> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 7:19 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 4/05/05
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               4/05/05
> 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, April 5, at 7
pm.
> 
> Top bird this week is *EURASIAN (COMMON) TEAL in MD.
> 
> Other birds of interest include SNOW GOOSE and other 
> waterfowl, RED-NECKED GREBE, NORTHERN GANNET, YELLOW-CROWNED 
> NIGHT-HERON, OSPREY, SHARP-SHINNED and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS,  
> PEREGRINE FALCON, LITTLE, BLACK-HEADED, and BONAPARTE'S 
> GULLS, CASPIAN TERN, CHIMNEY SWIFT, EASTERN KINGBIRD, 
> WHITE-EYED and BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, COMMON RAVEN, BLUE-GRAY 
> GNATCATCHER, GRAY CATBIRD, SWAINSON'S and other WARBLERS, 
> VESPER and other sparrows, RED-WINGED and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, 
> EASTERN MEADOWLARK, PURPLE FINCH and PINE SISKIN.
> 
> A *EURASIAN TEAL was found March 31, and seen again April 2, 
> at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD. Widely 
> known as COMMON TEAL (Anas crecca crecca), this is the 
> Eurasian form of Green-winged Teal--and, at Pickering Creek, 
> the bird was in a flock of 40 or so GREEN-WINGED TEAL.
> 
> Two SNOW GEESE were spied at Gravelly Point Park, off the GW 
> Parkway, Arlington, VA, on March 29. 
> 
> Good varieties of waterbirds, including COMMON LOONS, 
> continue to be seen at area waterways, including Black Hill 
> RP, Triadelphia Reservoir, and Blue Mash Nature Trail, all in 
> Montgomery Co, MD. 
> 
> A RED-NECKED GREBE was discovered March 29 at Centennial 
> Lake, Howard Co, MD, and was still there as of April 4. A 
> RED-NECKED GREBE was again seen at Bachelor Point boatyard in 
> Oxford, Talbot Co, on March 29. 
> 
> NORTHERN GANNETS are still soaring over the Nansemond River 
> near Newport News, VA. A likely viewing spot is the Tidewater 
> Community College, located on Pig Point, where the Nansemond 
> flows into the James River.
> 
> OSPREY can be seen up and down the Potomac.
> 
> The hawk watch at Ft Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD, 
> scored its first BROAD-WINGED HAWK of the season--and more 
> than 200 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS--on April 4. The first BROADWING 
> to pass Washington Monument SP, Washington Co, MD, was ticked 
> on April 1. 
> 
> A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen April 4 at the Woodrow Wilson 
> Bridge, on the northwest column (closest to Alexandria). On 
> April 2, a PEREGRINE was at its usual haunt on the railroad 
> bridge over the Potomac, SW DC.
> 
> A pair of breeding-plumaged YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were 
> found April 3 on Hunting Quarter Road in western Montgomery 
> Co. They were feeding at the edge of the swampy area near the 
> left side of the road about half a mile in from River Rd.
> 
> AMERICAN WOODCOCKS are still around. On March 30, 4 were 
> flushed at Occoquan NWR, Prince William Co, VA. Four were 
> seen March 31 at the Diamond Ridge Golf Course in Baltimore 
> Co. And 6 to 8 continue to display on private property in 
> Rohrersville, near South Mt in eastern Washington Co, MD.
> 
> The BONAPARTE'S GULLS on the Susquehanna River between 
> Harford Co and Cecil Co, MD, and their fellow-travelers, 
> ranged over a wide area this week, and sometimes few were to 
> be found. The breeding-plumaged BLACK-HEADED GULL and 1 to 3 
> LITTLE GULLS were most recently reported above Conowingo Dam 
> April 4. An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was found April 2 at 
> Back River, Baltimore Co; that area held a LITTLE GULL March 
> 29. A hundred BONAPARTE'S GULLS have been frequenting the 
> Potomac River, notably in the vicinity of Hains Point, SW DC.
> 
> Two CASPIAN TERNS showed up April 4 at Lake Kittamaqundi, 
> near Columbia, Howard Co, MD.
> 
> Spring arrivals are everywhere. On April 1, a CHIMNEY SWIFT 
> was spotted in Ellicott City, Howard Co, and an EASTERN 
> KINGBIRD at Centennial Park. A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen 
> April 2 at the Julie Metz wetlands, Prince William Co, and a 
> BLUE-HEADED VIREO in was found in Annandale, VA, April 3.
> 
> A COMMON RAVEN was a most uncommon visitor at a private yard 
> in Charles Co, MD; it made its first appearance March 30, 
> then returned April 4. A COMMON RAVEN was seen in Fauquier 
> Co, VA, March 30; it was seen on Meetze Rd, between Warrenton 
> and Calverton. 
> 
> BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS are popping up just about everywhere. 
> A GRAY CATBIRD was noted March 30 at Halethorpe Ponds, Baltimore
Co.
> 
> Two SWAINSON'S WARBLERS had made their eagerly anticipated 
> arrival at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA, by April 
> 4. Some 9 other warblers were present on April 5, including 
> quantities of OVENBIRD and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. 
> 
> Two YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS--and PINE WARBLERS--have been 
> heard in Prince William Co, near the intersection of Possum 
> Point and Cockpit Rds, and also at Leesylvania SP, as well as 
> in at Hall Creek NRMA in Calvert Co, MD. PALM WARBLERS were 
> noted at Occoquan NWR in VA and, in MD, at Noland's Ferry 
> (Frederick Co), Kinder Farm Park (Anne Arundel),
> and Blue Mash.    
> 
> LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES are singing at numerous locations, 
> including near the lock house at Penneyfield Lock on the C&O 
> Canal, Montgomery Co, and at Great Falls NP, VA. 
> 
> HOODED WARBLER has been heard to our south, along the 
> Pokomoke River, north of Snow Hill in Worcester Co, and also 
> in California, St. Mary's Co, MD.
> 
> CHIPPING SPARROWS were widely reported.
> 
> A VESPER SPARROW was found April 4 at Dyke Marsh, Alexandria; 
> it was foraging on the ground in the south picnic area. A 
> VESPER SPARROW was found April 5 at the Mears area of 
> Patapsco SP, Baltimore Co, in a flat, sparsely grassed spot 
> where the gravel path begins. 
> 
> FOX SPARROWS continue to move through; 8 were found March 31 
> at Hashawa Nature Center, Carroll Co, MD.
> 
> PURPLE FINCHES were again refueling at area feeders, while a 
> PINE SISKIN was seen again at a feeder in Easton, Talbot Co.
> 
> A RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD visited a yard in NW DC March 29. An 
> EASTERN MEADOWLARK was seen at Centennial Park April 5. And, 
> on April 4, a flock of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS was foraging along 
> Sycamore Landing Rd, Montgomery Co.
> 
> 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 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.
>