> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 9:42 PM
> To: 
> Subject: DC Area, 5/9/06
> 
> Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
> Date:               5/9/2006
> 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 report was prepared Tuesday, May 9, at 8
pm.
> 
> Top birds this week are TRUMPETER SWAN in MD, ANHINGA and 
> MISSISSIPPI KITE in VA, RUFF in MD, BEWICK'S WREN in VA, 
> SEDGE WREN in DC, VA, and MD, and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in VA. 
> 
> Other birds of interest include NORTHERN BOBWHITE, BROWN 
> PELICAN, AMERICAN BITTERN, herons, COMMON MOORHEN, 
> SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, shorebirds, BLACK TERN, BLACK-BILLED 
> CUCKOO, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, WILLOW and LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 
> LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, COMMON RAVEN, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, MARSH 
> WREN, GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, AMERICAN PIPIT, 
> warblers, sparrows, DICKCISSEL, BOBOLINK, WHITE-WINGED 
> CROSSBILL, and PINE SISKIN.
> 
> TRUMPETER SWANS, both banded, were found at two sites in 
> Maryland. On May 2, one was still present at Schoolhouse 
> Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co. On May 4, a 
> different bird showed up in St. Mary's Co, at the head of 
> Indian Creek, near Benedict.
> 
> An ANHINGA was reported May 4 in Arlington, VA, circling over 
> the Ballston Metro stop. 
> 
> On May 6, a MISSISSIPPI KITE was hawking insects over the 
> wetlands at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA.
>  
> The female RUFF at Pickering Creek Nature Center, Talbot Co, 
> MD, was seen again around 4 pm on May 6. 
> 
> A BEWICK'S WREN was discovered May 7 along Cockpit Point Rd, 
> Prince William Co, VA; it was at the bottom of the hill near 
> a small pond on the left.
> 
> A SEDGE WREN was an exceptional find in DC on May 5, when it 
> gave excellent, all-around looks to birders at the 
> maintenance yard in Rock Creek Park, NW DC. That same day a 
> SEDGE WREN was seen at along Haul Rd at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax 
> Co. And a SEDGE WREN kicked up from the grasses at Pickering 
> Creek, along the mowed trail between the parking lot and the 
> viewing platform.
> 
> A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was discovered May 6 at Sky Meadows 
> SP, Fauquier Co, VA; it was seen from the Bridle Trail parking
lot.
> 
> NORTHERN BOBWHITE was heard in the meadow at Riverbend Park, 
> Fairfax Co, on May 4. BOBWHITES were also in evidence at 
> Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, on May 6 and 7.
> 
> Four BROWN PELICANS were found at Hooper's Island, Dorchester 
> Co, MD, May 6. 
> 
> An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen at close range as it flew by the 
> end of the boardwalk at Dyke Marsh on May 7.
> 
> A LITTLE BLUE HERON was found May 6 at the north end of 
> Veterans Park, Prince William Co. A TRICOLORED HERON and a 
> GLOSSY IBIS were present May 6 at Elliot Island, Dorchester Co. 
>  
> Another YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON nest was reported from 
> Folly Lick Stream Park, Fairfax Co, on May 2.
> 
> The hawk watch at Fort Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co, MD, 
> tallied 138 migrating SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS on May 3. 
> 
> COMMON MOORHEN was again seen at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery 
> Co, MD, on May 2 and 9. A COMMON MOORHEN was found May 4 at 
> Southwest Area Park, Baltimore; it was in the large pond on 
> the right side of the road. 
> 
> On May 5, a PIPING PLOVER showed up at Flag Ponds Park, 
> Calvert Co, MD; this very unusual visitor was seen just north 
> of the nuclear power plant. On May 5, a PIPING PLOVER was 
> seen in the southernmost section of Assateague Island, 
> Worcester Co, MD; the area also held 60 WHIMBREL.
> 
> Three BLACK-NECKED STILTS discovered May 5 were a first for 
> Pickering Creek; at least one was still there May 7. At least 
> 10 BLACK-NECKED STILTS were found on Elliott Island May 6. 
> 
> BLACK TERNS--2, followed by 3 more--winged up the Potomac 
> River past Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, on the afternoon of May
8.
> 
> BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS showed up at a variety of locales, 
> including, in DC, Rock Creek Park May 3 and 7; Ft Bayard Park 
> May 6; and the back section of Kenilworth Park May 6. 
> BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were also noted in Fairfax Co, at 
> Difficult Run SVP May 6 and Lake Accotink Park May 7. One was 
> found at Patuxent Research Refuge/North Tract, Anne Arundel Co.
> 
> COMMON NIGHTHAWKS arrived back in the Tyson's Corner area of 
> Fairfax Co, on May 5; the birds favor skies over the 
> illuminated buildings on Gallows Rd at Boone Blvd near Leesburg
Pike.
> 
> WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were sighted at the north pond at Occoquan 
> Bay NWR, Prince William Co, on May 6, and at Blue Mash Nature 
> Trail, Montgomery Co, May 7. A LEAST FLYCATCHER was reported 
> from a yard in Rockville, Montgomery Co, on May 5.
> 
> One or perhaps two LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES were again seen at Sky 
> Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA,  on the east side, on May 6; 
> fields here also held nice variety of warblers and a BOBOLINK. 
> 
> A COMMON RAVEN made an uncommon appearance in Howard Co, MD, 
> on May 6, when one flew over Marriottsville Rd.
> 
> A few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES linger; reports came May 6 from 
> Soldiers Delight NA, Baltimore Co, and Patterson Park, 
> Baltimore, as well as a yard in Bethesda, Montgomery Co, on May 9.
> 
> A MARSH WREN was spotted at Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick 
> Co, MD, May 9.
> 
> A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was seen May 7 at Seneca Creek SP, 
> Montgomery Co; it was in the "Oriole" picnic area. SWAINSON'S 
> THRUSH appeared at Middle Patuxent EA, Howard Co, on May 3, 
> Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, May 6, and a yard in 
> Darnestown, Montgomery Co, May 7.
> 
> Two AMERICAN PIPITS were found May 6 at the pond at the 
> soccerplex in Germantown, Montgomery Co. An AMERICAN PIPIT 
> was seen near sunset May
> 6 at Huntley Meadows. Some 20 AMERICAN PIPITS were found May 
> 3 at Selby Landing, on the Prince George's side of Jug Bay.
> 
> Warbler highlights this week included GOLDEN-WINGED at Rock 
> Creek Park May 4, Upton Hill Park in Arlington May 6, and in 
> DC on the northwest side of the Capitol May 7. A BREWSTER'S 
> WARBLER was found at Rock Creek May 7. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER 
> visited Upper Watts Branch Park, Rockville, May 2, while a 
> yard in Beltsville, Prince George's Co, drew both 
> GOLDEN-WINGED and ORANGE-CROWNED May 2. 
> 
> CERULEAN WARBLERS were again found along the C&O Canal in
Montgomery
> Co: above Pennyfield Lock, in the woods between the second 
> impoundment and the power line cut, and near MP 27, 
> downstream from Sycamore Landing Rd. Seven CERULEANS were 
> reported from Susquehanna SP, Harford Co, MD, on May 7, and 
> an estimated 25 to 30  CERULEANS flooded the 
> trillium-blanketed hills at the Thompson WMA in western 
> Fauquier Co on May 5. 
> 
> A MOURNING WARBLER was up and singing in a yard in Kent Co, MD,
May 5.
> 
> There were also a sprinkling of CAPE MAY, BAY-BREASTED, 
> BLACKBURNIAN, WILSON'S, and CANADA WARBLERS.
> 
> The annual VSO meeting, which took place last weekend in far 
> southwestern VA at the Breaks Interstate Park, Buchanan Co, 
> tallied 29 species of warbler, including SWAINSON'S WARBLER 
> as well as GOLDEN-WINGED and CERULEAN.
> 
> LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were seen at several locations: May 5, 6, 
> and 7 at Rock Creek Park; May 6 at Cromwell Valley Park, 
> Baltimore Co; and, in Fairfax Co on May 6, Difficult Run SVP; 
> Sully Woods off Pleasant Valley Rd; and Bull Run RP.
> 
> A DICKCISSEL was spotted May 5 in the District; it was in the 
> polo fields just north of the FDR Memorial. These fields also 
> held 8 sparrow species, including GRASSHOPPER and WHITE-CROWNED.
> 
> BOBOLINKS delighted birders at a variety of locations--a yard 
> in Queenstown, Queen Anne's Co, MD; a neighborhood in 
> Hampstead, Carroll Co, MD; the Ft Smallwood hawk watch; 
> Patuxent/North Tract, at the beginning of Lake Allen; the 
> intersection of Montevideo and Sugarland Rds, Montgomery Co. 
> Two to three dozen BOBOLINKS visited Lake Artemesia in 
> Greenbelt, Prince George's Co, on May 5. But it is the upper 
> Northern Neck of VA that takes the prize: on May 7, at least 
> 400 BOBOLINKS were cavorting in a wheat field at Muse Farm, 
> near Leedstown, Westmoreland Co.
> 
> A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL visited a niger feeder in 
> Spotsylvania, VA, on May 5.
> 
> A PINE SISKIN visited a feeder in Bethesda, Montgomery Co, on May
5.
> On May 2, a PINE SISKIN flew over the Taft Bridge on 
> Connecticut Ave, NW DC, amid a flock of goldfinches.
>  
> 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)
>