> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 5:46 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 2/7/06
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               2/7/2006
> 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, Feb 7, at 5 p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are *PACIFIC LOON in VA, AMERICAN WHITE 
> PELICAN in MD, RUFF in MD, possible COMMON MURRE in DE, 
> RAZORBILL in MD, VA, and DE, and *SNOWY OWL in VA.
> 
> Other birds of interest include CACKLING GOOSE, EURASIAN TEAL 
> and other waterfowl, WILD TURKEY, SOOTY SHEARWATER, GREAT 
> CORMORANT, raptors, KING RAIL, ICELAND and LESSER 
> BLACK-BACKED GULLS, SHORT-EARED OWL, woodpeckers, NASHVILLE 
> WARBLER, and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS.
> 
> A *PACIFIC LOON was seen at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co in 
> far southern VA, on Feb 4 and relocated, in very windy 
> conditions, on Feb 5. The loon was 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 again 
> through Feb 6. 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 off and on Feb 4, 5, and 6. This bird comes to 
> forage in a flooded field along Griffith Neck Rd. 
> 
> An alcid that appeared to be a COMMON MURRE, along with a 
> RAZORBILL, was observed at Indian River Inlet, DE, on Feb 2. 
> On Feb 3, the Inlet held 3 RAZORBILLS as well as a HARLEQUIN 
> DUCK. On Feb 5, there was also a RAZORBILL at Cape Henlopen 
> SP, DE. A RAZORBILL was seen at the Ocean City Inlet, 
> Worcester Co, MD, Feb 4 and 5. 
> 
> The SNOWY OWL at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, was seen 
> again through Feb 5--but sometimes only after a long vigil, 
> and sometimes as a "distant ghostlike shape" in the scope. 
> 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. 
> 
> A CACKLING GOOSE was found at Centennial Park in Columbia, 
> Howard Co, MD, on Feb 5.
> 
> The EURASIAN (COMMON) TEAL at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax 
> Co, VA, was reported again Feb 5.  
> 
> Two small groups of WILD TURKEYS were found Feb 4 in Fort 
> DuPont Park, SW DC; they were in the Ridge picnic area.
> 
> A SOOTY SHEARWATER was discovered Feb 3 at Back Bay NWR in 
> Virginia Beach. It was scoped as it cruised the waters about 
> 200 meters off the beach for more than 5 minutes, several 
> times landing in the water. 
> 
> Two GREAT CORMORANTS were noted at Indian River Inlet on Feb 4.
> 
> The MERLIN that frequents the Fairlington Community Center, 
> Arlington Co, VA, was found again daily through Feb 6, 
> typically in the late afternoon. It perches in a tall bare 
> oak, and on Feb 5 it shared the tree with a COOPER'S HAWK.
> 
> A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in downtown Rockville, Montgomery 
> Co, on Feb 3. That same afternoon two adult PEREGRINES made a 
> few passes over downtown Bethesda, Montgomery Co. A PEREGRINE 
> again perched on the railroad bridge parallel to the 14th St 
> bridge over the Potomac, SW DC, on Feb 5 and 6.
> 
> Two KING RAILS were reported from Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince 
> William Co, VA, on Feb 5.  
> 
> An ICELAND GULL was spotted Feb 2 at Violette's Lock on the 
> C&O Canal, Montgomery Co; it was on the rocks just below the 
> rapids. An ICELAND GULL was discovered on the CBB/T, 
> Northampton Co, VA, on Feb 3 and relocated Feb 4 on, 
> respectively, Islands # 3 and # 2. Also seen from the CBB/T: 
> HARLEQUIN DUCKS, all 3 SCOTERS, and thousands of LONG-TAILED
DUCKS.
> 
> A LESSER-BLACK-BACKED GULL was sighted at East Potomac Park, 
> SW DC, on Feb 5.  
> 
> Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen Feb 4 near the end of Cedar 
> Creek Rd, Dorchester Co. On Feb 3, three SHORT-EARED OWLS 
> were reported from Zion Crossroads, Louisa Co, VA. On Feb 3, 
> a SHORT-EARED OWL was seen from the parking garage at Dulles
Airport. 
> 
> Birders at the Fran Uhler Natural Area, Prince George's Co, 
> MD, enjoyed a 7-woodpecker day on Feb 5.
> 
> The NASHVILLE WARBLER in Baltimore's Carroll Park was seen 
> again Feb 1, as before in hollies between the golf course and 
> the new Gwynn Falls trail. 
> 
> Two BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS, a male and a female, were spotted 
> Feb 4 by birders scanning for the Dorchester Co Ruff.
> 
> 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 two, perhaps three, February pelagic trips 
> (Feb 11 [12] and 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)
>