> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 4:36 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 3/28/06
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               3/28/2006
> 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 Tuesday, March 
> 28, at 4:00 p.m.
> 
> Top bird this week is *PACIFIC LOON in VA. 
> 
> Other birds of interest include ducks, RED-NECKED GREBE, 
> night-herons, GLOSSY IBIS, raptors, KING RAIL, SORA, 
> shorebirds, gulls and terns, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, PURPLE 
> MARTINS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, SEDGE WREN, warblers, 
> sparrows, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and PURPLE FINCH.
> 
> A *PACIFIC LOON continues at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, 
> in far southern VA, with sightings from both March 25 and 
> March 27. On the 25th it was in the main part of the lake 
> above the dam and could be seen from the lookout behind the 
> visitor's center while on the 27th it was back at Palmer Point.
> 
> A EURASIAN TEAL was again spotted at Huntley Meadows Park, 
> Fairfax Co, VA, on March 25. Five LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen 
> March 28 at Riley's Lock, Seneca, Montgomery Co, MD.
> 
> A RED-NECKED GREBE was seen March 27 on Lake Orange, Orange Co,
VA.
> 
> Four BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen March 26 in a tree 
> over-hanging the C&O Canal between Chain Bridge and the DC/MD
line.
> 
> YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS returned on March 25 to Sligo 
> Creek, Montgomery Co, MD where a pair was observed just 
> upstream of the tennis courts at Sligo Creek Parkway and 
> Piney Branch Rd. They were seen again on March 26.
> 
> 
> A GLOSSY IBIS was seen at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC on
March
> 25 and again on March 26.
> 
> A KING RAIL was heard at the Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William 
> Co, VA, on March 26. A SORA was seen from the boardwalk at 
> Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on March 26.
> 
> On March 25 a female MERLIN was perched at the edge of the 
> soccer field at Eastern Middle School on University Blvd in 
> Montgomery Co just inside the Beltway. On March 28 a female 
> MERLIN was seen perched in a large tree plucking prey in 
> Patterson Park, Baltimore.
> 
> Two PEREGRINE FALCONS put on a good show next to the Woodrow 
> Wilson Bridge on March 26.
> 
> PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were spotted in a couple of locations 
> during the past week with four mixed in with over 50 WILSON'S 
> SNIPE at the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project, 
> Loudoun Co, VA on March 22.
> Another PECTORAL SANDPIPER was seen March 27 in one of the 
> newly-designed Pickering Creek ponds along Presquile Rd, 
> Talbot Co, MD.
> 
> WILSON'S SNIPE appeared to pour into the area last week with 
> numerous reports of large groups wherever the habitat was 
> suitable. The reports included small numbers at Huntley 
> Meadows on March 25 and 26 and at and north of the fish pond 
> at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA on March 26. There were 
> about 30 at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD and about 20 at Hughes 
> Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD on March 26.
> 
> An ICELAND GULL was spotted on March 26 on the wooden pilings 
> where Hunting Creek flows into the Potomac River in Fairfax Co.
> 
> A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen flying over the Potomac 
> River near Carderock, Montgomery MD on March 23. On March 24 
> a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at the mouth of the 
> Antietam Creek, Washington Co, MD. It was relocated a little 
> way downstream of the mouth of Antietnam Creek on March 25, 
> 26, and 27. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was also reported from 
> Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co, VA on March 25. Two LESSER 
> BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen along the ORV on Assateague 
> Island National Seashore, Worcester Co, MD on March 26.
> Another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen March 26 from 
> Anacostia Park SE DC across the river at the marina and there 
> was still another sighting that same day on the mudflats at 
> Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, VA. 
> 
> A first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL was seen March 25 near the Ocean 
> City inlet on the boardwalk and again on March 26 on the south
jetty. 
> 
> CASPIAN TERNS returned to the area with reports from 
> Anacostia Park, SE DC on March 26. A FORSTER'S TERN was 
> hunting the Great Marsh at Mason Neck NWR, Fairfax Co, VA on 
> March 26. 
> 
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were reported on March 22 and 23 from 
> the C&O Canal Park above milepost 24 near Seneca, Montgomery 
> Co, Md. One continues in a little park area along the Mount 
> Vernon Parkway, across from Waynewood Blvd, Fairfax Co, VA 
> with sightings on March 25 and March 26. Three RED-HEADED 
> WOODPECKERS were seen on March 25 along Ruggles Rd in the 
> Taneytown area of Carroll Co, MD. The ever-present RED-HEADED 
> WOODPECKERS at Sky Meadows were seen on March 26 though there 
> only five of them.
> 
> NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW sightings increased during the 
> week while the first reports of PURPLE MARTINS occurred. 
> PURPLE MARTINS were seen in Hamilton, Loudoun Co, VA on March 
> 21 and at Riverbend Park, Fairfax Co, VA on March 25. 
> 
> RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH reports came in from Prince William 
> Forest NP, VA on March 24, from Fort Ward, Alexandria, VA on 
> March 26 as well as from several other locations.
> 
> A SEDGE WREN was seen March 26 at Occoquan Bay NWR along the 
> short stretch of trail from the parking lot to Easy Rd.
> 
> The NASHVILLE WARBLER along the Gwynns Falls Trail in Carroll 
> Park, Baltimore City, continues to be seen with reports from 
> March 21 and March 25. A NORTHERN PARULA was distinctly heard 
> singing March 26 at the first pull-off on Cockpit Point Rd at 
> Possum Point, Prince William Co, VA. A BLACK-THROATED BLUE 
> WARBLER continues to visit an Arlington Co, VA yard where it 
> is "indulging" on mealworms with the latest report on March 
> 21. PINE WARBLERS appeared to pop up all over with reports 
> that there were a "lot" at the Prince William Forest NP on 
> March 24 and again on March 25 when over a dozen were reported
there.
> Two YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS were reported March 24 from the 
> James River Park, Richmond, VA.
> 
> Two American Tree Sparrows were seen at Occoquan NWR on March 26.
> CHIPPING SPARROWS have returned to the area with reports from 
> a feeder in Elkton, MD on March 24, another at a feeder in 
> southwestern Loudoun Co on March 25, and still another at a 
> feeder in Orange, VA on March 27. A VESPER SPARROW was seen 
> March 27 along Bloomsbury Rd near the airport in Orange Co, 
> VA. Small and large flocks of FOX SPARROWS were noted 
> throughout the area last week.
> 
> RUSTY BLACKBIRDS continued to move through the area last week 
> with reports of three at the Howard County, MD, Centennial 
> Park on March 24, about 50 at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE 
> DC, on March 25 and a "few" there on March 26.  They were 
> also heard at Occoquan NWR on March 26.
> 
> PURPLE FINCHES were seen in large numbers throughout the area 
> last week with over 100 in one yard in Culpeper Co, VA on March
21.
> 
> See Life Paulagics is running a trip on April 1 out of Lewes, 
> DE. For further information, contact them at 215-234-6805 or 
> visit their web site at paulagics.com.
> 
> 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 big photo files, 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)
>