> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:05 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 3/14/06
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               3/14/2006
> 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 report was completed Tuesday, March 
> 14, at 5 p.m.
> 
> Top birds this week are AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN in MD, *SNOWY 
> OWL in VA, and *TOWNSEND'S WARBLER in MD.
>  
> Other birds of interest include migration sightings, GREATER 
> WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, TRUMPETER SWAN, CACKLING GOOSE, COMMON 
> TEAL, REDHEAD, GOLDEN EAGLE, falcons, WILSON'S SNIPE, 
> AMERICAN WOODCOCK, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, RED-HEADED 
> WOODPECKER, TREE SWALLOW, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, PINE 
> WARBLER, VESPER SPARROW and RUSTY BLACKBIRD. 
> 
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS continue to winter at Blackwater NWR, 
> Dorchester Co, MD, with 5 birds seen from the Wildlife Drive 
> on March 12. 
> 
> The SNOWY OWL remains at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Co, VA, with 
> sightings on March 8, 9 and 11. The bird is being viewed from 
> a public parking garage on the corner of Aviation Dr and 
> Propeller Ct, accessible from the Airport Services exit off 
> the Dulles Access Rd.
> 
> An adult male TOWNSENDS WARBLER was seen on the C&O canal up 
> from Sycamore Landing, Montgomery Co, MD at the spot where 
> the turf farm begins on March 10.  
> 
> Special sightings of spring migration are occurring in too 
> many places to name including large skeins of TUNDRA SWANS, 
> CANADA GEESE on the move, returning OSPREY, singing EASTERN 
> PHOEBES and massive clouds of blackbirds including RED-WINGED 
> BLACKBIRDS, COMMON GRACKLES and a smattering of BROWN-HEADED 
> COWBIRDS. 
> 
> A young GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen at the 
> Chestertown Treatment Plant, Kent Co, MD on March 12. A 
> neck-collared TRUMPETER SWAN, banded in Ohio and a part of 
> that reintroduction program was noticed near Warrenton, 
> Fauquier Co, VA on March 8. On March 10 and 11, CACKLING 
> GEESE were discovered near The Plains, Fauquier Co; they were 
> on a pond near Harrison Road.
> 
> The COMMON TEAL previously reported at Huntley Meadows Park, 
> Fairfax Co, VA was seen again on March 11 and 12. A drake 
> REDHEAD was seen at Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD on 
> March 9.  Another REDHEAD was spotted on the Zion Road pond 
> near Olney, Montgomery Co, on the same day.
> 
> A GOLDEN EAGLE was observed near Langford, Kent Co, on March 12.
> 
> A MERLIN was spotted at Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD on 
> March 9 and 10. A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Hart-Miller 
> Island, Baltimore Co, MD and another shot over downtown 
> Bethesda, Montgomery Co, on March 13.
> 
> Two WILSON'S SNIPE were found at Pickering Creek Audubon 
> Center, Talbot Co, MD on March 8; at the Dulles Wetlands 
> Mitigation Area, Loudoun Co, VA and on Kembo Road, Anne 
> Arundel Co, MD on March 11and at the polo grounds on Hughes 
> Road, Montgomery Co, on March 12.  Five WILSON'S SNIPE were 
> discovered sunning them selves at Schoolhouse Pond, Prince 
> Georges Co, MD on March 11. The wild area in the shadow of 
> the S. Capitol St. Bridge hosted a WILSON'S SNIPE on March 12.
> Four WILSON'S SNIPE were noted at Hart-Miller Island; another 
> six were at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD; and yet another at 
> Huntley Meadows on March 13. Another SNIPE was seen at the 
> National Arboretum, DC and in Ashton, Montgomery Co, also on March
13.
> 
> AMERICAN WOODCOCK have been displaying at quite a few places 
> including Julie Metz Wetlands Bank, Prince William Co, VA on 
> March 7 and 11 and in a yard in Croom, Prince Georges Co, on 
> March 8; in Perryman, Harford Co, MD and Ferndale, Anne 
> Arundel Co, on March 9; a private home in Baltimore, MD and 
> on Kinder Road in the southern tip of Caroline Co, MD on 
> March 10 and at Patterson Park, Baltimore and Darnestown, 
> Montgomery Co, on March 11. On March 11 and 12, AMERICAN 
> WOODCOCK put on a show along Sycamore Landing Rd, Montgomery 
> Co.  The Huntley Meadows Woodcock Walk on March 12 noted 
> about 5 non-displaying birds.  The WOODCOCKS are still 
> displaying at UMBC with a sighting on March 13. 
>  
> Five LAUGHING GULLS were spotted at the Oxford/Landaff Road 
> impoundments, Talbot Co, on March 10. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was 
> seen at Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co, on March 11. 
> A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was noted at Anacostia Park, DC on 
> March 9 and 11.
> Another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Jug Bay Natural 
> Area Prince George's Co, on March 11.The previously spotted 
> GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again at the Ocean City Inlet, 
> Worcester Co, MD on March 10.
> 
> The SHORT-EARED OWLS near Rectortown in northern Fauquier Co 
> have been observed several times this week. On March 9, there 
> were at least 10 owls in the vicinity. 
> 
> A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported from the National 
> Arboretum, DC on March 12 and 13.  The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER 
> previously reported at Weinberg Park, Anne Arundel Co, was 
> relocated on March 13. Two more RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were 
> seen near Lincoln, western Loudoun Co, on March 13.
> 
> Another welcome sign of spring were the TREE SWALLOWS sighted 
> at several locations, including Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 
> DC, Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, Loudoun Co, Occoquan Bay 
> NWR, Prince William Co, and Sky Meadows State Park, Fauquier 
> Co, on March 11; Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, and Dyke 
> Marsh, Fairfax Co, on March 12.
> Fifteen TREE SWALLOWS were seen at Great Falls NP, Fairfax 
> Co, on March 13.
> 
> Three BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH were spotted at Eastern Neck NWR, 
> Kent Co, on March 12
> 
> A PINE WARBLER put in an appearance at Monticello Park, 
> Alexandria, VA on March 9. Several brilliant male PINE 
> WARBLERS were seen on the C&O canal at Sycamore Landing on 
> March 10. More PINE WARBLERS were noted at the Julie Metz 
> Mitigation Bank, at Jug Bay Natural Area, Leesylvania State 
> Park, Prince William Co, VA, and a yard in Queenstown, Queen 
> Anne's Co, MD on March 11. More PINE WARBLERS were singing at 
> the National Arboretum, DC, the Manassas Battlefield, Prince 
> William Co, VA and at Centaur Farm, Talbot Co, on March 12.
> Three pairs of PINE WARBLERS were noted in the Liberty 
> Watershed, Carroll Co, MD on March 13.
> 
> A VESPER SPARROW was one of six sparrow species seen at 
> Occoquan Bay NWR on March 12.
> 
> A skulking RUSTY BLACKBIRD was reported from Jug Bay Natural 
> Area on March 11.  Another RUSTY BLACKBIRD was sighted at 
> Sycamore Landing on the same day.  More RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were 
> seen at Huntley Meadows on March 13.
> 
> 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
>