> -----Original Message-----
> From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 5:20 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 4/27/04
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               4/27/04
> Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
> Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1
> Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2
>         (email):     
>      (deadline):    midnight Mondays
> Compiler:           Lydia Schindler
> Sponsor:            Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
>                       Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
> Transcriber:        Steve Cordle ()
> 
> Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular 
> user of the Voice (Individual $30; Family $40; Nature Steward 
> $60; Audubon Advocate $100). The membership number is 
> 301-652-9188 option 12, the address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, 
> Chevy Chase, MD 20815, and the web site is 
> http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.
> 
> This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon 
> Naturalist Society. This tape was made Tuesday, April 27, at 5
p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are MISSISSIPPI KITE in VA and COMMON TERN in
MD.
> 
> Other birds of interest include AMERICAN BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE 
> and TRICOLORED HERONS, CATTLE EGRET, YELLOW-CROWNED 
> NIGHT-HERON, GLOSSY IBIS, raptors, rails, BLACK-NECKED STILT, 
> BLACK-BILLED and YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, CHIMNEY SWIFT, 
> WARBLING VIREO, SEDGE WREN, warblers, SUMMER and SCARLET 
> TANAGERS, CLAY-COLORED and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, 
> ROSE-BREASTED and BLUE GROSBEAKS, and ORCHARD and BALTIMORE
ORIOLES. 
> 
> A possible MISSISSIPPI KITE was briefly glimpsed at Huntley 
> Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, April 24. 
> 
> COMMON TERN made a rare appearance in Montgomery Co, MD, on 
> April 25. Three fed for a while on the Potomac River at 
> Violette's Lock on the C&O Canal, before heading northwest.
> 
> AMERICAN BITTERN led the parade of water birds seen this week 
> at Huntley Meadows. One bittern was seen in the vicinity of 
> the tower April 22; on the evening of April 24, 2 AMERICAN 
> BITTERNS rose from the marsh and circled for more than 5 
> minutes, until they were joined by a third BITTERN and all 
> flew off together. VIRGINIA RAILS and SORAS were spotted at 
> Huntley Meadows several times between April 20 and 26. On 
> April 25, an AMERICAN BITTERN and 4 SORAS were found on 
> private lands in Prince William Co, VA. 
> 
> A SORA was also sighted in ponds behind the Colmar Manor ball 
> fields in Prince George's Co, MD, April 22, and at Hughes 
> Hollow, Montgomery Co, April 27.
> 
> A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was found in flooded woodland 
> along Sycamore Landing Rd, Montgomery Co, April 24.
> 
> A LITTLE BLUE HERON was a nice find March 22 at Chester 
> Phelps WMA, southern Fauquier Co, VA; it landed at a wetland 
> area that is reached by following a gravel road past the new 
> Sighting-In Range and beyond a yellow gate. A LITTLE BLUE 
> HERON showed up April 21 along Cedar Run in Prince William Co 
> not far from the Fauquier Co line.
> 
> The ANS trip to the Delmarva Peninsula and Dismal Swamp over 
> the weekend netted 8 LITTLE BLUE HERONS and 7 TRICOLORED 
> HERONS, plus 3 BLACK-NECKED STILTS, along the Chincoteague 
> causeway, Accomack Co, VA. They found a MARBLED GODWIT on the 
> Chincoteague refuge, and 14 WHIMBREL at Willis Wharf, 
> Northampton Co, VA. 
> 
> A CATTLE EGRET was noted April 24 along the edge of I-97 past 
> the Cromwell Business Park in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel Co, MD.
> 
> A GLOSSY IBIS was found at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, 
> Prince George's Co, MD, April 20. 
> 
> On April 20, the Fort Smallwood hawk watch in Anne Arundel Co 
> registered  some 260 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 54 COOPER'S HAWKS, 
> and 52 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.
> 
> At the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA, the ANS trip 
> located 2 BLACK-BILLED as well as 2 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS. 
> 
> At dusk on April 25, more than 1,000 CHIMNEY SWIFTS took just 
> five minutes to drop into the Mill Center chimney in Hamden, 
> Baltimore. 
> 
> WARBLING VIREOS arrived at several locations, including 
> Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC, April 23; Riley's Lock, 
> Montgomery Co, April 20; and Cylburn Mansion, Baltimore, April 25.
> 
> A SEDGE WREN was heard and seen at Huntley Meadows on April 
> 23, near the beginning of the boardwalk. 
> 
> Some 29 species of warbler were reported this week. At the 
> top of the list is a female MOURNING WARBLER seen April 21 at 
> Huntley Meadows, hopping along in the moist woods just before 
> the beginning of the boardwalk. 
> 
> Other highlights include CERULEAN WARBLER at Rock Creek Park, 
> NW DC, where this bird is uncommon; it was seen from the 
> Nature Center parking lot on April 24 and 25. CERULEAN 
> WARBLERS are also singing vigorously along the C&O Canal 
> downstream from Sycamore Landing Rd. 
> 
> A BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was found at the Granite area of 
> Patapsco Valley SP, Baltimore Co, April 25. A WORM-EATING 
> WARBLER on April 26 was a first for the Eastern Neck NWR, 
> Kent Co, MD. An OVENBIRD dropped into an office courtyard at 
> 19th and G Sts, NW DC, April 22. 
> 
> BLACKPOLL WARBLER and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH were among 17 
> species of warbler found April 24 at Occoquan NWR and other 
> sites in eastern Prince William Co. A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH 
> was also seen at Cylburn Mansion. 
> 
> A warbler trip from the Delmarva Birding Weekend to 
> Nassawango, Worcester Co, produced 15 species, including 
> KENTUCKY WARBLER. The ANS weekend trip found 16 species of 
> warbler, most at the Great Dismal Swamp. Most notable were 
> some 9 SWAINSON'S WARBLERS, one of which sat up and sang for 
> 20 minutes. On April 23, a beautifully plumaged HOODED 
> WARBLER visited ANS headquarters in Chevy Chase. 
> 
> YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was noted April 24 at the Blue Ridge 
> Center in far western Loudoun Co; April 25 at the Chester 
> Phelps WMA, Fauquier Co; and April 27 at Layhill Park, Montgomery
Co.
> 
> Spring arrivals include SCARLET and SUMMER TANAGERS, as well 
> ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES.  
> 
> A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was discovered April 20 along 
> Cornfield Harbor Rd, north of Point Lookout SP, St. Mary's 
> Co, MD. A singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was reported from Cage 
> and Mackall Rds, Calvert Co, on April 21, and one was heard 
> along Bull Run Post Office Rd, Loudoun Co.
>  
> ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS are adding a splash of color to 
> feeders throughout the area. BLUE GROSBEAKS have been spotted 
> at various locations, including Pocomoke River SP, Worcester 
> Co, MD, and a yard in Cecil Co, MD.  
> 
> A pelagic trip is scheduled for June 6 out of Lewes, DE. For 
> more information, contact See Life Paulagics at 215-234-6805 
> or check their web site at www.paulagics.com.
> 
> Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the 
> MDOSPREY and VA-Bird list servers.
>  
> Claudia Wilds' book, "Finding Birds in the National Capital 
> Area," is an excellent source of directions to many birding sites.
> 
> To report bird sightings, you can e-mail your report to 
>  You may also report by calling 
> 301-652-1088 and selecting menu option 2. Please post e-mail 
> reports before midnight Monday, and be sure to include your 
> name and a Tuesday morning phone number. 
> 
> Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.
> 

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