 29 on Jun 28.
Nine WILSON'S STORM-PETRELs were spotted in Somerset Co,
MD, waters of the Chesapeake Bay, on a boat trip from Pt.
Lookout to Smith Island, on Jun 26. Also seen in the Bay on
that trip were a 1st-summer BLACK TERN and a 1st-summer
NORTHERN GANNET.
Other tern reports this week included two LEAST TERNs,
spotted in the company of numerous FORSTER'S TERNs on the
mudflats at Hunting Creek, south of Alexandria, VA, on Jun 27.
Just south of this location, a single LEAST TERN was spotted
flying with six FORSTER'S TERNs over the Potomac River off
Belle Haven picnic area, at 7 p.m. on Jun 28. A GULL-BILLED
TERN was spotted at 65-Acre Pond, Assawoman Wildlife Area,
Sussex Co, DE [DeLorme Pg 35, A6], on Jun 26.
Also in Sussex Co, DE, two adult and four young PIPING
PLOVERs were observed at Gordon's Pond Wildlife Area [DeLorme
Pg 45, A6], on Jun 27. They were in the north-tower area.
Other shorebird reports included up to four breeding-
plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPEs, seen at Bombay Hook's Raymond
Pool during the week. Also in Raymond was a bird that was
either a RUFF or REEVE, reported most recently on Jun 28. The
same day, a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and several hundred
dowitchers, of both species, were spotted in Raymond. Also at
Bombay Hook on the 28th were at least one LEAST SANDPIPER, a
PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and several hundred SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERs.
Hart-Miller Is, Baltimore Co, MD, was hosting eight LESSER
YELLOWLEGS, 13 LEAST SANDPIPERs, a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, and
a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, on Jun 26. Also that day, a 2nd-
summer to 3rd-winter GLAUCOUS GULL was again seen there, as it
has been for the past several weeks.
At least three singing male DICKCISSELs, and up to two
female DICKCISSELs, were noted along Oland Rd, just west of MD
Rt 85 (Buckeystown Pike), southern Frederick Co, MD, at 6:30
p.m., Jun 22. DICKCISSELs were also noted at this location on
the afternoon of Jun 27. The birds are being seen mainly on
the south side of the road, between a sign that is about 100
yds west of the intersection with Rt 85 and a thick, brushy
area along a fencerow that is about 100 yds farther west. The
birds like to sit atop thistles in this field.
VEERIES were heard singing at Earl's Picnic Area, on
Hyattstown Rd, Little Bennett Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD,
on Jun 27.
Sixteen BLACK SCOTERs were seen in the Atlantic Ocean off
the jetty at Gordon's Pond Wildlife Area, Sussex Co, DE, early
on the morning of Jun 27; then, late that afternoon, the flock
was spotted again off the north end of Rehoboth Beach, at Park
Ave. Other reports of winter ducks this week included a RUDDY
DUCK, spotted at Piscataway Creek, Prince George's Co, MD, on
Jun 26. The same day, a BLUE-WINGED TEAL, a NORTHERN SHOVELER,
and a GREEN-WINGED TEAL, all males, were frequenting Hart-
Miller Is, MD.
There will be a reservations-only trip to DE coastal areas
on Sat, July 10; call the leader, Harvey Mudd of Bethesda, at
301-530-7322, to secure your place.
A pelagic trip will depart Lewes, DE, on Sun, Sept 5; for
information and reservations, call FONT, at 1-800-362-0869.
To report bird sightings, you can email your report to
voice@capaccess.org, or fax it to ANS at 301-951-7179. You may
also report by calling 301-652-1088 and selecting menu option
2. Please post email reports before midnight Monday, and be
sure to include your name and a Tuesday morning phone number.
Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.