> -----Original Message-----
> From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 3:23 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 11/30/04
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               11/30/04
> 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, Nov 30, at noon.
> 
> Top birds this week are *KELP GULL, *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, and 
> *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD in MD; CALIFORNIA GULL, BLACK-CHINNED 
> HUMMINGBIRD, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD 
> in VA; and *CAVE SWALLOW in both MD and VA.
> 
> Other birds of interest include RED-THROATED LOON, RED-NECKED 
> and EARED GREBES, pelagic birds, waterfowl, raptors including 
> NORTHERN GOSHAWK,VIRGINIA RAIL, SANDHILL CRANE, LESSER 
> BLACK-BACKED GULL, SNOWY OWL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, HORNED 
> LARK, nuthatches, AMERICAN PIPIT, warblers, sparrows, LAPLAND 
> LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, and BREWER'S
> BLACKBIRD.   
> 
> Maryland's *KELP GULL was again in place behind the Sea Breeze
Crab
> House, Sandgates, St. Mary's Co, on Nov 27.   
> 
> An adult CALIFORNIA GULL was discovered at the Neabsco Creek 
> mudflats, Prince William Co, VA, on the morning of Nov 26.
> 
> A *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD is frequenting feeders in Baltimore Co, 
> just north of the city line. It is a female, banded on Nov 
> 28, and was still present Nov 29. (To make an appointment to 
> see this bird, contact )
> 
> A *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD continues to fuel up at feeders on 
> private property near Bowie in Prince George's Co, MD. The 
> most recent report is from Nov 29. 
> 
> BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD showed up Nov 28 at a yard in Cape 
> Charles, Northampton Co, VA, and was back again the next day. 
> (The feeders can be observed from the porch at 9 Randolph 
> Ave; from Rte 13, turn at the stoplight onto Rte 184 and 
> proceed to the last block.)
> 
> A likely ASH-TROATED FLYCATCHER was seen Nov 23 at Island #4 
> of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel, Northampton Co.
> 
> The metro area witnessed an amazing influx of far-off-course 
> CAVE SWALLOWS this week. On Nov 26, 2 CAVE SWALLOWS showed up 
> at the bridge on Lilypons Rd, southern Frederick Co, MD, and 
> delighted birders throughout the morning. Near sunset on Nov 
> 27, 4 CAVE SWALLOWS were sighted near the Rte 121 bridge at 
> Little Seneca Lake (Black Hill RP), Montgomery Co, MD. They 
> were present again the next morning until about 9 am. On Nov 
> 27, a single low-flying CAVE SWALLOW soared for about a 
> minute over the boardwalk at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA.

> 
> Somewhat further afield, some 30 to 40 CAVE SWALLOWS have 
> been visiting Northampton Co, in the vicinity of the Eastern 
> Shore of VA NWR and Kiptopeke SP, through at least Nov 28.
> 
> A male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD also enlivened the ESV NWR. It was 
> discovered on the afternoon of Nov 27, and it was seen again 
> the next morning, in fields along Rte 600, near a lane called 
> Dixon Dr about a quarter mile north of the refuge. 
> 
> The RED-THROATED LOON at Black Hill RP was last reported Nov 
> 26, across the lake from the parking lot below the Visitor Center.

> 
> An EARED GREBE was discovered at Black Hill Nov 26; this 
> elusive bird, which has been observed both near the pontoon 
> boat dock below the Visitor Center and from the parking lot 
> near the bridge on Rte 121, was most recently reported Nov 29. 
> 
> The Nov 28 ANS trip to Dorchester Co, MD, found RED-THROATED 
> LOON and RED-NECKED GREBE on the Choptank River at Cambridge, 
> as well as SURF and BLACK SCOTERS. Two PEREGRINE FALCONS were 
> busily interacting in the vicinity of the Cambridge radio tower. 
> 
> A Nov 27 fishing trip out of Rudee Inlet, Virginia Beach, 
> yielded a fine selection of pelagic species, including 
> GREATER and MANX SHEARWATERS (47 of the latter), some 25 RED 
> PHALAROPES, POMERINE and PARASITIC JAEGERS, a perfectly 
> plumaged juvenile THAYER'S GULL, 92 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, 
> and a dozen RAZORBILLS.
> 
> A RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GOOSE was again seen Nov 25 in 
> southern Cecil Co, MD, on Crystal Beach Rd outside Ceciltown. 
> Two RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GEESE were still at Rocky Gap SP, 
> Allegany Co, MD, Nov 29. And a RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GOOSE 
> was present Nov 28 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co. 
> 
> More than 150 TUNDRA SWANS flew over Jug Bay, Prince George's 
> Co, Nov 24.  
> 
> The day after Thanksgiving, visitors to the World War II 
> Memorial, NE DC, were treated to a spectacular display by a 
> BALD EAGLE, which soared for more than 20 minutes over 
> Constitution Gardens and the Memorial itself.  
> 
> On Nov 28, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was observed as it pursued 
> pigeons over the Home Depot parking lot in Falls Church, Fairfax
Co.
> 
> Hawk watchers at Snicker's Gap, on the Clarke/Loudon Co (VA) 
> line, tallied 3 GOLDEN EAGLES on Nov 25 and the second 
> ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK of the season on Nov 29.
> 
> On Thanksgiving morning, a MERLIN visited a yard in Vienna, 
> Fairfax Co. A PEREGRINE FALCON flashed past Bladensburg Water 
> Park, Prince George's Co, on Nov 27.
> 
> A VIRGINIA RAIL was vocalizing at Lilypons Water Gardens on Nov
27. 
> 
> A juvenile SANDHILL CRANE was discovered Nov 25 just south of 
> Poolesville, Montgomery Co. Through at least Nov 28, the bird 
> has been foraging in a winter wheat field on the east side of 
> West Willard Rd, just north of the Poolesville Public Golf Course.

> 
> A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was discovered Nov 27 at the 
> Frederick Co landfill on Reich's Ford Rd. (Exit 55 from I-70, 
> then Reich's Ford Rd south).  
> 
> On Nov 27 a SNOWY OWL was observed in Calvert Co, MD; it 
> perched on a mailbox along Holland Cliff Rd, west of Huntington.
> 
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue to frequent Huntley Meadows 
> Park, Fairfax Co; three were there Nov 27. An immature 
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKER is a daily visitor to a peanut feeder 
> in a yard that backs to Bel Pre Creek in Montgomery Co.
> 
> A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH visited an Alexandria, VA, yard Nov 
> 27. Half a dozen BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were on view Nov 28 
> at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co. 
> 
> Not all the warblers you see are Yellow-rumps. A late 
> BLACKPOLL WARBLER showed up at the Eastern Shore of VA NWR 
> Nov 23, while a PRAIRIE WARBLER brightened Gordon's Pond in 
> DE Nov 27. On Nov 27, Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, showcased an 
> ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER as well as a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. 
> And on Nov 28, one ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was found along Oak 
> Grove Rd in DE, about 1.5 miles north of DE 20, while another 
> was observed in the vicinity of the impoundments along DE Rte 
> 9, north of Woodland Beach. 
> 
> AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS have arrived at Lilypons, with reports 
> from Nov 27 and 29. AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was also discovered 
> on the Nov 27 walk at the Blue Ridge Center in northwestern 
> Loudoun Co. FOX SPARROWS were in evidence at Lilypons, Black 
> Hill, and Dyke Marsh, where 5 were found on Nov 23. 
> 
> Three or four LAPLAND LONGSPURS and 2 AMERICAN PIPITS were 
> picked out of a large flock of HORNED LARKS on Lilypons Rd 
> Nov 27. On Nov 24, 2 LAPLAND LONGSPURS had been found along 
> nearby Oland Rd. 
> 
> A SNOW BUNTING was found at Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co, MD, 
> Nov 24. A SNOW BUNTING was again found in southern Cecil Co, 
> MD (along New Cut Rd outside Ceciltown), Nov 25. Some 38 SNOW 
> BUNTINGS were counted at Hart-Miller Nov 28.
> 
> Approximately 20 BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS were located Nov 26 in 
> the Nokesville area of Prince William Co; the flock was in a 
> cow pasture off Fleetwood Rd, next to Asbury Church. Four 
> BREWER'S were there Nov
> 27, with a flock of 130 AMERICAN PIPITS nearby.   
> 
> Those of you lucky enough to host a winter hummingbird are 
> asked to contact hummingbird bander Mary Gustafson at 
>  Mary is working to document winter 
> hummingbirds in the east.
> 
> A Dec 11 pelagic trip out of Lewes, DE, has fewer than 10 
> spaces remaining. 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's 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, 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.
>