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FW: DC Area, 5/22/07

From:

Norm Saunders

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Wed, 23 May 2007 05:25:17 -0400

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 4:23 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 5/22/07

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               5/22/2007
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 at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
May 22. 

Top bird this week is WESTERN TANAGER* in DC.

A male WESTERN TANAGER was seen and heard by a group of birders on
Ross Dr in Rock Creek Park, NW DC, on Sat, May 19. It has not been
re-located since then.

Other birds of interest last week included ducks, NORTHERN BOBWHITE,
ANHINGA, bitterns, MISSISSIPPI KITE, rails, shorebirds, BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE*, WESTERN KINGBIRD and other
flycatchers, thrushes, warblers, SUMMER TANAGER, and DICKCISSEL.

Waterfowl continued to linger in the area as a LESSER SCAUP was found
May 19 at the Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA. There  was also
an immature male BLACK SCOTER on the Potomac River at Violette's Lock
(C&O Canal), Montgomery Co, MD on May 21, and on the same day, the two
drake COMMON GOLDENEYES in the Potomac River just above Conn Island,
about a mile above Great Falls Tavern, Montgomery Co, MD, were seen
again. Late RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were also reported from a couple
of different locations.

A HOODED MERGANSER and its six ducklings were seen at Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, VA during the regular weekly morning walk on May 21.

On May 19 NORTHERN BOBWHITES were reported from the Occoquan Bay NWR
and from Parkgate Rd and Hazelwood Dr in the Nokesville area of Prince
William Co, VA.

An ANHINGA was found May 20 at Bellyache Swamp a little north of the
village of Koskoo, Southampton, VA. The ANHINGA and a COMMON MOORHEN
were found in the same location later in the day.

On May 18 an AMERICAN BITTERN was seen flying from St. Mary's Co to
Calvert Co, MD. An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen May 20 from the Hawkwatch
at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD. A LEAST BITTERN and a
COMMON MOORHEN were found May 16 in the impoundments at the
McKee-Beshers WMA, Montgomery Co, MD. Two LEAST BITTERNS and two
COMMON MOORHENS were found at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on
May 19. A LEAST BITTERN was seen at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on May
20.

MISSISSIPPI KITES were reported from a number of different locations
this past week. They were seen from the Fort Smallwood Hawkwatch on
May 15, 16, and 17. One was seen again at Buckland off Rte 29 on the
Prince William/ Fauquier Co line on May 16. They have returned to the
Waynewood subdivision, just north of Mt Vernon, Fairfax Co, VA, with a
sighting of four flying over the Carl Sandburg School on May 17 and
two there on May 20. A sub-adult was seen May 19 catching the thermals
above I-695 near the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge, Baltimore, MD.
On May 19 a pair of MISSISSIPPI KITES was also seen circling over a
subdivision in the Annandale area of Fairfax Co, west of the Beltway.
No less than ten were reported from a trip to Southampton and
Greensville Co, in Southside VA on May 20. Two adult MISSISSIPPI KITES
were seen in Halifax Co, VA on May 19 and 20 and two were seen May 21
soaring and diving at Huntley Meadows Park.

A KING RAIL was seen at Fort McHenry, Baltimore MD on May 19.

Five RED KNOTS were seen on Skimmer Island, Ocean City, MD May 18. A
REEVE (a female Ruff) was found in the south cell of the Craney Island
dredge spoil area, Portsmouth, VA on May 15.

A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was reported from a trip to the Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA this past weekend.

GULL-BILLED TERNS were reported from the same trip. A BLACK TERN in
breeding plumage was seen flying over a farm pond in Fauquier Co, VA
on May 16. A BLACK TERN was also reported flying up the Potomac River
from Violette's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery Co, MD on May 21.

A pair of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES* continues to be found  along
Grindstone Rd in the Sangerville area of Augusta Co, VA with reports
from  May 19 and 20.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS continued to be reported throughout the area with
reports from Bear Swamp Rd, Wicomico Co, MD on May 17; in the
maintenance yard area of Rock Creek Park on May 20; and in Meadowbrook
Park, Howard Co, MD on May 21.

COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen from a number of different locations last
week.

On May 17 an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen in the picnic area of
Susquehanna SP, Harford Co, MD. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen on
May 20 high in a snag along the woodland nature trail behind the
Nature Center in Rock Creek Park. On May 20 one was at the National
Arboretum, NE DC. On May 21 an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen on the
dead snags near the top of the hill at Battery Kemble Park, NW DC. 

A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was found May 17 on the east side of
Seneca Creek, about ¼ mile north of River Rd in Seneca, Montgomery Co,
MD. ALDER FLYCATCHERS were reported from several locations this past
week with one singing at the Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary,
Arlington, VA on May 17. Another was seen and heard at Hart-Miller
Island on May 19, and still another was found at Myrtle Grove, Charles
Co, MD on May 20. A LEAST FLYCATCHER was reported from Fort Smallwood
Park on May 17.

The WESTERN KINGBIRD continues to be seen around the Sycamore trees
near the seawall at Ft. McHenry, Baltimore Co, MD.

Thrushes were heard and seen throughout the area last week with a
number of GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES reported. A BICKNELL'S THRUSH was seen
and heard in a mulberry in a backyard in Norfolk, VA.

Warblers were reported from a wide variety of areas this past week
including the usual hotspots and other locations as unusual as the Van
Dorn Metro stop in Fairfax Co, VA where a CAPE MAY WARBLER was
observed May 16. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was observed in Highland Co,
VA on May 17. MOURNING WARBLERS were reported from several locations
including one on May 17 at Upper Watts Branch Park, Montgomery Co, MD,
another on May 19 at the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard
Co, MD, and one on May 20 at Patapsco Valley SP, Howard Co, MD. There
was also one at the Augusta Springs Wetlands Area in Augusta Co, VA on
May 15.

A SUMMER TANAGER was found May 17 in Rock Creek Park on the west side
of the field by the stables.

Two DICKCISSELS were heard and found on May 17 on the Wilna Tract of
the Rappahannock River Valley NWR, Richmond Co, VA. Another was
singing along Carriage Rd at Kings Crossing near Nokesville, Prince
William Co, VA on May 19. 

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
 or call 301-652-1088 and select 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.