> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 7:13 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 12/13/05
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               12/13/2005
> 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 $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 report was completed at 6:00 p.m. on 
> Tuesday, December 13.
> 
> Top birds this week are *GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in DC, 
> *CALIFORNIA GULL in VA, *ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD in VA, 
> *Selasphorus HUMMINGBIRD in MD, and HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER in MD.
> 
> Other birds of interest include EURASIAN WIGEON, GREAT EGRET, 
> ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, gulls including 
> FRANKLIN'S,  GLAUCOUS and LESSER BLACK-BACKED, BLACK-LEGGED 
> KITTIWAKE, DOVEKIE, RAZORBILL, SHORT-EARED OWL, RED-HEADED 
> WOODPECKER, HORNED LARK, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, AMERICAN 
> PIPIT, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, OVENBIRD, 
> LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, DICKCISSEL, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD. 
> 
> A *GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen on the river at 
> Anacostia River Park, DC on Dec 10. After leaving the river 
> it joined a flock of Canada Geese in the field near the pool 
> and the recreation center. It was not relocated later in the week.
> 
> There was a *CALIFORNIA GULL on the mud at Hunting Creek, 
> Fairfax Co, VA the evening of Dec 11.
> 
> The *Selasphorus HUMMINGBIRD visiting the yard in Cape 
> Charles, Northampton Co, VA was banded on Dec 11 and is an 
> immature male *ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, only Virginia's 2nd 
> record. It can be seen at 9 Randolph Ave. A *Selasphorus 
> HUMMINGBIRD, probably an immature male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, is 
> visiting a feeder at 9119 Bay Avenue, North Beach, MD where 
> it can be seen from the road. It was last reported on Dec 11.
> 
> The HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER in Monkton, northern Baltimore Co, 
> MD, continued to be seen during the past week with the most 
> recent report on Dec 12. Its location was the North Central 
> Railroad Trail (DeLorme 75 C5); the NCRT parking lot is on 
> the north side of Monkton Rd, a little east of where it 
> crosses Gunpowder Falls. To look for the bird, take the trail 
> about half a mile north to a large abandoned stone building. 
> The bird continues to be seen feeding on the berry trees 
> north of the building and in the mountain laurel behind and 
> uphill from the building though it has also been moving around a
bit.
> 
> A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was at the Eagle's Landing Golf 
> Course, Worcester Co, MD on Dec 6. The drake EURASIAN WIGEON 
> at the Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore Co, MD continued to 
> be seen this past week with the latest report from Dec 11. 
> There were also reports of a drake EURASIAN WIGEON at Beauve 
> Ponds, Abel's Wharf Rd, Leonardtown, St Mary's Co, MD and 
> another at Accokeek, Prince George's Co., MD, both on Dec 11 
> and Dec 12.
> 
> A late GREAT EGRET was seen flying overhead at Blue Mash, 
> Montgomery Co, MD on Dec 11.
> 
> A dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was flying over the marsh at 
> West Ocean City, MD on Dec 6 and a light phase ROUGH-LEGGED 
> HAWK was seen Dec 12 at Beauve Ponds.
> 
> MERLINS, once rare in the area during winter, were found in a 
> number of locations last week including one that was raiding 
> a feeder on Dec 11in NW DC.
> 
> A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Kenilworth Park, NE DC, on Dec 
> 7 and again on Dec 11 and12. A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen Dec 
> 11 on the weekly Dyke Marsh (Fairfax Co, VA) walk. 
> 
> On Dec 10 a first winter FRANKLIN'S GULL and a GLAUCOUS GULL 
> were seen at the Salisbury landfill, Wicomico Co, MD along 
> with three LESSER-BLACK-BACKED GULLS. 
> 
> A first winter GLAUCOUS GULL and 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS 
> were seen at the Prince William Co (VA) Landfill on Dec 10. 
> LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were also found at several other 
> locations on Dec 10, including one on a sandbar in the 
> Anacostia River south of the 11th St Bridge, SE DC and 
> another at the mouth of the Occoquan River.
> 
> Three BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES were observed during the 
> pelagic trip out of Lewes, DE on Dec 10. Seen on the same 
> pelagic trip were 2 DOVEKIES and 3 RAZORBILLS.
> 
> A SHORT-EARED OWL was found on private property northeast of 
> Winchester in Frederick Co, VA on Dec 10.
> 
> Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at the Banshee Reeks 
> Nature Preserve, Loudoun Co, VA on Dec 10, and as always, 
> they were found, on the same day, at Sky Meadows State Park, 
> Fauquier Co, VA. Another was seen at Hughes Hollow, 
> Montgomery Co, MD on Dec 11.
> 
> HORNED LARKS were observed in several locations during the 
> week, including on Dec 10 at Kenilworth Park, NE DC, and in 
> Fauquier and Culpeper Counties, VA.
> 
> RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES continued to be reported from a 
> number of locations throughout the area, including the 
> National Arboretum, NE DC, and at a feeder near Lincoln, 
> Loudoun Co, VA on Dec 11. 
> 
> AMERICAN PIPITS were seen in a number of different locations 
> throughout the area last week including Kenilworth Park, NE 
> DC on Dec 10 and 11, Hughes Hollow on Dec 11 and Huntley 
> Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on Dec 12. 
> 
> An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen on Dec 6 in West Ocean 
> City, MD on the north side of Old Bridge Rd. 
> 
> Two PALM WARBLERS were found on a trip to Culpeper Co on Dec 
> 10. They were along Myers Mill Rd, Rt 623, near its 
> intersection with Springs Rd, Rt 810. Other PALM WARBLERS 
> were seen in west Ocean City on Dec 6 and in the Nokesville 
> area of Prince William Co, VA on Dec 11.
> 
> An OVENBIRD was seen below a feeder at an office building in 
> Suitland, Prince George's Co, MD, on Dec 9.
> 
> A LAPLAND LONGSPUR flew over Kenilworth Park on Dec 10. A 
> LAPLAND LONGSPUR was included in a mixed flock along Myers 
> Mill Rd in Culpeper Co on Dec 10 and three SNOW BUNTINGS were 
> also seen nearby on the same trip. On Dec 11, four LAPLAND 
> LONGSPURS, along with several HORNED LARKS and a few AMERICAN 
> PIPITS, were found in a field in King William Co, VA on 
> Powhatan Trail at its intersection with Moscow Creek Ln. A 
> LAPLAND LONGSPUR was found Dec 11 in a large flock of HORNED 
> LARKS in a field in Caroline Co, MD along Rt 312 about 1/2 
> mile north of Sparks Rd. Two SNOW BUNTINGS and a LAPLAND 
> LONGSPUR were also found in a field on Sparks Rd. The same 
> day, another LAPLAND LONGSPUR was in with a flock of HORNED 
> LARKS on Dec 11 northeast of Winchester in Frederick Co, VA. 
> There were at least 6 SNOW BUNTINGS on Dec 7 in a field in 
> front of the Rt 309 pond in Queen Anne's Co, MD.
> 
> A DICKCISSEL was also found along Myers Rd on the trip to 
> Culpeper Co on Dec 10.
> 
> RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found in the large impoundment at 
> Hughes Hollow on Dec 11.
> 
> 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 
>  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 either the MD/DC Records Committee
> (www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html) or the VA Records 
> Committee (www.virginiabirds.org).
>