-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 12:17 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 6/5/07

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               6/5/2007
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 completed at 8 a.m. on Tuesday,
June 5. 

Top birds this week are *ARCTIC TERN, *WHITE-WINGED-DOVE, and
RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER, all in VA.

Other birds of interest include RUFFED GROUSE, SOOTY SHEARWATER, LEAST
BITTERN, MISSISSIPPI KITE, PEREGRINE FALCON, shorebirds, BONAPARTE'S
and ICELAND GULLS, GULL-BILLED TERN, cuckoos, nightjars, RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, warblers, sparrows, and DICKCISSEL.

A breeding-plumaged *ARCTIC TERN was reported from Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA, June 1. Two flyby SOOTY SHEARWATERS were also noted. 

A male *WHITE-WINGED DOVE appeared in the town of Cape Charles,
Northampton Co, VA, on June 3, making it the third year in a row for
this species. 

Bird club members traveling to the Nature Conservancy's Piney Grove
Preserve in Sussex Co, VA, (not normally open to the public),on June 2
were successful in observing multiple individuals of the country's
northernmost population of RED-COCKADED WOODPECKERS.

On June 1, birders on Little Dry River Rd, Rockingham Co, VA, were
treated to a "distraction display" by a female RUFFED GROUSE.

On June 3, a LEAST BITTERN was seen at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince
William Co, VA, near the beaver lodge, and a LEAST BITTERN was calling
at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD. On May 30, a LEAST BITTERN posed
beneath the "Welcome to Kitts Hummock" sign in DE.

Two MISSISSIPPI KITES were spotted over I-70 in Washington Co, MD, on
June 4. A possible MISSISSIPPI KITE was sighted over the
Springfield-Franconia Pkwy several times through June 1. On May 29, a
PEREGRINE FALCON was hunting along Cameron Run in Alexandria.

On June 3, Chincoteague NWR featured PIPING PLOVER on the nest, as
well as 2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS and a WHIMBREL. On May 30, a
BLACK-NECKED STILT was found along Elliott Island Rd, Dorchester Co,
MD. On May 31, 2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS paid a visit to the West Ocean
City pond, Worcester Co, MD. Just a trickle of RED KNOTS continues to
migrate along DE Bay. On May 29, 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were spinning
around at the back end of Taylor's Gut at Woodland Beach WA, along DE
Rte 9. 

The large gull flocks along Port Mahon Rd, DE, held an immature
ICELAND GULL as well as a BONAPARTE'S GULL on June 2. Two GULL-BILLED
TERNS were reported from Chincoteague on June 2.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen along Triadelphia Lake Rd, Montgomery Co,
on May 29, and 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were heard in the Sykesville
area of Patapsco Valley SP, Carroll Co, MD, June 2. Both BLACK- and
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS were in evidence at Soldiers Delight NEA,
Baltimore Co, on June 3.

Searches for nightjars in Charles Co, MD, yielded 1 CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW
and 10 WHIP-POOR-WILLS in the Nanjemoy area on May 29, while the Cobb
Neck region held 8 Chucks but no Whips on May 31.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was in the parking lot at ANS's Rust Nature
Sanctuary in Leesburg, Loudoun Co, VA, on June 2.

The WESTERN KINGBIRD at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, was seen on the
evening of May 30. 

Warblers are on territory at a variety of locations, including Little
Bennett RP in Montgomery Co and the Blue Ridge Center for
Environmental Stewardship in NW Loudoun County. A GOLDEN-WINGED
WARBLER was again singing along Old Legislative Road, Allegany Co, MD
on June 2. Cerulean Warblers seem to be absent this year from
Montgomery Co, but a CERULEAN WARBLER was found June 3 in Carroll Co,
at the McKeldin area of Patapsco Valley SP. On June 2 a MOURNING
WARBLER was discovered during the weekly Saturday morning bird walk at
ANS headquarters in Chevy Chase, and it made repeat appearances
throughout the day.  

HENSLOW'S SPARROWS in Western MD have apparently abandoned their known
haunts, but one was found June 3 just across the border, around the
Fairfax Stone, near Pierce, WV. A SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was
found along Elliott Island Rd on May 30, and on May 31 2 SALTMARSH
SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS were singing at Saxis Marsh, Accomack Co. 

DICKCISSELS continued to frequent Antietam National Battlefield,
Washington Co, MD, with reports through June 4; the birds have been
seen in the vicinity of Sharpsburg Pike and Mansfield Ave, and along
Dunker Church Rd. There are also VESPER SPARROWS in the vicinity. In
Queen Anne's Co, MD, a DICKCISSEL was heard singing on June 3 west of
Goldsboro, at the corner of Davis and Union Rds. 

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and DE Birding 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.