Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

FW: DC Area, 12/14/04

From:

Norm Saunders

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 03:43:41 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 10:11 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 12/14/04
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:                12/14/04
> 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, Dec 14, at 5 p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD and *RUFOUS 
> HUMMINGBIRD in MD; BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD in VA; and *CAVE 
> SWALLOW in both MD and VA.
> 
> Other birds of interest include EARED GREBE, seabirds, GREAT 
> CORMORANT, waterfowl including HARLEQUIN DUCK and 
> WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, raptors, VIRGINIA RAIL, SANDHILL CRANE, 
> gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, HORNED LARK, AMERICAN PIPIT, 
> YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW,
> LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, PURPLE FINCH, and PINE SISKIN.    
> 
> A female *RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues at a yard in Baltimore 
> Co, just north of the city line, as of December 14. (To make 
> an appointment to see this bird, contact )
> 
> A *CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD continues to visit feeders at a yard 
> near Bowie in Prince George's Co, MD. The most recent report 
> comes from Dec 11. (For directions, contact )
> 
> A BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD has been a regular at yard in 
> Cape Charles, Northampton Co, but this morning (Dec 14) it 
> failed for the first time to show up. (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.)
> 
> CAVE SWALLOWS continue to dominate the news. In Worcester Co, 
> MD, a single CAVE SWALLOW was glimpsed at Assateague Island 
> National Seashore, and CAVE SWALLOWS were seen at Eagles Nest 
> Campground, south of Ocean City, both sightings on Dec 11. On 
> Dec 12, 8 to 12 CAVE SWALLOWS were found at three locations 
> in Worcester Co: in the vicinity of the bridge leading to 
> Assateague Island; the South Point boat ramp; and at the 
> Ocean City Inlet.
> 
> Also on Dec 11, a CAVE SWALLOW became species # 282 to be 
> recorded Hart-Miller Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore 
> Co. Hart-Miller also continues to host a EURASIAN WIGEON.
> 
> Two, perhaps more, CAVE SWALLOWS were found at the Craney 
> Island landfill in Portsmouth, VA, on Dec 11. On Dec 12, 10 
> or 12 CAVE SWALLOWS were still in evidence in the vicinity of 
> the Eastern Shore of VA NWR in Northampton Co, VA, more 
> specifically around Latimer Siding Rd. 
> 
> The EARED GREBE on Little Seneca Lake, Black Hill RP, 
> Montgomery Co, was spotted several times this week--late in 
> the afternoon Dec 8 and 10, and again mid-day Dec 12. It is 
> best seen in the cove alongside Rte 121, south of the bridge.  
> 
> The Dec 11 pelagic out of Lewes, DE, was hindered by 
> mechanical problems, but nonetheless got to see MANX 
> SHEARWATER, RED PHALAROPE, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, RAZORBILL, 
> and PUFFIN.
> 
> Near dusk on Dec 10, the flocks of geese coming in to Little 
> Seneca Lake included 6 and possibly 9 RICHARDSON'S CACKLING GEESE.

> 
> Both a ROSS'S GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE were picked out of 
> an immense flock of geese near Oak Grove, DE, on Dec 12.
> 
> Some 500 TUNDRA SWANS were among the thousands of waterfowl 
> sheltering at Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD, on Dec 8.
> 
> On Dec 12, the Ocean City Inlet held 2 COMMON EIDERS and, 
> later, a female KING EIDER, as well as GREAT CORMORANT. 
> 
> The HARLEQUIN DUCK at Wades Point Inn in Talbot Co, MD, was 
> still present Dec 13. [From Easton, take Rte 33 west through 
> St Michaels to Wades Point Rd. The Inn is the large white 
> house at the end of road, beside the bay. Park in designated 
> spots and go to the main building
> to let the (very gracious) management know you are there.]   
> 
> On Dec 12, a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS was present on Island # 
> 1 of the Chesapeake Baby Bridge/Tunnel, Northampton Co, while 
> a single HARLEQUIN was on Island # 4.  
> 
> A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was a highly unusual visitor at the 
> Triadelphia Reservoir, on the Montgomery/Howard Co line. The 
> bird was discovered Dec 12 and found again Dec 13, both times 
> in the Greenbridge Rd area in Montgomery Co.
> 
> On Dec 9, Hains Point, in West Potomac Park, SW DC, held BALD 
> EAGLE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, MERLIN, and PEREGRINE FALCON. On 
> Dec 12, a MERLIN was spotted at Cameron Station in Alexandria, VA.
>  
> Two GOLDEN EAGLES were spotted Dec 12 at Blackwater NWR, 
> Dorchester Co, MD, one, a near adult, soaring over Key 
> Wallace Dr and another over Greenbridge Rd. 
> 
> Three, perhaps six, SHORT-EARED OWLS began flying over the 
> marshes along Rumbly Point Rd, Somerset Co, MD, in bright 
> afternoon light on Dec 12. That night, 9 or 10 VIRGINIA RAILS 
> could be heard at Irish
> Grove, the MOS Sanctuary on Rumbly Point Rd.   
> 
> The juvenile SANDHILL CRANE in Montgomery Co was most 
> recently reported Dec 12. As before, it was in fields on the 
> east side of West Willard Rd, just north of the Poolesville 
> Public Golf Course. 
> 
> A first-winter ICELAND GULL showed up Dec 14 at Schoolhouse 
> Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co. 
> 
> One GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, one LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 
> one LAUGHING GULL were all unusual visitors at Little Seneca 
> Lake on Dec 10. 
> 
> Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were found at the Beulah landfill in 
> Dorchester Co, MD, Dec 11. The next day a first-year GLAUCOUS 
> GULL was seen not far away, in Choptank, Caroline Co. An 
> adult winter GLAUCOUS GULL was found Dec 12 at Conowingo Dam, 
> on the Harford/Cecil Co line, MD. 
> 
> On Dec 14, a brightly-plumaged YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT appeared 
> in a small garden just northeast of downtown Baltimore. 
> 
> AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were one of 9 sparrow species found 
> Dec 11 during the regular monthly walk at Banshee Reeks 
> Nature Preserve, Loudoun Co, VA. On Dec 12, AMERICAN TREE 
> SPARROW was also seen at Occoquan Bay NWR, and at the Julie 
> Metz wetlands bank, both in Prince William Co, VA.  
>  
> A LAPLAND LONGSPUR and several HORNED LARKS were seen Dec 12 
> on the grounds of the polo club on Hughes Rd in northwestern 
> Montgomery Co.
> 
> A flock of 10 or so SNOW BUNTINGS whizzed along the beach 
> next to the Ocean City Inlet Dec 12. On Dec 11, some 4 dozen 
> SNOW BUNTINGS visited Hart-Miller Island.
> 
> PURPLE FINCHES are back at area feeders, with reports from 
> the Visitor Center at Mason Neck NWR and a yard in 
> Springfield, both in Fairfax Co, VA, and from Alexandria, VA. 
> In MD, PURPLE FINCHES have been spotted at Eastern Neck NWR, 
> as well as yards in Darnestown, Montgomery Co, and in Bowie, 
> where they were in the company of a PINE SISKIN.
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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.
>