> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 8:03 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 1/24/06
> 
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               1/24/2006
> 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, Jan 24, at 7 p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN in MD, DOVKIE 
> in VA, RAZORBILL in MD and DE, and *ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER 
> and RED CROSSBILL in VA. 
> 
> Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, 
> ROSS'S GOOSE, BARNACLE GOOSE, EURASIAN TEAL, EURASIAN WIGEON, 
> and other waterfowl, RED-NECKED and HORNED GREBES, GREAT 
> CORMORANT, raptors including GOLDEN EAGLE, KING RAIL, 
> SANDHILL CRANE, *CALIFORNIA and other GULLS, FORSTER'S TERN, 
> SNOWY and SHORT-EARED OWLS, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, 
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, EASTERN PHOEBE, RED-BREASTED and 
> BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, and RUSTY 
> and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS.  
> 
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continued at Blackwater NWR, 
> Dorchester Co, MD, with reports of three birds 
> seen--intermittently--on Jan 20, 21, and 22. The pelicans 
> favor a mudbar on the Blackwater River towards the end of the 
> Wildlife Drive.
> 
> A DOVEKIE was spotted Jan 21 from a car driving north on the 
> CBB/T, Northampton Co, VA; it was on the ocean side, north of 
> Island #4.
> 
> Two RAZORBILLS were seen at the rainy and windy Ocean City 
> Inlet, Worcester Co, MD, on Jan 18, along with another, 
> unidentified alcid species, plus RED-NECKED and HORNED GREBES.
> 
> A RAZORBILL was glimpsed Jan 21 at Indian River Inlet, DE, as 
> was a GREAT CORMORANT and at least 5 FORSTER'S TERNS.
> 
> The *ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in Richmond, VA, was seen again 
> Jan 17 and 20; it frequents the train yard just south of the 
> Richmond floodwall along the southern bank of the James 
> River. (Area birders caution that this is a rough 
> neighborhood.) (The floodwall parking lot is on Semmes Ave at 
> the southern end of the Manchester Bridge in Richmond; drive 
> north on Semmes, as though you intend to cross the Manchester 
> Bridge, but turn left into the lot before you enter the 
> on-ramp for the bridge, just after the north and southbound 
> lanes split. There are small brown signs for the parking lot.)
>  
> The RED CROSSBILLS in Highland Co, VA, near the Augusta Co 
> line (DeLorme 65, B 7) were seen again Jan 22, again along US 
> Rte 250, just west of the Civil War site known as the 
> Confederate Breastworks. (This area is at a hairpin turn, but 
> a wide shoulder on the north side of the road makes it easy 
> to park.)  
> 
> An adult BARNACLE GOOSE was found Jan 19 at Great Oak Pond in 
> Kent Co, MD, where a BARNACLE GOOSE had been seen in October. 
> It could not be relocated, however, on Jan 20, 21, or 22. 
> (From Rte 213 in Chestertown, turn left on MD 291 and proceed 
> to MD 20 [High St]. Turn right on Rte 514 [Flatland Road]. In 
> about 4 miles, 514 bears sharply left. Past Fish Hatchery Rd, 
> 514 splits; stay left toward Great Oak Landing. The pond is 
> 100 yards ahead on the left. Please note: Signs along the 
> road request that observers stay in their vehicles. 
> Disturbing geese is frowned-upon in the extreme in goose-hunting
> country.)
>  
> GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were sighted at several 
> locations. The bird at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, 
> was missed on Jan 21 but gave good views, close to the 
> boardwalk, early on the morning of Jan 23. On Jan 21, a 
> GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found in Worcester Co, in the 
> ponds at Ocean Pines, off MD 589. On Jan 22, a GREATER 
> WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was discovered at Colonial Farm Park in 
> Accokeek, Prince George's Co, MD; it was seen again that 
> afternoon and on the morning of Jan 23, in agricultural 
> fields southeast of the staff parking area. A GREATER 
> WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found Jan 22 along the C&O Canal in 
> Washington Co, MD; it was near MP 120, just below the parking 
> lot at Little Pool. A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen 
> again Jan 20 at the sewage lagoon at Chestertown, Kent Co.
> 
> On Jan 22, a ROSS'S GOOSE was seen west of Chestertown, in 
> the pond opposite the office at Chesapeake Farms.
> 
> A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was found once again at the Eagle's 
> Nest Golf Course south of Ocean City on Jan 21. The drake 
> EURASIAN WIGEON at Horsehead Wetlands Center, Queen Anne's 
> Co, MD, was relocated Jan 20, 22, and 23, off the canoe ramp 
> at Lake Knapp. A male EURASIAN WIGEON was found at Ridgeway 
> Park in Hampton, VA.
> 
> A EURASIAN (COMMON) TEAL--considered a separate species from 
> GREEN-WINGED TEAL in much of the world--was seen off and on 
> at Huntley Meadows daily through the morning of Jan 24. 
> 
> On Jan 21, Indian River Inlet held 6 COMMON EIDERS, including 
> that stunning adult male, and a young male HARLEQUIN DUCK.  
> 
> A young male HARLEQUIN DUCK continues to play hide and seek 
> at the Choptank Marina in Cambridge, Dorchester Co, MD, with 
> sightings through Jan 20.
> 
> A GREAT CORMORANT was noted Jan 21 near Sparrow's Point in 
> Baltimore City.
> 
> On Jan 22, three GOLDEN EAGLES put on a spectacular aerial 
> display as they interacted above Snowy Mountain, over Rte 640 
> north of Bluegrass, Highland Co, VA.
> 
> A PEREGRINE FALCON posed on its traditional perch on the 
> water tower near the Ocean City inlet Jan 21.
> 
> A KING RAIL was seen, close up, from the wildlife drive at 
> Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA, on Jan 21.
> 
> A SANDHILL CRANE was seen close to Springwood, Botetourt Co, 
> VA, on Jan 19; it circled, calling, before landing in a cow 
> pasture and walking around. It took off and circled some more 
> before heading out of sight. 
> 
> The ANS Gull ID field trip to the Prince William Co landfill 
> on Jan 21 turned up an adult CALIFORNIA GULL, 2 GLAUCOUS 
> GULLS--an "absolutely stunning" adult and a first winter--and 
> 6 or more LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. 
> 
> An adult CALIFORNIA GULL was found Jan 21 at Hunting Creek, 
> Fairfax Co, as was a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.
> 
> Six LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were found Jan 21 at the 
> Eastern Sanitary Landfill in Baltimore.
> 
> There were reports of immature SNOWY OWL at two of the metro
region's
> airports: at 6 pm on Jan 20 at National Airport, DC, just 
> north of the Northwest terminal; and during the day on Jan 23 
> at Dulles airport, sitting atop a light pole.
> 
> SHORT-EARED OWLS and NORTHERN HARRIERS were found again this 
> week along Crenshaw Road (Rte 624) at Rectortown, Fauquier 
> Co, VA, at both dawn and dusk. 
> 
> Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from Elliott Island, 
> Dorchester Co, on Jan 22.
> 
> The young male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD in Silver Spring, 
> Montgomery Co, MD, was last seen on Jan 20.
> 
> Sky Meadow's signature RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were on view 
> Jan 21; this state park is in Fauquier Co.
> 
> EASTERN PHOEBE seemed to benefit from the mild weather, with 
> sightings at Pennyfield Lock on the C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, 
> Jan 19; near MP 7.5 on the Canal, downriver from the American 
> Legion (I-495) bridge, on Jan 21; and at Occoquan Bay NWR Jan 22. 
> 
> RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are amazingly prevalent this winter; 
> some 25 were found on the Mid-Winter Count Jan 21 in the 
> Granite Area of Patapsco SP, Baltimore Co.
> 
> Several BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were found Jan 21 in Calvert 
> Co, MD, near the end of Lloyd Bowen Rd not far from Jefferson 
> Patterson Park.
> 
> On Jan 21, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was again visiting a 
> feeder in West Ocean City. 
> 
> Both RUSTY and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS were in a huge flock of 
> blackbirds in Fauquier Co Jan 19; they were in the vicinity 
> of Rte 245 (exit 31 from I-66) and Harrison Rd (Rte 250) and 
> Mount Eccentric Rd.
> 
> See Life Paulagics will be running trips on Feb 25 and 26. 
> The Saturday trip will be a regular 12-hour offshore pelagic. 
> The Sunday trip will be an 8-hour inshore trip. For more 
> details, check their web site at paulagics.com or call
215-234-6805.
> 
> 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 either the MD/DC Records Committee
> (www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html) or the VA Records Committee
> (www.virginiabirds.org)
>