> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 5:22 PM
> To:
> Subject: DC Area, 2/14/06
>
> Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
> Date: 2/14/2006
> Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
> Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
> Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
> (email):
> (deadline): midnight Mondays
> Compiler: Helen Patton
> 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, Feb 14, at
3:30p.m.
>
> Top birds this week are *PACIFIC LOON in VA, AMERICAN WHITE
> PELICAN and RUFF in MD and *SNOWY OWL in VA.
>
> Other birds of interest include CACKLING GOOSE, GREAT
> CORMORANT, raptors, LESSER BLACK-BACKED and GLAUCOUS GULLS,
> alcids and other pelagic birds, SHORT-EARED OWL, RED-HEADED
> WOODPECKER, sparrows, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, COMMON REDPOLL, and
> EVENING GROSBEAK.
>
> A *PACIFIC LOON was seen again at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg
> Co in far southern VA, on Feb 12, accompanied by a
> RED-THROATED LOON and plenty of COMMON LOONS. The loons were
> in the Palmer Point Recreation Area (which can be reached by
> taking Rte 4 south past the dam to Palmer Point Rd).
>
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continue at Blackwater NWR,
> Dorchester Co, MD, with reports of three birds seen on Feb 7.
> On Feb 9, the number had increased to 5. The pelicans favor a
> mudbar on the Blackwater River towards the end of the Wildlife
Drive.
>
> The RUFF discovered Jan 29 east of Bestpitch, Dorchester Co,
> was seen on Feb 7. This bird comes to forage in a flooded
> field along Griffith Neck Rd.
>
> The SNOWY OWL at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, was seen
> again on Feb 11. The bird is being viewed from a 3-story
> public parking garage on the corner of Aviation Dr and
> Propeller Ct; this can be accessed from the Airport Services
> exit off the Dulles Toll Rd. On Feb 12, the SNOWY OWL chased
> a SHORT-EARED OWL that flew a little too close.
>
> A CACKLING GOOSE was found at Blue Mash Nature Trail,
> Montgomery Co, MD on Feb 11. Four HARLEQUIN DUCKS were seen
> on the CBBT, Northampton Co, VA on Feb 12.
>
> Three GREAT CORMORANTS were noted at the Ocean City Inlet,
> Worcester Co, MD on Feb 8. Another GREAT CORMORANT was
> spotted on Island 4 of the CBBT on Feb 12.
>
> An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported from alternate Rte
> 40 between Middletown and the Frederick/Washington Co, MD border.
>
> The MERLIN that frequents the Fairlington Community Center,
> Arlington Co, VA, was found again on Feb 11 despite the wet,
> blowing snow.
>
> PEREGRINE FALCONS have been making a splash this week some
> favoring sites near office buildings in Bethesda and
> Rockville, Montgomery Co and Bailey's Crossroads, Falls
> Church, Fairfax Co, VA. Another was sighted flying around the
> 14th St. bridge over the Potomac, SW DC.
> Another PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted on the Water Tower at
> Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD on Feb 8.
>
> A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was loafing on the beach at
> Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on Feb 11. A GLAUCOUS GULL
> was sighted in the vicinity of Chester Cove Marina, Fells
> Point, Baltimore City on Feb 10.
>
> A Pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach, VA on Feb 11 spotted a
> MANX SHEARWATER, a PARASITIC JAEGER, two LITTLE GULLS, COMMON
> and THICK-BILLED MURRES, several RAZORBILLS and an ATLANTIC
> PUFFIN. A DOVEKIE was seen at the Ocean City Inlet on Feb 9.
>
> On Feb 10, three SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from Zion
> Crossroads, Louisa Co, VA. Two perched SHORT-EARED OWLS were
> observed along Crenshaw Road in Rectortown, Fauquier Co, VA
> on Feb 11. A SHORT-EARED OWL was spotted flying over the
> fields along Rt. 628 on the south side of Blandy Experimental
> Farm in Clarke Co, VA on Feb 13.
>
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were evident in the region with
> reports from Weinberg Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Feb 8 and
> 11; at the Waynewood pull-out on the GW Parkway on Feb 10; at
> Banshee-Reeks Nature Preserve, Loudoun Co, VA on Feb 11 and
> at the National Arboretum, DC on Feb 12.
>
> Sparrow aficionados were delighted this week with multiple
> sightings which included AMERICAN TREE, SAVANNAH, FOX and
> WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. Two VESPER SPARROWS were working a
> dirt patch on Bethel Road, Wicomico Co, MD on Feb 12. Some
> LAPLAND LONGSPURS were sighted in a small flock of HORNED
> LARKS a few miles south of Boonsboro along Rte 67 just south
> of Park Hall Road, Washington Co, MD on Feb 12. Two more
> LAPLAND LONGSPURS were spotted in Kent Co, MD, one by the
> side of the road on Rt. 313 south of Massey and the second on
> Rt. 291 heading east toward Delaware about 1 mile our of
Millington.
>
> A first-year, male BALTIMORE ORIOLE posed for his picture in
> La Plata, Charles Co, MD on Feb 11. Two more BALTIMORE
> ORIOLES were spotted in Alexandria, VA also on Feb 11.
>
> A COMMON REDPOLL visited a feeder in Herndon, Fairfax Co, VA
> on Feb 12.
>
> An EVENING GROSBEAK was picked out of a mixed flock at Chino
> Farm, Queen Anne's Co, MD on Feb 9. Three EVENING GROSBEAKS
> were reported at the feeders at the Chesapeake Bay
> Environmental Center (formerly Horsehead Wetlands), Queen
> Anne's Co, MD on Feb.12.
>
> See Life Paulagics will be running a regular 12-hour offshore
> pelagic on Saturday Feb 25. They need additional signups in
> order to run the proposed 8-hour inshore pelagic on Sunday
> Feb 26. For more details, check the web site at paulagics.com
> or call 215-234-6805.
>
> Brian Patteson, using his own new boat, the Stormy Petrel,
> proposes running one, perhaps two, February pelagic trips (
> Feb 18 [19], perhaps Feb 25 [26]) out of Virginia Beach. For
> details, check the website at seabirding.com, or phone
> 252-986-1363 to express your interest.
>
> 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)
> |