> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 11:40 PM
> To:
> Subject: DC Area, 12/05/06
>
> Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
> Date: 12/05/2006
> 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,
> December 5, at 6:30 pm.
>
> Top birds this week are GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in VA,
> *BARNACLE GOOSE in MD, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN in *VA and MD,
> *EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in MD, and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in VA and
MD.
>
> Other birds of interest include ROSS'S GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE,
> swans, ducks, RED-THROATED and COMMON LOONS, AMERICAN
> BITTERN, GOLDEN EAGLE, PEREGRINE FALCON, LESSER BLACK-BACKED
> GULL, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, SHORT-EARED OWL, NORTHERN
> SHRIKE, warblers, and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.
>
> A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was present Dec 3 near Stuarts
> Draft, Augusta Co, VA. [From Staunton, take I-64 southeast to
> exit 94/Rte 340; go about 2 m to a left onto Rte 632, then
> another 2.2 m to ponds on the left, between 2 houses. DeLorme 66,
D3.]
>
> A BARNACLE GOOSE, most likely an escape, was discovered at
> Meadow Lake, just south of I-68 in eastern Garrett Co, MD on
> Dec 1, and it was seen again Dec 2 and 3. Photographs show
> this bird to be missing a rear toe, indicating that it is not
> a true vagrant.
>
> The *AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN at the Accotink Bay Wildlife
> Refuge, Fort Belvoir, Fairfax Co, VA, has been seen
> throughout the week, as recently as Dec 3. Blackwater NWR,
> Dorchester Co, MD, continues to host 13 AMERICAN WHITE
> PELICANS, but they are visible from the wildlife loop only
> intermittently.
>
> The two *EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in Dorchester Co were still
> present on Nov 29 at the southern end of the community on
> Upper Hooper Island, on the wires in front of 2363 Hooper
> Island Rd (and at least once near 2343). The most recent
> report is from Dec 3.
>
> Cooperative homeowners are welcoming birders to see RUFOUS
> HUMMINGBIRDS at two area locations. A hatch-year female
> RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD is frequenting a yard in Vienna, Fairfax
> Co. Check a feeder on the left side of the house at 110
> Kingsley Rd SW. [Please stay on the sidewalk or street.]
>
> A second-year female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in Frederick Co, MD
> has returned to the location where it was banded last year,
> on Bethel Rd; the feeder is in front of the picture window at
> the front of the house. [From Rte 15, take Rosemont Ave west
> about 4.5 miles; the name eventually changes to Yellow
> Springs Rd. Turn right at stop sign onto Bethel Rd and go .5
> mile to 9213, a small house on the right at the corner of
> Bethel Rd and Ford Rd. Park at 9213 and walk next door to
> view the hummingbird at 9211 Bethel Rd; the homeowner owns
> both properties. Do not attempt to park on the road as it is
> very dangerous. As always, respect privacy and mind your manners.]
>
> A pair of ROSS'S GEESE and a CACKLING GOOSE were in the
> flocks on the south side of Broadkill Rd, DE, on Dec 3.
>
> The waterfowl flocks at Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD,
> include 4 CACKLING GEESE. A group of 4 CACKLING GEESE was
> found Dec 5 at a farm pond on Study Rd, Carroll Co, MD
> (DeLorme 73, B6).
>
> On Dec 2, TRUMPETER SWAN #960 was joined by a TUNDRA SWAN at
> Little Patuxent Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve in Anne Arundel Co, MD.
>
> On Dec 4, a EURASIAN WIGEON landed in a cove behind the house
> at 6603 Catherine St, Norfolk, VA; birders are welcome to have a
look.
>
> As of Nov 30, a flock of a dozen COMMON EIDERS and a female
> or immature HARLEQUIN DUCK had reached the waters around Cape
> Henlopen SP, DE--but so far they have been seen only from a boat.
>
> RED-THROATED LOONS turned up at several locations, including
> the Choptank River at Cambridge, Dorchester Co, where one was
> seen Dec 1 from Oakley St; and in Clarke Co, VA, upstream
> from the Rte 50 bridge over the Shenandoah on Dec 1 and 3.
>
> On Dec 3, hawk watchers at Snickers Gap on the Clarke/Loudoun
> Co (VA) line observed the flight of 885 COMMON LOONS, in
> groups of up to 90.
>
> An AMERICAN BITTERN was flushed at Blackwater NWR on Dec 3.
>
> On Dec 2, a young GOLDEN EAGLE flew over a yard in
> Chestertown, Kent Co, MD.
>
> On Dec 5, a PEREGRINE FALCON perched on a crane at the
> construction site at the Wilson Bridge (I-495 between VA and DC).
>
> Two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were in a flock that flew over
> an office building in downtown DC on Dec 1. A LESSER
> BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Georgetown Reservoir, NW DC, on
> Dec 3. A LESSER BLACK-BAKCED GULL was spotted Dec 3 in King
> George Co, VA, at the Rte 3 ponds near King George.
>
> The Blackwater NWR area sported 3 SHORT-EARED OWLS on Dec 2,
> 1 at end of Cedar Creek Rd and the other the other 2 along
> Shorter's Wharf Rd.
>
> A NORTHERN SHRIKE was discovered Dec 3 near Cape Henlopen SP,
> DE; it was in a group of cedars about 150 yards north of Broadkill
Rd.
>
> A smattering of late WARBLER sightings included NASHVILLE Dec
> 2 at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co; a western PALM Dec 2
> at Kenilworth Park, NE DC; a BLACK-AND-WHITE Dec 3 at
> Queenstown, Queen Anne's Co, MD; a PINE Dec 3 at the National
> Arboretum, NE DC; and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Dec 3 at Occoquan
> Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA.
>
> AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were found Dec 3 at Occoquan, and Dec
> 4 along the Meadow Trail at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA,
> as well as at Blandy Experimental Farm in Clarke Co.
>
> See Life Paulagics is running a trip Dec 9 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, VA-Bird, and DE Birds 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 the record committee.
> |