> -----Original Message-----
> From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 2:21 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 5/25/04
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:                5/25/04
> Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
> Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1
> Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2
>         (email):     
>      (deadline):    midnight Mondays
> Compiler:           Joe Coleman
> 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, May 25, at 2:30
p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD in VA, 
> *PURPLE GALLINULE in MD, *SPOTTED TOWHEE in MD, and *PAINTED 
> BUNTING in MD.
> 
> Other birds of interest include COMMON LOON, AMERICAN and 
> LEAST BITTERN, MISSISSIPPI KITE, shorebirds including RUFF 
> and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BLACK TERN, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 
> COMMON NIGHTHAWK, CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, 
> OLIVE-SIDED and ALDER FLYCATCHERS, WESTERN KINGBIRD, CLIFF 
> SWALLOW, warblers including MOURNING WARBLER, and DICKCISSEL. 
> 
> A juvenile MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD was seen flying and 
> photographed as it flew over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel 
> islands, Northampton Co, VA on May 23 in the direction of Island
#1.
> 
> The *PURPLE GALLINULE at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD, 
> was seen and heard throughout the week.  By the 24th he had 
> become especially vocal. The Gallinule was in the large 
> impoundment on the left of the dike toward the woods. [From 
> I-495, take exit 39/River Rd toward Potomac, and drive NW 
> 15.9 miles (passing Potomac Village and at 11.5 miles turning 
> left at a T-junction) to a left turn onto Hughes Rd; curve 
> around to the parking area. This is a WMA where the fields and
> woods beyond the impoundments are actively hunted.]      
> 
> A *SPOTTED TOWHEE was sighted at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, MD, 
> on May 19 but not seen later in the week.  
> 
> A female *PAINTED BUNTING was found feeding on ripe seeds in 
> a backyard in West Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD on May 22.
> 
> A COMMON LOON was seen on Centennial Lake in Howard Co, MD on 
> May 20; another, in winter plumage, was seen at Dyke Marsh, 
> Fairfax Co, VA the morning of May 22.
> 
> An AMERICAN BITTERN flew over the Port Tobacco Courthouse, 
> Charles Co, MD the afternoon of May 19.  While searching for 
> the PURPLE GALLINULE at Hughes Hollow a LEAST BITTERN was 
> seen on May 22 and May 23 in the impoundment on the right.
> 
> On May 19, two MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen perched on a snag 
> on the back portion of the loop at Ft Hunt Park, Fairfax Co, 
> VA. As many as five MISSISSIPPI KITES, both adults and 
> sub-adults, were seen at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA 
> on May 22.  At least one MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen at Huntley 
> Meadows on May 23 and on May 24. Four MISSISSIPPI KITES flew 
> over the Ft Smallwood hawk watch, Anne Arundel Co, MD, on May 
> 24.  MISSISSIPPI KITES again appeared over the Riverview 
> subdivision, near the upper Occoquan River in Prince William 
> Co, VA, on May 22 and on May 24. MISSISSIPPI KITES were also 
> seen further a field in Halifax Co, VA on May 18 and in 
> Elkton, Cecil Co., MD on May 22 and May 23. 
> 
> A RUFF was seen at the Snow Goose Pool at Chincoteague NWR, 
> Accomack Co, VA from May 21 through the 23rd along with a 
> wide variety of other shorebirds.
> 
> Starting on May 19 and continuing through May 23 a RED-NECKED 
> PHALAROPE, along with several other shorebirds, was seen at 
> the Mason-Dixon Farm manure ponds in northeast Frederick Co, 
> MD.  It was in the east pond off of Harney Road.  Harney Rd 
> can be accessed off of US 15 going north to Emmitsburg.  Take 
> the exit to Rte 140 but go straight off the ramp onto Harney 
> Rd.  PLEASE be cautious and respectful and stay out of the 
> way of any farm activity as this is private property.  On May 
> 21 there was both a male and a female RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at 
> the Mason-Dixon Farm.  From the 22nd through the 24th a RUDDY 
> TURNSTONE was among the several other shorebirds present 
> there.  On May 23 two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were reported 
> from the Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA landfill.
> 
> On the 22nd and 23rd, two BLACK TERNS joined the other birds 
> at the Mason-Dixon Farm.  Two BLACK TERNS were also observed 
> on the 23rd in the Potomac River off the marina at Dyke 
> Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA.
> 
> A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard May 20 in the Ashton area of 
> Montgomery Co, MD.  Another was observed near Little Falls 
> along the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Montgomery 
> Co, MD on May 22.  On May 23 a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard 
> where Marley Neck Rd comes into Marley Neck Blvd in the Glen 
> Burnie area of Anne Arundel Co, MD.
> 
> A CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW was heard in this same area on May 22.
> 
> COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were reported from several different 
> locations in the area throughout the week.
> 
> A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was observed on Peachtree Rd near 
> Selman Rd in Montgomery Co, MD on May 22.
> 
> An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen on May 19 in the same area 
> of Fort Hunt Park as the MISSISSIPPI KITES but about an hour
later.
> 
> An ALDER FLYCATCHER was observed along the river trail at 
> Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC on May 19.
> 
> Three WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were seen and heard on May 20 at the 
> Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co., MD.
> 
> The WESTERN KINGBIRD at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, was seen 
> again on May 19.
> 
> CLIFF SWALLOWS are again nesting under the Casselman Bridge 
> on Rte 7 in Clarke Co, VA; they were seen on May 23.
> 
> For the most part warbler sightings continued to be 
> disappointingly sparse and even more difficult to find by ear 
> due to "the incredible
> din of the 17-year cicadas."    A MOURNING WARBLER was found along
a
> stream near the Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA on May 20.  
> One exception occurred on May 21 when 15 different warbler 
> species, including PRAIRIE and CANADA WARBLERS along with 
> YELLOW-BEASTED CHATS, were found at Little Bennett Regional 
> Park, Montgomery Co, MD.  For the first time in at least 
> eight years YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS are nesting at Huntley 
> Meadows Park.  They were found on May 23 at the Main Meadow 
> during the weekly survey.
> 
> A Northern Virginia Bird Club field trip to the Phelps WMA, 
> Fauquier Co, VA spotted several DICKCISSELS on May 19 at the 
> Woodward Turf Farms on Rt. 654 on the way to the WMA.  There 
> were also several GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS as well as a HORNED 
> LARK performing a skylarking display flight over the turf 
> farm.  The DICKCISSELS at the turf farm were seen again on 
> May 21.  DICKCISSELS were also seen along Bullfrog Rd in 
> Carroll Co, MD about three miles west of Taneytown.  A 
> DICKCISSEL was also singing from a utility pole on May 22 
> beside Long Neck Rd in St. Mary's Co, MD.
> 
> A pelagic trip is scheduled for June 5 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. 
> 
> * Of interest to the MD/DC Records Committee. For more 
> information, visit www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html.
>