> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 5:51 PM
> To:
> Subject: DC Area, 3/29/05
>
>
> Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
> Date: 3/29/05
> 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 on Tuesday, March 29, at 5
pm.
>
> Birds of interest this week include SNOW GOOSE, EURASIAN
> WIGEON, eiders and other waterfowl, WILD TURKEY, RED-THROATED
> LOON, grebes, NORTHERN GANNETT, AMERICAN BITTERN, LITTLE BLUE
> HERON, REDDISH EGRET, night-herons, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON,
> LITTLE, BLACK-HEADED, BONAPARTE'S, and GLAUCOUS GULLS,
> *LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, swallows, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, CHIPPING
> and other sparrows, and PURPLE FINCH.
>
> Two SNOW GEESE were again seen from Hains Point, SW DC, on
> March 23; they were off the tip of Fort McNair.
>
> The EURASIAN WIGEON at the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR,
> Northampton Co, was noted again March 25, and a KING EIDER
> continues at nearby Kiptopeke SP. Also in Northampton Co,
> HARLEQUIN DUCKS were spotted from Island #4 of the CBB/T March 23.
>
> A MOTTLED DUCK was found March 25 near the banding station at
> First Landing SP, Virginia Beach. On March 26, a KING EIDER,
> along with 29 COMMON EIDERS, were lurking behind the south
> jetty at the Ocean City
> Inlet, Worcester Co, MD.
>
> LONG-TAILED DUCKS were found at Beaverdam Reservoir, Loudoun
> Co, VA, March 26; Rocky Gap SP, Washington Co, March 27; and
> on the Potomac at Seneca/Riley's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD, March
27.
>
> On March 23, the Potomac at Seneca held 10 species of duck
> plus 50 HORNED GREBES, as well as 80 BONAPARTE'S GULLS.
>
> Flocks of WILD TURKEYS were observed at several locations,
> including along Croom Station Rd in Prince George's Co, MD;
> and, in Washington Co, along Bottom Rd north of Williamsport,
> and Rte 56 south of Fort Frederick.
>
> Close to 100 RED-THROATED LOONS visited Eastern Neck NWR,
> Kent Co, MD, on March 27, and RED-THROATED LOONS were again
> plentiful at Kiptopeke SP March 26. A single RED-THROATED
> LOON was seen from Hains Point, SW DC, March 28 and again March
29.
>
> On March 23, one RED-NECKED GREBE and 5 HORNED GREBES were
> noted at Bachelor Point boatyard, Talbot Co, MD. From March
> 24 to 26, a RED-NECKED GREBE was present on the Susquehanna
> River near Port Deposit, Cecil Co, MD.
>
> An EARED GREBE was seen on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co,
> March 26. Eight EARED GREBES were reported from Musick's
> Lakeside Campground, Washington Co, VA, March 26.
>
> On March 28 and 29, NORTHERN GANNETS edged inland in the
> Newport News, VA, area--up as far as the Rte 17 bridge over
> the James River and up to the Rte 17 bridge on the Nansemond
> River. On March 26, more than 1,800 NORTHERN GANNETS were
> counted during a day-long sea watch at the inlet at Ocean
> City, Worcester Co, MD.
>
> An AMERICAN BITTERN was glimpsed at Sunrise Valley Park in
> Reston, Fairfax Co, VA, March 26 and 27.
>
> A PEREGRINE FALCON was present at the railroad bridge over
> the Potomac, SW DC, on March 23 and 27, and a MERLIN was seen
> at Hains Point March 28. On March 27, an eye-level PEREGRINE
> kept pace with the 30 mph traffic heading west across the Bay
Bridge.
>
> A LITTLE BLUE HERON was found March 28 in the
> Patapsco-Chesapeake Bay area of northern Anne Arundel Co, MD,
> off Kembo Rd close to Fort Carroll.
>
> Four REDDISH EGRETS, along with a variety of other waders,
> were observed March 25 at the Whitehurst Tract near Creeds in
> Virginia Beach,
>
> As of March 26, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were back at the
> National Zoo, NW DC, some on nests. On March 28,
> YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS had returned to Sligo Creek
> Parkway, Montgomery Co; they could be observed from the
> footbridge that crosses Sligo Creek near tennis courts along
> Sligo Creek Parkway north of Piney Branch Rd.
>
> A breeding-plumaged BLACK-HEADED GULL and several adult
> LITTLE GULLS were among hundreds of BONAPARTE'S GULLS on the
> Susquehanna River, between Lapidum Landing, Harford Co, MD,
> and Port Deposit, Cecil Co, on March 24, 25, 26, and 27.
> Sometimes the gulls were found readily; at other times it
> took persistence to see them.
>
> Two LITTLE GULLS were singled out among the many BONAPARTE'S
> at Back River, Baltimore Co, March 27; most were seen below
> the Eastern Ave bridge.
>
> BONAPARTE'S GULLS were also in evidence at Hains Point, SW
> DC; in Fairfax Co, VA, at both Dyke Marsh and Huntley Meadows
> Park; and at Lake Kittamaqundi, near Columbia, Howard Co, MD.
>
> A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen March 24 in downtown Chincoteague,
> Accomack Co, VA, "working fishing trawlers north of bridge."
>
> A quick drive between two sites in Washington Co (MD)
> confirmed the presence of 2 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES* along
> Breathedsville Rd and a third LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE* on Shaffer Rd.
>
> Swallows abound. Among the TREE SWALLOWS, plentiful now, are
> ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS and a few BARN SWALLOWS. PURPLE MARTINS
> returned to Nanjemoy Creek, Charles Co, March 23, and PURPLE
> MARTINS were reported near Easton, Talbot Co, March 25; in
> Woodbridge, VA, March 26; and during the Sunday morning walk
> at Dyke Marsh, as well as at Neabsco Creek, Prince William
> Co, VA, March 27.
>
> A LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH showed up March 22 along the Potomac
> River downstream from Little Falls dam, Montgomery Co. A
> LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was discovered March 27 in the Possum
> Point Rd area of Prince William Co.
>
> A CHIPPING SPARROW surfaced in a yard in Herndon, Fairfax Co,
> March 24, and at the National Arboretum, NE DC, March 26. An
> early FIELD SPARROW was discovered at McKee-Beshers WMA,
> Montgomery Co, March 27. FOX SPARROWS continue to move
> through. On March 22, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was reported from
> Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA.
>
> PURPLE FINCH was reported from several Montgomery Co
> locations, including Hunting Quarter Rd March 26 and Locust
> Grove Nature Center March 28.
>
> See Life Paulagics is running a pelagic trip out of Lewes, DE
> on April 16. Targets include alcids, Sooty and Manx
> Shearwaters, Northern Fulmar, and Red Phalarope. For more
> information, contact them at 215-896-6405, or see 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.
> |