> -----Original Message-----
> From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 1:18 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 5/25/04
>
>
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               6/1/04
> 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, June 1, at 2 p.m.
>
> Top birds this week are *SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and *PURPLE
> GALLINULE in MD and CURLEW SANDPIPER in DE.
>
> Other birds of interest include LEAST BITTERN, BLACK-CROWNED
> NIGHT-HERON, MISSISSIPPI KITE, RUFFED GROUSE, NORTHERN
> BOBWHITE, VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, shorebirds including RED KNOT
> and WILSON'S and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, FRANKLIN'S GULL,
> BLACK TERN, BLACK SKIMMER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, SUMMER TANAGER,
> HENSLOW'S SPARROW, DICKCISSEL, and BOBOLINK.
>
> A *SWALLOW-TAILED KITE upstaged the 3 MISSISSIPPI KITES that
> have been soaring over a residential neighborhood in Elkton,
> Cecil Co, MD. On May 29 the SWALLOW-TAILED KITE made several
> passes overhead, the last around 6 pm, and it appeared again
> mid-day on May 30.
>
> The *PURPLE GALLINULE previously reported from Hughes Hollow,
> Montgomery Co, MD, was relocated May 29--again, in the large
> impoundment on the left.
>
> Around 5:30 pm on May 26, a breeding plumaged CURLEW
> SANDPIPER joined the several hundred shorebirds feeding along
> Port Mahon Rd, Little Creek, DE, just where the road turns
> left at the bay. A female RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was swimming a
> few feet off shore.
>
> A LEAST BITTERN was found at Neabsco Creek, Prince William
> Co, VA, on the morning of May 30. On the evening of May 31, a
> pair of LEAST BITTERNS perched openly in the phragmites along
> the main road at Southwest Area Park, Baltimore Co.
>
> On May 28, a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON stalked cicadas on the
> lawn of the Grosvenor apartments, just off Rockville Pike in
> Montgomery Co.
>
> MISSISSIPPI KITES continued to ply the skies over the
> Riverview subdivision, near the upper Occoquan River in
> Prince William Co, with sightings daily. By May 30, the
> number of KITES there rose to 6, including 2 juveniles.
> Around noon on May 27 a MISSISSIPPI KITE circled over Cylburn
> Mansion in Baltimore City. On May 29, an adult MISSISSIPPI
> KITE was seen over the Waynewood area near Fort Hunt in
> southeastern Fairfax Co, VA.
>
> A RUFFED GROUSE and an AMERICAN WOODCOCK were good finds at
> the upper Thompson WMA, Fauquier and Clarke Cos, VA, on May 29.
>
> On May 30, a calling NORTHERN BOBWHITE and 2 VIRGINIA RAILS
> were at the Dulles Wetlands, Fauquier Co, found by birders
> with special permission to enter this private property.
> BOBWHITE were also calling along Possum Point Rd, Prince
> William Co, on May 30. On May 29, a SORA was heard calling at
> Blandy Experimental Farm, Clarke Co.
>
> At the Delaware shore, hundreds of RED KNOTS and thousands of
> SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, along with DUNLIN, RUDDY TURNSTONES,
> SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and WILLETS foraged at Slaughter
> Beach on May 26 and 27. On May 30, large numbers of RED KNOTS
> were found at Mispillion Light, NW of Milford [DeLorme 53 C4].
>
> At Bombay Hook NWR, DE, Raymond and Shearness pools hosted
> WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS amidst thousands of SEMIPALMATED
> SANDPIPERS, as well as BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED
> PLOVERS, AMERICAN AVOCETS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS. On May 29
> and 30, a female WILSON'S PHALAROPE was present at Raymond Pool.
>
> The Ted Harvey Conservation Area, DE, area also held vast
> numbers of shorebirds, including a single SANDERLING and many
> BLACK SKIMMERS.
>
> Two FRANKLIN'S GULLS were sighted at the Ft Smallwood hawk
> watch, Anne Arundel Co, MD, May 27.
>
> A breeding plumaged BLACK TERN was found May 30 at Deal
> Island WMA, Somerset Co, MD; it was seen along the dike
> accessed from Riley Roberts Rd.
>
> The WESTERN KINGBIRD at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, was seen
> again May 27.
>
> On May 30, a SUMMER TANAGER was reported from Leesylvania SP,
> Prince William Co, and 2 SUMMER TANAGERS visited a yard in
> Easton, Talbot Co, MD.
>
> On May 26, at least 5 HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were singing along
> Combination Rd, southeast of Oakland in Garrett Co, MD.
>
> A DICKCISSEL was again seen at the Woodward Turf Farms on Rte
> 654, Fauquier Co, May 27. On May 29, a singing DICKCISSEL
> offered excellent views on Bull Frog Rd in far western
> Carroll Co, MD.  Two male DICKCISSELS were a surprising
> discovery in Anne Arundel Co, MD, on May 30; they were seen
> along Governor Bridge Rd, 1.6 miles west of the bridge. A
> pair of DICKCISSELS, carrying nesting materials, was found in
> northwestern Harford Co, MD, on May 31; they were in a field
> along the west side of Harford Creamery Rd. Three
> DICKCISSELS, 2 males and a possible female, were sighted may
> 31 in Caroline Co, MD; they were along Cherry Lane near its
> intersection with Cedar Lane [DeLorme 51, B5].
>
> Two male BOBOLINKS were seen May 29 along Harrison Rd, Fauquier
Co.
>
> 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,
> VA-Bird, and Delaware Birds 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.
>