-------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- 
From: "Steve Cordle" <> 
To:  
Subject: DC Area, 5/17/05 
Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 10:10:48 +0000 


Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist 
Date: 5/17/05 
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2 
(email):  
(deadline): midnight Mondays 
Compiler: Joe Coleman 
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, May 17, at 11:00 pm. 

Top birds this week are MISSISSIPPI KITE in MD and VA, and SANDHILL 
CRANE in VA. 

Other birds of interest include EARED and HORNED GREBE, AMERICAN and 
LEAST BITTERN, GLOSSY IBIS, TUNDRA SWAN, COMMON MERGANSER, MERLIN, 
PEREGRINE FALCON, RUFFED GROUSE, rails, BLACK-NECKED STILT, CURLEW 
SANDPIPER and other shorebirds, BLACK TERN, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 
COMMON NIGHTHAWK, CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, WHIP-POOR-WILL, flycatchers 
including OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and ALDER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, 
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, COMMON RAVEN, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, WINTER and 
SEDGE WREN, GRAY-CHEEKED, BICKNELL'S and other thrushes, WARBLERS 
including MOURNING, SUMMER TANAGER, DICKCISSEL, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 
ROSE-BREASTED and BLUE GROSBEAK, BOBOLINK, RED CROSSBILL, and PINE 
SISKIN. 

On May 11 a MISSISSIPPI KITE flew north up Four Mile Run in Arlington 
Co, VA. On May 15, a subadult MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen at the Eastern 
Shore of VA NWR, Northampton Co, VA. And on May 16 a MISSISSIPPI KITE 
flew over the Fort Smallwood Park hawk watch in Anne Arundel Co, MD. 

A SANDHILL CRANE was seen flying over the highway right outside 
Eastville, Northampton Co, VA, on May 11. 

A breeding-plumaged EARED GREBE was seen side-by-side with a 
breeding-plumaged HORNED GREBE, making for some great comparisons, on 
the Patuxent River at the Jefferson Patterson Park, Calvert Co, MD on 
May 14. 

An AMERICAN BITTERN was observed at Hughes Hollow on May 13. 

A LEAST BITTERN was found on a hidden pond off Clarissa Rd in western 
Kent Co, MD on May 10 while two were observed at Hughes Hollow on May 
13 and one there on 14 and 15. 

GLOSSY IBIS were seen at Riverside Park, Loudoun Co, VA with two on 
May 14 and three on May 16. Another was seen at Hughes Hollow, 
Montgomery Co, MD on May 14. 

A TUNDRA SWAN was seen MAY 15 in the impoundments above Chain Bridge, 
DC and another was seen May 14 on a pond in southwestern Loudoun Co, 
VA. 

COMMON MERGANSERS with ducklings were seen on the Potomac at both 
Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co, VA on May 12 and on the river a little 
north of Pennyfield Lock (C&O Canal Nat'l Historical Park) on May 15. 

A MERLIN was chasing shorebirds at Harney Pond in Frederick Co, MD on 
May 15. 

A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at the National Cathedral on May 11. 

Two RUFFED GROUSE were heard drumming at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, 
VA on May 15, one above the intersection of the North Ridge and South 
Ridge Trails and the other on the North Ridge Trail not far from the 
Appalachian Trail. 

KING RAILS continue at Occoquan NWR, Prince William Co, VA, with a 
report of one near the driving loop on May 14. The KING RAIL that 
frequents the Julie Metz Wetlands Bank in Woodbridge, Prince William 
Co, VA, was seen on May 14. 

The SORA at Hughes Hollow was seen again on May 13 and 14. A SORA AND 
A VIRGINIA RAIL were also found on May 14 in the reeds at the fishing 
pond at Sky Meadows SP, 

A PIPING PLOVER was seen May 14 on a nest inside the enclosure just to 
the south of the last beach parking lot at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack 
Co, VA. 

Shorebird numbers continued to swell throughout the area with reports 
of WESTERN SANDPIPERS at Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, Prince George's 
Co, MD on May 14. 

Two BLACK-NECKED STILTS were found in Calvert Co, MD on May 16 in a 
marsh on Rte 261 immediately south of Anne Arundel Co. 

A CURLEW SANDPIPER was among the many shorebirds observed at 
Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on May 14. 

A RED KNOT was seen May 15 on island #2 of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge 
Tunnel, Northampton Co, VA. 

A BLACK TERN in breeding plumage was seen during an ANS-sponsored boat 
trip on the Patuxtent River at Jug Bay, Anne Arundel Co, MD on May 12. 

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was reported from Four Mile Run, Arlington Co, 
VA on May 11 and another on May 14 in the parking lot at the Rock 
Creek Nature Center. Another was reported from a yard in District 
Heights, Prince George's Co, MD on May 16. 

On the evening of May 10, ten COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen flying in 
the lights around the buildings at the intersection of Gallows Rd and 
Boone Blvd at Tysons Corner, Fairfax Co, VA. There were five over the 
Potomac and two over Gaithersburg in Montgomery Co on May 14. 

A CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW was flushed and then observed on May 11 at 
Hancock's Resolution Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD, while three were heard 
at Curtis Bay, Anne Arundel Co on May 11 and one on May 14 at Joplin 
Rd in Dumfries, Prince William Co, VA . 

A WHIP-POOR-WILL was heard in Pasadena, Anne Arundel Co, MD on May 11 
and three were heard May 14 on Joplin Rd in Dumfries, Prince William 
Co, VA.. 

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were seen in several locations during the past 
week with sightings on May 14 at Montgomery Hall Park, Staunton, VA, 
on May 15 and 16 in Franklin Co, VA and at Indian Springs WMA, 
Washington Co, MD on May 15. 

A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen at Rock Creek Park DC on May 14. 

An ALDER FLYCATCHER was singing along the power-line cut across from 
the recreation center at Wakefield Park, Fairfax Co, VA on May 16 and 
17. 

Some of the places WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were heard this past week were 
at Hughes Hollow on May 13, at the Julie Metz Wetlands Bank on May 14 
and at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA May 15. 

A LEAST FLYCATCHER was observed at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 
Loudoun Co, VA and from the parking lot next near the Appalachian 
Trail at the G. Richard Thompson WMA, Fauquier Co, VA on May 14. 

For the fourth year a WESTERN KINGBIRD has returned to Fort McHenry, 
Baltimore, MD. It was seen in its favorite tree in the visitor's area 
on both May 10 and May 11. 

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at Horsepen Preserve, Loudoun Co, 
VA on May 14 and another was found at the Mason Neck SP, Fairfax Co, 
VA on May 15. 

Three COMMON RAVENS flew over the Potomac from VA to MD at Great Falls 
on May 13. A COMMON RAVEN was observed in Gaithersburg on May 14. 

A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was reported at Fort CF Smith Park in Arlington 
Co, VA on May 16. 

A WINTER WREN was singing all week long at Wakefield Park. A SEDGE 
WREN was seen in Cecil Co, MD on May 14. 

There was a major push of thrushes through the area last week. On May 
13 a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was seen and heard at Sycamore Landing, C&O 
Canal NP. A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was one of the many thrushes observed 
along the Powell's Creek Trail at Leesylvania SP on May 14. A 
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was also observed at Banshee Reeks on May 14. The 
night of May 15 an observer in Montgomery Co, MD reported a major 
flight of thrushes over his house. Within 20 minutes he was able to 
identify 3 GRAY-CHEEKED, a BICKNELL'S, 24 SWAINSON'S and 7 WOOD 
THRUSHES. A BICKNELL'S THRUSH was reported from Cecil Co on May 14 and 
another was caught and banded on May 15 at the First Land SP banding 
station, Virginia Beach, VA. 

With over 30 species reported, this past week was a good one for 
warblers. 

On May 15, and again on May 17, a MOURNING WARBLER was seen at 
Wakefield Park; another was reported singing next to the meadow behind 
the Longbranch Nature Center, Arlington Co, VA on May 15. 

Seven BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS and 12 KENTUCKY WARBLERS were among 18 
warbler species observed at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental 
Stewardship on May 14. 

Other "hot spots" for warblers were Rock Creek Park, with 17 species 
on May 11 and 20 on May 14, Huntley Meadows Park, Leesylvania SP and 
Monticello Park, Alexandria, VA. 

A May 11 survey of Four Mile Run and Longbranch, Arlington Co, VA 
turned up a SUMMER TANAGER. 

DICKCISSELS were reported from the refuge road leading to the pond at 
the Wilna tract of the Rappahannock River Valley NWR, Richmond Co, VA 
on May 13; along Grassdale Rd just south of the Remington Sod Farms 
along Sumerduck Rd, Fauquier Co, VA on May 14; at Kenilworth Park, DC, 
on May 15; and in Frederick Co, MD on May 16 singing from a hedgerow 
on Shoemaker Rd near the entrance to the Taneytown Rod and Gun Club. 

There were several reports of LINCOLN'S SPARROWS last week with one 
observed at the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD and 
another at Huntley Meadows Park, both on May 10. Another was at 
Riverside Park on May 14. There was also one May 16 at Layhill Park, 
Montgomery Co, MD behind the playing field and one at Wakefield Park 
the morning of May 17. 

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS continued to be found throughout the area with 
reports from Upper Watts Branch Park, Montgomery Co, MD, Ball's Bluff 
NP, Loudoun Co, VA, and Riverside Park on May 14 and Croom, Prince 
George's Co, MD on May 16. There was also one at the ANS Rust Nature 
Sanctuary, Loudoun Co, VA on May 15. 

BLUE GROSBEAKS were seen at a number of different locations in the 
area including at the bridle trail parking lot at Sky Meadows SP and 
at Banshee Reeks on May 14. 

During the past week BOBOLINKS were widely found in significant 
numbers throughout the area with reports from Baltimore Co, MD: Cecil 
Co, MD; Rockburn Park in Howard Co, MD; Wakefield Park, Fairfax Co, 
VA, Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA; the Lucketts area of Loudoun Co, 
VA, Kenilworth Park, NE DC as well as a number of other locations. 

A male RED CROSSBILL was found May 15 at the dam on Briery Run Rd, Rte 
924, Rockingham Co, VA. 

Single PINE SISKINS were still visiting feeders in Franklin Co, VA on 
May 10 and 16 and in Sykesville, Carroll Co, MD on May 15. 

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY and 
VA-Bird list servers. 

Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an 
excellent source of directions to many birding sites. The ANS 
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or 
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source 
for this and many other nature-related titles. 

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 as well as 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.