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Subject: DC Area, 7/13/04
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:16:58 +0000
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 7/13/04
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, July 13, at 2 p.m.

Top birds this week are *PURPLE GALLINULE in MD, RUFF in DE, and
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE and SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER in VA.

Other birds of interest include LEAST BITTERN, herons, MISSISSIPPI
KITE, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, shorebirds, terns, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO,
MOURNING WARBLER, HENSLOW'S and other SPARROWS, DICKCISSEL, and
BOBOLINK.

The *PURPLE GALLINULE reported last week in western Anne Arundel Co,
MD, was again glimpsed on the evening of July 7; this was at the Oxbow
Lake Preserve near Laurel. The bird could not be relocated July 10,
although that day the area held 2 or 3 LEAST BITTERNS.

Two RUFFS were observed at Raymond Pool, Bombay Hook NWR, DE, as
recently as July 10, as was a female WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Earlier in
the week a REEVE, too, was among at least 16 species of shorebirds at
the refuge.

A vacationer in Virginia Beach enjoyed watching a EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE from her beach house at Sandbridge July 11.

A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was again seen at the Countryside Golf
Course in Roanoke, VA, July 11. Birders who wish to visit the golf
course must check in at the clubhouse and be respectful of the rules.
Please keep your distance from the bird and stay out of the way of the
golfers.

A trip to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, on July 10, yielded LEAST
BITTERN as well as 11 species of SHOREBIRDS.

The week brought numerous sightings of HERONS and EGRETS.

A MISSISSIPPI KITE again soared over the Waynewood subdivision in SE
Fairfax Co, VA, on July 10 and 11. On July 11, a MISSISSIPPI KITE was
spotted in Cecil Co, MD, as it flew over the intersection of Rte 272
and Rte 40 in North East.

A female NORTHERN BOBWHITE obligingly strolled along the path between
the impoundments at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD, on July 10. Two
SORAS were heard calling from the large impoundment there on July 7.

Tern reports from Worcester Co, MD, all from July 8, included
GULL-BILLED TERN at EA Vaughn WMA/North; a SANDWICH TERN among resting
ROYAL TERNS at Skimmer Island in Ocean City; and a ROSEATE TERN
loafing on the beach with COMMON TERNS at Assateague Island's ORV
zone. The latter area also hosted 8 WHIMBREL.

The pair of COMMON TERNS nesting on the jetty at Kent Narrows, Queen
Anne's Co, MD, had hatched young by July 11. A single CASPIAN TERN was
reported from Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD, July 8. Eight CASPIAN
TERNS were noted at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, July 11.

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard July 6 at Hutchins Pond in Owings,
Calvert Co, MD. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen and heard in Garrett
Co, MD, July 9 and 10, along Four-Mile Ridge.

A first-year female MOURNING WARBLER was reported from Prince William
Co, VA, July 10; it was seen in a restricted area of Quantico Marine
Base.

Numerous HENSLOW'S SPARROWS continue to vocal1ize at a variety of
sites in eastern Garrett Co, notably along Pea Ridge Rd just south of
the split with Avilton-Lonaconing Rd. Fields along Pea Ridge Rd also
feature SAVANNAH and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS as well as BOBOLINKS.

A pair of DICKCISSELS in Dorchester Co, MD, first seen in June, was
relocated July 11. The site is at the eastern edge of Hurlock, in a
weedy field at the corner of Medford Rd and Harper Rd (DeLorme 43,
4C).

A pelagic trip is scheduled for Aug 28 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. And the ANS
Bookstore is an excellent source for this and many other
nature-related titles: 301-652-3606.

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, identify the county and state, and 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.