Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

FW: DC Area, 11/08/2005

From:

Norm Saunders

Reply-To:

Norm Saunders

Date:

Wed, 9 Nov 2005 03:05:57 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 3:30 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 11/08/2005
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               11/08/2005
> 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, November 8, at 1
p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD in DE, 
> *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT, FRANKLIN'S GULL, and SNOW BUNTING in 
> MD, and WHITE-WINGED DOVE,  ALLEN'S or RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, 
> and LE CONTE'S SPARROW in VA. 
> 
> Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, 
> CACKLING GOOSE, TRUMPETER SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, GREAT EGRET, 
> raptors, SANDHILL CRANE, RED KNOT, gulls, NORTHERN SAW-WHET 
> OWL, SHORT-EARED OWL, CHIMNEY SWIFT, RUBY-THROATED 
> HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 
> SEDGE WREN, AMERICAN PIPIT, ORANGE-CROWNED and other 
> WARBLERS, sparrows, SNOW BUNTING, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, BALTIMORE 
> ORIOLE, and PINE SISKIN.
> 
> Two MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS wafted into DE yesterday 
> afternoon. An adult male was spotted from the hawk watch at 
> Cape Henlopen SP around 3 pm. A male and a female were seen 
> around 3:30 near Roosevelt Inlet. The male was picked up at 
> the Lewes ferry terminal, where it could be seen soaring 
> until nearly dusk.
> 
> The *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT continues to appear, intermittently, 
> on the Potomac River just upstream from Violette's Lock in 
> Montgomery Co, MD. The most recent sighting is from Nov 7.
> 
> A second-winter FRANKLIN'S GULL appeared at Schoolhouse Pond, 
> Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD, on Nov 4.
> 
> The selasphorus hummingbird in Cape Charles, Northampton Co, 
> VA--likely an  ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD--had been joined by two 
> RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS as of Nov 6. 
> 
> That same Cape Charles yard (9 Randolph Ave) is also hosting 
> a WHITE-WINGED DOVE. On Nov 6 and 7, the dove fed on millet 
> on the ground and roosted in oak and gum trees (where it 
> could be difficult to spot when sleeping, but was easily 
> studied once located).
> 
> A SNOW BUNTING was an astonishing find along the C&O Canal in 
> Montgomery Co on Nov 5; it was spotted just upstream from 
> Blockhouse Point, which is about halfway between Pennyfield 
> Lock and Violette's Lock. Somewhat less surprising were the 8 
> SNOW BUNTINGS found that day at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co.
> 
> The LE CONTE'S SPARROW at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William 
> Co, VA, was seen again Nov 2, 3, and 4. The last report was 
> of a fleeting glimpse on Nov 5. As before, it was seen near 
> the intersection of Bayview and Charlie Rds.
> 
> TUNDRA SWANS are signaling the winter season. On Nov 5, a 
> flock flew over the lake at Oakland Mills Point, Carroll Co, 
> MD, calling as they went. On Nov 6, 30 or more TUNDRA SWANS 
> flew past the hawk watch at Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co.
> 
> An adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was discovered Nov 2 at 
> Sandy Point SP, Anne Arundel Co, MD; it was on the grass 
> between the small boat launch parking lot and the bathhouse. 
> [This is not to be confused with a large Greylag/Canada Goose 
> hybrid, also present, that has a white front to the face.]
> 
> Reports of CACKLING GOOSE came from several locations, 
> including the Rte 309 pond (near Rte 213), Queen Anne's Co, 
> MD, Nov 5; and the ponds on Rte 3 in King George Co on VA's 
> upper Northern Neck Nov 6.
> 
> A EURASIAN WIGEON, now in bright alternate plumage, continues 
> to frequent Ridgeway Park, Hampton, VA.
> 
> In NE DC, on the north side of the East Capitol Street bridge 
> over the Anacostia, trees are "festooned" with a dozen or 
> more roosting GREAT EGRETS.  
> 
> The hawk watch at Snicker's Gap, on the Clarke/Loudoun Co 
> (VA) line, scored a NORTHERN GOSHAWK Nov 4 and 2 GOLDEN 
> EAGLES Nov 3. The hawk watch at Harvey's Knob on the Blue 
> Ridge Parkway in VA saw a GOLDEN EAGLE Nov 2. The Kiptopeke 
> hawk watch had 2 young GOLDEN EAGLES Nov 7. A low-flying 
> GOLDEN EAGLE was enjoyed Nov 1 at Terrapin Point Park, Anne 
> Arundel Co.
> 
> Birders searching for the LeConte's Sparrow at Occoquan pished up
a
> MERLIN on Nov 7.   
> 
> Early on the evening of Nov 3, a PEREGRINE FALCON circled in 
> the lights illuminating the Washington Monument. On the 
> morning of Nov 5, a PEREGRINE FALCON soared through the 
> grounds of the ANS headquarters at Woodend, Chevy Chase, 
> Montgomery Co. A pair of PEREGRINES seen last week, perched 
> on the rocks in the Potomac, near Blockhouse Point, were seen 
> Nov 2 a little further downstream, soaring over Carderock.  
> 
> Two SANDHILL CRANES flew over the Kiptopeke hawk watch Nov 2.
> 
> The beach at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge/False Cape SP, 
> Virginia Beach, has been host to a few RED KNOTS through the 
> fall, including, on Nov 4, a group of 39, about 7 miles below 
> the refuge Visitor Center.
> 
> Gull season is open. Two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were among 
> 6 species seen Nov 5 at Town Park in North East, Cecil Co, MD.
> 
> A lingering CHIMNEY SWIFT was noted Nov 3 at Lake Artemesia, 
> College Park, Prince George's Co. 
> 
> A SHORT-EARED OWL was found at Hart-Miller Nov 5.
> 
> NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS are on the move, with reports from 
> banding stations throughout the area.
> 
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve were 
> one of the highlights of an ANS trip to Loudoun Co, VA, Nov 
> 5. Another highlight were the 3 or 4 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES 
> at ANS's Rust Nature Sanctuary in Leesburg. 
> 
> The BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE invasion continues in northeastern 
> MD. Half a dozen were found at Town Park, North East, Cecil 
> Co, while 13 or more were identified Nov 5 at Turkey Point. 
> 
> RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were again at the National Arboretum, 
> NE DC, Nov 5, in the pines across the road from the Asian gardens.
> 
> A SEDGE WREN was discovered Nov 5 at the North Branch spray 
> fields, Allegany Co, MD. 
> 
> AMERICAN PIPITS were found Nov 5 in Queen Anne's Co, near the 
> Rte 309 pond; along John Shirk Rd in northwestern Carroll Co, 
> MD; and at Hart-Miller Island. On Nov 6, some 44 Pipits were 
> tallied at Turkey Point, and 18 at Conowingo Dam, Harford Co, MD. 
> 
> An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was spotted Nov 4 at Blue Mash 
> Nature Trail, Montgomery Co. Late migrants included PINE 
> WARBLER in the 1900 block of M St, NW DC, Nov 2 and 3, and a 
> BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER in the 2000 block of M St Nov 4. 
> A BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was seen at the National 
> Arboretum Nov 6, and a NASHVILLE WARBLER turned up in Ashton, 
> Montgomery Co, Nov 8. 
> 
> A VESPER SPARROW was seen Nov 4 at Lilypons Water Gardens, 
> Frederick Co, MD, near the upper parking lot. 
> 
> VESPER was one of 8 sparrow species found Nov 5 at the North 
> Branch spray fields, along with NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW 
> (a first Allegany county record) and LINCOLN'S SPARROW.
> 
> A NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was reported Nov 5 from 
> Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD; it was in the marsh 
> north of the canoe rental area.
> 
> FOX SPARROWS showed up this week. One was seen Nov 2 on 
> Powell's Run Rd off Marriottsville Rd, western Baltimore 
> County; one showed up in a Baltimore yard Nov 4. On Nov 5, a 
> FOX SPARROW was seen at Blue Mash, and on Nov 6, one was seen 
> at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, in the brush piles 
> to the left of the platform. 
> 
> Additional good finds at the very birdy Turkey Point on Nov 6 
> included 111 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, 3 BALTIMORE ORIOLES, 37 PURPLE 
> FINCHES, and 1 PINE SISKIN.
> 
> A PINE SISKIN also visited a feeder in Gaithersburg, 
> Montgomery Co, on Nov 3.  
> 
> 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 no photographs, please. 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. 
> 
> *Of interest to the MD/DC Records Committee. For more 
> information, visit www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html.
>