-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 4:20 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 10/31/06

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               10/31/2006
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 prepared Tuesday, October 31, at
3:30 pm.

Top birds this week are BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD in WV, a possible
*GRAY-BREASTED or BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN in MD, and *HENSLOW'S SPARROW
in VA.

Other birds of interest include ROSS'S GOOSE, BRANT, EARED GREBE,
AMERICAN BITTERN, GREAT WHITE HERON, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE,
MONK PARRAKEET, SHORT-EARED OWL, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, SEDGE WREN,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, sparrows including VESPER SPARROW, SNOW
BUNTING, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and PURPLE FINCH.

A BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD has been visiting a feeder in Harper's
Ferry, WV for the last couple of weeks. If you wish to see this bird
please contact  before visiting.

A yet-to-be identified rare swallow, possibly either a *GRAY-BREASTED
or a BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN has been reported from Worcester Co, MD. It
was first located on Oct. 29 flying with thousands of other swallows
between the Assateague Visitor Center and Assateague Island and around
the Visitor Center, itself. It was seen again on the 30th, most
frequently around the clubhouse of the Rum Pointe Golf Course off of
South Point Rd just past the road to the Assateague Bridge (birders
visiting this site should stay out of the way of golfers).

A *HENSLOW'S SPARROW was seen on Oct 27 and Oct 28 at Bandy Field Park
in Richmond, VA.

A ROSS'S GOOSE was found Oct 30 at Great Oak Pond on Rte 298 near
Melitota, Kent Co, MD.  An adult BRANT was found off of Hains Point,
SW DC on Oct 28.

The EARED GREBE in the lower pond of the Easton WWTP on Dover Neck Rd,
Talbot Co, MD, was seen again on Oct 26 and Oct 29.

Single AMERICAN BITTERNS were reported from Patterson Park, Baltimore,
MD on Oct 28, and from Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Fort Belvoir,
Fairfax Co, VA on Oct 29.

The GREAT WHITE HERON was again seen on Oct 24 in the Eastern Neck
NWR, Kent Co, MD, at the end of the boardwalk at the Tubby Cove Trail.

An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was perched on the fence bordering the
west side of the maintenance yard, under the line of pine trees at
Patterson Park on Oct 28. 

GOLDEN EAGLES were reported from several locations last week.  While
most of them were seen at various hawkwatches, a sub-adult was seen
near Sideling Hill, Washington Co, MD on Oct 24 and another was high
over Martinak State Park near Denton in Caroline Co, MD on Oct 28.
Six were tallied at the Snicker's Gap Hawkwatch on Oct 26.

Two MONK PARRAKEETS were seen Oct 28 at the intersection of
Connecticut Ave and Aspen Hill Rd in Aspen Hill, Montgomery Co, MD. 

A SHORT-EARED OWL was accidentally flushed from a field off of Old
Hanover Rd in Baltimore Co, MD on Oct 30.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL BANDING in the Greater Washington area began
last week. While only a single bird was banded on Oct 27 at the
station near Lynchburg, VA, another was heard calling early in the
morning at the closed gate at Sandy Run Park near Lorton, Fairfax Co,
VA on Oct 29.

Two SEDGE WRENS were clearly seen at the Maintenance Yard in Rock
Creek Park DC on Oct 30.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS turned up at a number of locations last week.
On Oct 26, one was seen on the Blue Mash Nature Trail in Montgomery
Co, MD, another from the Rock Creek Park DC Maintenance Yard, another
in Military Field in the same park, and still another in a weedy
meadow off Elbon Rd in Chesapeake Landing, Kent Co, MD. On Oct 29 an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was found along Bayview Trail in the Occoquan
NWR, Prince William Co, VA and, on the same day, one was seen in
Patterson Park, Baltimore. 

Sparrows poured into the area last week with a wide variety of
sparrows reported from any place with good habitat.  The highlights
included VESPER SPARROWS, one of which was seen Oct 26 and Oct 29 in
the field to the north of the boat ramp at the Southwest Area Park,
Lansdowne, Baltimore Co, MD.  Another VESPER SPARROW was seen at
Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD on Oct 27 along with a FOX SPARROW.
On Oct 28 at least 2 and possibly as many as 4 VESPER SPARROWS were
found at Kenilworth Park, NE DC.

Some of the other FOX SPARROWS that were spotted last week were at the
National Arboretum, NE DC on Oct 29 and at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA on Oct 30.

LINCOLN SPARROWS were reported from a number of different locations
throughout the week.

A SNOW BUNTING was first seen on Oct 26 in Southwest Area Park,
Baltimore Co, MD near the boat ramp. It was relocated in the same area
on Oct 27.

A flyover female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen while standing on
the Bayview Trail at the Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA on
Oct 29.

There were a number of RUSTY BLACKBIRD reports last week with two at
Rock Creek Park on Oct 30, a flock of 220 on Oct 30 in a swamp near
Leedstown on the northern neck of VA and 125 at Hughes Hollow on Oct
28.

PURPLE FINCHES began to show up in the area with reports from Turkey
Point, Cecil Co, MD on Oct 26 and Kiptopeke SP, Northampton Co, VA on
Oct 29.

See Life Paulagics is running a trip on Dec 9 out of Lewes, DE.  For
further information, contact them at 215-234-6805 or visit their web
site at www.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 for 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)

==========================
Norm Saunders
Cambridge & West Ocean City, MD