-------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- 
From: "Steve Cordle" <> 
To:  
Subject: DC Area, 10/04/2005 
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2005 20:23:53 +0000 


Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist 
Date: 10/04/2005 
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 $40; Family $50; Nature Steward $75; Audubon 
Advocate $150). 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, October 4, at 7:30 
p.m. 

Top birds this week are FRANKLIN'S GULL in VA, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW 
and SNOW BUNTING in MD, and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and YELLOW-HEADED 
BLACKBIRD in DE. 

Other birds of interest include EURASIAN WIGEON, COMMON LOON, raptors, 
shorebirds, BLACK TERN, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, CHIMNEY SWIFT, RED-HEADED 
WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, MARSH 
and WINTER WRENS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, thrushes, ORANGE-CROWNED, 
CONNECTICUT, and other WARBLERS, VESPER and LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and 
LAPLAND LONGSPUR. 

A FRANKLIN'S GULL was seen and photographed in Suffolk, VA, on Sept 
29. 

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was observed at Ft McHenry, Baltimore, on Sept 
27; it was on the wetlands trail. 

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found at Prime Hook NWR, DE, on Oct 2. It 
was originally found at the edge of the Boardwalk Trail; it was later 
located near the dock at the beginning of the Dike Trail. 

A SNOW BUNTING was an improbable visitor to a yard in Middle River, 
Baltimore Co, between Sept 25 and 28. It traveled with a flock of 
Brown-headed Cowbirds, and a video shows them all on the ground around 
a feeder. This appears to be the earliest fall record for MD. 

An adult female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was discovered Oct 1 in 
Fairfax Co, VA. It was seen at a small ballpark immediately south of 
Rte 236 and west of Accotink Creek. 

A female EURASIAN WIGEON was seen Sept 30 at Great Oak Pond, Kent Co, 
MD. 

A COMMON LOON was present Oct 2 on the lower Patuxent River, across 
from Solomons, Calvert Co, MD 

The hawk watch at Snickers Gap, on the Clarke/Loudoun Co (VA) line, 
scored its first NORTHERN GOSHAWK of the season on Oct 2. On Sept 29, 
Snickers Gap counted nearly 1,200 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. 

The hawk watch at Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro, VA, tallied more than 
2,600 BROADWINGS on Sept 28, and on Sept 29 saw its first GOLDEN EAGLE 
of the fall. 

A GOLDEN EAGLE delighted hawk watchers at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton 
Co, VA, on Sept 28. 

A juvenile Golden Eagle was observed Oct 1 in St. Mary's Co, MD, as it 
flew over St. Jerome's Neck Road in Dameron. 

Three AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were found Sept 28 in Frederick Co, MD; 
they were in a field at the Chuck Wade sod farm, on New Design Rd near 
Doubs Rd. Nearby, at Lilypons Water Gardens, were 3 WILSON'S SNIPE. 

A WILSON'S SNIPE was found at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, Oct 2; 
it was in the grasses in the now-dry pond in front of the Observation 
Tower. 

On Oct 2, the Gordon's Pond area of Prime Hook held MARBLED GODWIT, 
HUDSONIAN GODWIT, and BLACK TERN. 

That same day a BLACK TERN was found at Great Oak Pond. 

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was discovered Oct 2 at Leesylvania SP, Prince 
William Co, VA--as was a PHILADELPHIA VIREO. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was 
spotted Oct 4 at Snickers Gap. 

On the evening of Sept 30, an impressive "whirlwind" of CHIMNEY 
SWIFTS--perhaps as many as 2,000--flew over the building at 4301 
Massachusetts Ave, NW DC. 

Two or three RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at the Turkey Point hawk 
watch, Cecil Co, MD, Oct 2. 

At Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA, three of the "signature" 
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were on display Oct 1, as was a pair of COMMON 
RAVENS. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was spotted Sept 30 at Riverbend Park, 
Fairfax Co. 

A very interesting NORTHERN FLICKER surfaced this week at Blue Mash 
Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, MD. It was seen Oct 1 and 2, and it 
flashed red in the underwings. That alone, however, doesn't make it a 
Red-shafted Flicker--which would be a Maryland first. The bird's 
facial pattern is another crucial element in its identification. 

On Oct 1, a COMMON RAVEN was seen at Little Bennett RP, Montgomery Co; 
it was circling near the Kingsley Trail parking lot off Rte 121. 

WINTER WRENS were reported from Piney Run Park, Carroll Co, MD, Sept 
28; Queenstown, Queen Anne's Co, MD, Sept 29; Cromwell Valley Park, 
Baltimore Co, Sept 30; and a yard in Silver Spring, Montgomery Co, Oct 
1. Four WINTER WRENS were seen at Sky Meadows Oct 2. 

A MARSH WREN was a new bird at Flint Hill School, Oakton, Fairfax Co, 
discovered Sept 29. By Sept 30, a WINTER WREN had arrived there. 

Thrushes continued to push through. On Oct 1, a flight observed from 
Mason Neck NWR included 2 VEERIES, 36 SWAINSON'S, 20 GRAY-CHEEKED, and 
2 WOOD THRUSHES. On Sept 28, Cape Charles, Northampton Co, witnessed a 
heavy flight, with 1 VEERY, more than 100 SWAINSON'S, and dozens of 
GRAY-CHEEKED. Later that day, a BICKNELL'S THRUSH was banded at the 
neighboring Kiptopeke banding station. 

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS showed up this week, with sightings at Little 
Bennett Sept 29, Piney Run Sept 30, and, on Oct 1, at Rock Creek Park, 
NW DC, Turkey Point, and a yard in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel Co, MD. 

Warbler variety was good toward the beginning of the week, with a 
dozen species seen in Greenbelt, Prince George's Co, MD, Sept 27 and 
at Rock Creek Park Sept 28. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen in a 
yard in Colesville, Montgomery Co, Oct 3. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was 
seen Sept 29 at Little Patuxent Oxbow Lake, western Anne Arundel Co. A 
CONNECTICUT WARBLER was found at Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co, Sept 30. 
On Oct 1, an adult female CONNECTICUT WARBLER was spotted at Blue 
Mash. A likely MOURNING WARBLER was reported from Rockburn Park, 
Howard Co, MD, Oct 2. 

A trip to Mason Neck SP Oct 1 enjoyed a fine show of migrants, 
including flycatchers, kinglets, warblers, tanagers, and grosbeaks. 
Another migrant extravaganza took place on Oct 1 in a yard in 
Darnestown, Montgomery CO, when 54 species--raptors as well as 
passerines--zoomed through between 2:30 and 7 pm; one highlight was a 
VESPER SPARROW. 

LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found Sept 27 along the hike/bike trail at 
Huntley Meadows; Sept 30 at Piney Run; Sept 30 at Riverbend; Oct 1 at 
Morgan Run NEA, Carroll Co; and Oct 2 at Audrey Carroll Audubon 
Sanctuary, Frederick Co. 

Finally, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was discovered Oct 1 at Hart-Miller 
Island, Baltimore Co. 

On Oct 22, See Life Paulagics is running a trip out of Lewes, DE. For 
more information, contact them at 215-234-6805 or check their web page 
at paulagics.com. 

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY, 
VA-Bird, and DE Birds 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 
 But please do not submit photographs. You 
may also report by calling 301-652-1088 and selecting menu option 2. 
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as 
well as state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, 
either e-mail or phone. 

Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.