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FW: DC Area, 12/19/06

From:

Norm Saunders

Reply-To:

Norm Saunders

Date:

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:43:36 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 1:49 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 12/19/06

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               12/19/2006
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2
        (email):     
     (deadline):    midnight Mondays
Compilers:          Lydia Schindler and John Bjerke
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 19, at
noon. 

Top birds this week are GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE,*PACIFIC LOON,
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, and BLACK-HEADED GULL, all in VA;
*BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD in WV; and *ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in MD.

Other birds of interest include ROSS'S GOOSE, BRANT, CACKLING GOOSE,
TUNDRA SWAN, ducks, EARED GREBE, AMERICAN BITTERN, GOLDEN EAGLE,
PEREGRINE FALCON, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, NORTHERN
RAVEN, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, AMERICAN PIPIT, warblers, CLAY-COLORED
and LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and SNOW BUNTING.  

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was present Dec 16 just off the GW
Parkway, north of Alexandria, VA; it was mixed in with some 750 Canada
Geese between the Dyke Marsh picnic area and the Stone Bridge. A
GREATER-WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found Dec 16 at the Brighton Dam
reservoir, on the Montgomery/Howard Co (MD) line.

On Dec 13, a *PACIFIC LOON flew past Cape Charles beach, Northampton
Co, VA.

The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN at Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Fort
Belvoir, Fairfax Co, VA, has been seen through Dec 17. 

The BLACK-HEADED GULL at the Prince William Co, VA, landfill was seen
again Dec 17. The landfill also hosted a GOLDEN EAGLE and a NORTHERN
RAVEN. [The landfill is on Dumfries Rd, SW of Woodbridge.] 

The BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD continues to visit a feeder in Harper's
Ferry, WV, with a report from Dec 18. [To arrange a visit, call
homeowner Lynne Wiseman at 304-676-2725.]

The Salisbury, MD Christmas Bird Count Dec 17 turned up an
*ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER northwest of Princess Anne, Somerset Co. The
bird was on Reading Ferry Rd approximately 0.5 mile north of Polk Rd
(DeLorme 33, C5), at an open field just beyond a fenced yard filled
with chickens.

A ROSS'S GOOSE was seen Dec 16 and 17 at Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary,
Prince George's Co, in the pond area below the Visitor Center. It was
not found on Dec 18. (For hours of operation, call 301-888-1377.)

A BRANT was seen Dec 17/18 at Harrington Harbor, near North Beach,
Calvert Co, MD.

CACKLING GOOSE was reported from Centennial Lake, Howard Co, MD, on
Dec 13 and 15. Three CACKLING GEESE were in a large flock of Canada
Geese Dec 13 in a pond north of Brunswick, Frederick Co, MD; the pond
is on the west side of Rte 17 about 2 miles north of Rte 340. [Birders
are welcome to use the driveway, so long as they stay on the Rte 17
side of the pond and don't make ruts.] A CACKLING GOOSE was found Dec
14 at the lake at the Victoria Station subdivision at the southeast
end of Dunkirk, Calvert Co, MD. 

On Dec 13, 22 TUNDRA SWANS were in Belmont Bay, visible from Mason
Neck SP, Fairfax Co, VA. On Dec 15, Piscataway Park/Accokeek Creek,
Prince George's Co, MD, held 23 TUNDRA SWANS. 

A NORTHERN PINTAIL was an unusual find at the large impoundment north
of Pennyfield Lock, Montgomery Co, MD, on Dec 14. Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, held more than 250 GREEN-WINGED TEAL on Dec 18. 

An EARED GREBE was discovered Dec 17 at the Jean Ellen duPont Shehan
Audubon Sanctuary, St. Michaels, Talbot Co, MD.

The Bombay Hook NWR (DE) Christmas Bird Count on Dec 17 tallied
AMERICAN BITTERN at 3 sites, Shearness Pool on the refuge, Port Mahon
Rd, and Little Creek WMA.

Two GOLDEN EAGLES were seen at the Shehan Audubon Sanctuary Dec 16.

A pair of raptors, likely PEREGRINE FALCONS, has been observed near
the American Legion Bridge for some weeks. Driving from VA into MD,
you can see the birds perching high up in trees on the MD shore, on
the right. A likely PEREGRINE FALCON was observed Dec 14 near College
Park, Prince George's Co, where it perched atop a snag along Paint
Branch Trail.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Hains Point, SW DC, on Dec 15.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen Dec 16 in the headquarters area of Prime
Hook NWR, DE; a NORTHERN SHRIKE, perhaps the same bird, was noted at
Beach Plum Island the day before.

The polo grounds on Hughes Rd, Montgomery Co, hosted a flock of more
than 100 AMERICAN PIPITS on Dec 17.

On the DC CBC Dec 16, the Blue Plains sector (limited access) yielded
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, PINE WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, and WILSON'S
WARBLER. 

Also on the DC count, at the park along the Anacostia River (SE DC)
were ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and 2 BALTIMORE ORIOLES. 

The Shehan Audubon Sanctuary Dec 17 had PALM WARBLER and CLAY-COLORED
SPARROW.

On Dec 17, a late LINCOLN'S SPARROW was discovered on a private golf
course in northeastern Loudoun Co, VA.

SNOW BUNTINGS visited several locations: Bombay Hook's Bear Swamp Dec
17, Poplar Island in Talbot Co Dec 15, and the Point at Cape Henlopen
SP, DE, Dec 12.  

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.