-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:53 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 10/30/07

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               10/30/2007
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 Tuesday, October 30, at
8:00 p.m.

Top birds this week are COMMON MOORHEN, probable RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
and RED CROSSBILL, all in VA.

Other birds of interest include ROSS'S and other GEESE, ducks
including COMMON EIDER, COMMON LOON, LITTLE BLUE HERON, CATTLE EGRET,
raptors including NORTHERN GOSHAWK and GOLDEN EAGLE, SORA, shorebirds,
BONAPARTE'S GULL, COMMON TERN, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, warblers, sparrows
including CLAY-COLORED, VESPER, and LINCOLN'S, EASTERN MEADOWLARK,
RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and PINE SISKIN.

A COMMON MOORHEN was the highlight of the weekly walk at Dyke Marsh,
Fairfax Co, VA, on Oct 28; it was mixed in with coots in the SAV beds
just off the north picnic area. 

An unidentified SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD, probably a female RUFOUS,
continued daily visits to a feeder on Smith Grove Rd in Dinwiddie Co,
VA, through at least Oct 28. 

A RED CROSSBILL was photographed at a feeder in downtown
Charlottesville, VA, on Oct 28.

Great Oak Pond, Kent Co, MD, continued to showcase geese. On Oct 27 as
many as a dozen ROSS'S GEESE and an adult CACKLING GOOSE, plus a
BRANT, were to be found among a flock of more than 1,000 CANADA GEESE
and 1,500 SNOW GEESE. On Oct 25, two large flocks of SNOW GEESE flew
over a yard in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel Co, MD.

Ducks numbers swelled at area waterways. Two COMMON EIDERS were seen
Oct 23 at the inlet at Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD. On Oct 26, a
female SURF SCOTER appeared in the Washington Channel adjacent to
Hains Point, SW DC; on Oct 27 a SURF SCOTER was present at Georgetown
Reservoir, NW DC. Dyke Marsh hosted 2 SURF SCOTERS on Oct 27 and 3 on
Oct 28. 

Five COMMON LOONS along with dozens of ducks showed up Oct 26 on the
Potomac River at Seneca, Montgomery Co, MD, while Little Seneca
Reservoir, Montgomery Co, held 13 LOONS and hundreds of ducks. A
COMMON LOON was spotted Oct 28 off the tip of Perryville Community
Park, Cecil Co, MD.

A LITTLE BLUE HERON visited a small backyard pond in south of West
Springfield, VA, on Oct 26; the location is on Gambill Rd between the
Fairfax Co Parkway and Pohick Rd. 

Oct 27 was a banner day at area hawk watches. Snicker's Gap, on the
Clarke/Loudoun Co (VA) line, tallied 610 raptors, including 26 BALD
EAGLES, 282 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 56 COOPER'S, and 3 GOLDEN EAGLES, all
immatures. The total at Rockfish Gap, Augusta Co, VA, was 495,
including 375 SHARP-SHINS and 26 AMERICAN KESTRELS. Harvey's Knob on
the Blue Ridge Parkway North of Roanoke, VA, had 90 SHARP-SHINS and 6
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, plus both EAGLES.

The following day, Oct 28, RED-TAILED HAWKS dominated, with 283 at
Snicker's Gap, 105 at Rockfish Gap, and 124 at Harvey's Knob.
Snicker's Gap enjoyed 2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS and a GOLDEN EAGLE on Oct
28, with the reverse, 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK and 2 GOLDEN EAGLES, on Oct
29. A GOLDEN EAGLE was one of 6 raptor species enjoyed from the summit
of Stoneyman Mt in Shenandoah NP, VA, on Oct 27.

A SORA was calling at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, on Oct 26.

With the rains that broke the drought came an assortment of
shorebirds. On Oct 25, Fort Smallwood held GREATER YELLOWLEGS and
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS--as well as a CATTLE EGRET.

In Montgomery Co, on Oct 27 a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER stopped by the polo
fields along Hughes Rd, and 2 DUNLIN rode flotsam down the river at
Violette's Lock. On Oct 28, the turf farm visible from mile marker 28
on the C&O Canal (above Sycamore Landing), hosted BLACK-BELLIED and
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, 40 DUNLIN, PECTORALS, both YELLOWLEGS, and
SEMI/ WESTERN SANDPIPERS, along with 100 KILLDEER. A number of these
birds were still present the next day.

A WHIMBREL was one of several species found at Hog Island WMA, Surry
Co, VA, Oct 28. A MARBLED GODWIT was seen Oct 23 on Hooper's Island in
Ocean City. On Oct 26, 10 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS mixed with a flock
of DUNLIN  at North Branch (the PPG ponds) in Allegany Co, MD. A
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER visited the golf course at East Potomac Park, SW DC,
Oct 27; later in the day, DUNLIN showed up. DUNLIN were also seen at
Liberty Lake, Carroll Co, MD, Oct 28. 

A BONAPARTE'S GULL was observed flying up the Washington Channel at
Hains Point Oct 28.

COMMON TERNS were noted at numerous locations, including along the
Potomac River in Montgomery Co.

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA, on
Oct 27, in a field west of the pond just off Rte 17, north of the
entrance to the park.

Lingering warblers included 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS in Laurel, Prince
George's Co, MD, Oct 24; a CAPE MAY (and 4 other species) at Fort CF
Smith, Arlington Co, VA, Oct 26; BLACK-THROATED GREEN at Rock Creek
Park's maintenance yard Oct 27; AMERICAN REDSTART in Hurlock,
Dorchester Co, MD, Oct 24; COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in North Arlington, VA,
Oct 25; and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in the Waterford, VA, area on Oct
28. 

Sparrows continue in good numbers and diversity. A CLAY-COLORED
SPARROW was found on private property in the Leedstown area of the
upper Northern Neck, VA, along with LINCOLN'S and 7 other species.
VESPER SPARROWS were reported from Sky Meadows Oct 27; Meadowbrook
Park, Howard Co, MD, Oct 28; and Terrapin Park, Anne Arundel Co, where
it was one of 10 sparrow species Oct 28. A walk along Fairfax Co's
Accotink Stream Valley, from Wakefield Park to Eakins Park, yielded 2
VESPER SPARROWS as well as EASTERN MEADOWLARK and RUSTY BLACKBIRD. The
monthly walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship,
Loudoun Co, VA, discovered 9 sparrow species, including at least 4
LINCOLN'S--mostly in the brushy areas around the Visitor Center.
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were also in evidence at Hughes Hollow and at
Tuckahoe SP, Queen Anne's Co, MD. 

A FOX SPARROW was discovered Oct 29 at the Military Field in Rock
Creek Park. 

Small flocks of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen at Big Pool, Allegany Co,
Oct 27; Hughes Hollow Oct 28; Occoquan NWR, Prince William Co, VA, Oct
28. Single RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were reported from Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, NE DC, Oct 26, and Daingerfield Island, south of Alexandria,
VA, Oct 27. 

PINE SISKINS reports came from Catonsville, Baltimore Co; southern
Frederick Co, MD; and Herndon, Fairfax Co.

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 records committee.