-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:11 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 12/18/07
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 12/18/2007
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 Tuesday, December 18, at
noon.
With Christmas Bird Counts beginning on Dec 14 a lot of unusual
sightings were reported as hundreds of people surveyed the area's
birds. For a list of most of the local counts see
http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.
Top birds this week are YELLOW RAIL* in VA, MD, RED-COCKADED
WOODPECKER in VA, BLACK-CHINNED and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS in VA, CAVE
SWALLOW* in MD and VA, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL in MD.
Other birds of interest include geese and ducks, RED-THROATED LOON,
RED-NECKED GREBE, MERLIN, SANDHILL CRANE, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL,
WESTERN KINGBIRD, NORTHERN SHRIKE, COMMON RAVEN, warblers, SCARLET
TANAGER, sparrows, including CLAY-COLORED, SNOW BUNTING, RUSTY and
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, and EVENING GROSBEAK.
During one of the Christmas Bird Counts a YELLOW RAIL* was found Dec
15 on Cedar Island, Accomack Co, VA. Also found there were 35 SNOW
BUNTINGS and a SHORT-EARED OWL.
Three hummingbirds, a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD and two RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRDS, all previously banded, were tallied on the Dec 15
Lynchburg Christmas Bird Count.
As of Dec 11 a "foreign" (from North Carolina) female RED-COCKADED
WOODPECKER has been at the Nature Conservancy's Piney Grove Preserve,
Sussex Co, VA since at least Dec 6. Piney Grove supports the only
known population of RED-COCKADED WOODPECKERS in VA and is closed to
visitors to protect the woodpeckers.
Two CAVE SWALLOWS were seen Dec 14 at the Eagles Landing Golf Course
pond, south of Ocean City in Worcester Co, MD. On Dec 16 a CAVE
SWALLOW was found around the southern lake in Canal Woods in
Salisbury, MD. A CAVE SWALLOW was flying around the VIMS campus at
Gloucester Point, VA on Dec 17.
On Dec 15 a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was visiting a backyard in Silver
Spring, Montgomery Co, MD. On Dec 16 it was relocated near the wooden
bridge at the intersection of Sligo Creek Parkway and Brunett Ave.
On Dec 15 two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and two CACKLING GEESE were
found on Turkey Island Rd in Henrico Co, VA. A CACKLING GOOSE was
found Dec 15 at the Back River Waste Water Treatment Plan, Baltimore
Co, MD. On Dec 15 a CACKLING GOOSE was found on Deep Creek Lake across
from the Wisp.
Two COMMON EIDERS, one of each sex, were found in the Chesapeake Bay
off of Grandview Beach in Hampton, VA on Dec 15. Two Harlequin Ducks
were seen Dec 14 from the Queen Sound launching ramp at the
Chincoteague causeway, Accomack Co, VA.
A RED-THROATED LOON was found Dec 13 at Rocky Gap State Park, Allegany
Co, MD.
A RED-NECKED GREBE was found Dec 15 in Garrett Co, MD on Deep Creek
Lake at Glendale Road Bridge.
A MERLIN was seen on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on Dec 15.
Five SANDHILL CRANES were seen Dec 16 from the Potomac Heritage Trail
as they flew out of a man-made wetlands in the Lowes Island Golf
Course in eastern Loudoun Co, VA. While the golf course is private,
the trail is public.
A LAUGHING GULL was found Dec 15 on the New River, McCoy, Montgomery
Co, VA.
Among the many gulls at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince
George's Co, MD, on Dec 17 there was a single adult BLACK-HEADED GULL
and 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, one adult and one first-winter. A
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at the Tidal Basin, SW DC, on Dec
15.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen Dec 12 in the fields at Bells Lane,
Staunton VA. Two SHORT-EARED OWLS were found Dec 15 at Spray Fields,
North Branch, Allegany Co, MD. A SHORT-EARED OWL was also found Dec 15
along the Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, MD. On the same day a
SHORT-EARED OWL was also found at Mothershead, in the Rappahannock
River NWR on the Northern Neck of VA.
A WESTERN KINGBIRD seen on both Dec 12 and 13 at Back Bay National
Wildlife Refuge, Virginia Beach, VA, in front of the Refuge
headquarters building.
A NORTHERN SHRIKE was found in a backyard in Woodbine, Carroll Co, MD
on December 14.
A COMMON RAVEN was heard at Little Bennett Regional Park, Montgomery
Co, MD on Dec 12.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was found Dec 16 on Whitehaven Rd between
Capitola Rd and Mezick Rd at the second growth area near the old barn
in Wicomico Co, MD. It was among a mixed flock of sparrows. A
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was seen at a feeder in Indian Head, Charles
County, MD on Dec 15.
A SCARLET TANAGER was found in Warren Co, VA on Dec 15.
Reports of AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS increased this past week.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found on Dec 15 in a field in Leedstown,
Westmoreland Co, VA. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found Dec 16 in Wicomico
Co, MD in a cutover area on Mezick Rd about halfway between Whitehaven
Rd and the bridge.
On Dec 15 in another field in Leedstown there were at least 16 LAPLAND
LONGSPURS among over 650 HORNED LARKS.
SNOW BUNTINGS were reported from a number of locations including 28 on
Dec 11 from the periodic survey of Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD. There
were 17 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on Dec 15.
Fifteen RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found at Sussex Elementary School,
Baltimore MD on Dec 15. A single RUSTY BLACKBIRD was found in eastern
Loudoun Co on Dec 16. Two BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS were found at Bell's
Lane, Staunton, VA on Dec 12.
An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen at Gladestown Park, north of Oakland,
Garrett Co, MD on Dec 15.
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. |