-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 11:31 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 1/1/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               1/1/2008
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2
        (email):     
     (deadline):    midnight Mondays
Compiler:           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 completed Tuesday, January 1, at
9:30 am.

There are still a few Christmas Bird Counts to do before the season
wraps up on January 5. For a list of most of the local counts see
http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org. 

Top birds this week are DOVEKIE in MD, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER* in DE,
and PAINTED BUNTING* in VA.

Other birds of interest include waterfowl, PACIFIC LOON*, RED-NECKED
GREBE, EARED GREBE, WHITE IBIS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, PIPING PLOVER,
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE*, SHORT-EARED OWL,
WESTERN KINGBIRD, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE*, NORTHERN SHRIKE, vireos, SEDGE
WREN, MARSH WREN, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, warblers, SHARP-TAILED
sparrows, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, RED
CROSSBILL, and EVENING GROSBEAK.

A DOVEKIE was found in the inlet at Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD on
the Christmas Count on Dec 28. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was well
described from the Fresh Pond area of Delaware Seashore SP, Sussex Co,
DE  during the Rehoboth CBC on Dec 29; also nearby was an unidentified
empidonax flycatcher. The ASH-THROATED was seen again on Dec 31. A
PAINTED BUNTING first seen on Dec 10 was reported as recently as Dec
30 visiting a feeder on River Circle, Verona, Augusta Co, VA 
  
Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were found on Harrison Rd, The Plains,
Fauquier Co, VA on Dec 25. Six adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were
seen at Piney Run Park, Carroll Co, MD on Dec 30.

An immature KING EIDER was in the Ocean City, MD inlet on Dec 30. A
female COMMON EIDER was found at the Ocean City inlet, on Dec 29. Two
HARLEQUIN DUCKS were seen in the Ocean City inlet on Dec 28 and Dec
29.

A PACIFIC LOON* has appeared for the fifth year in a row at Kerr
Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, VA.

A RED-NECKED GREBE was found Dec 24 at Hains Point, Washington, DC. An
EARED GREBE was seen in the Fairmont WMA near Rumbly, Somerset Co, MD
on Dec 27 and Dec 29.

Twenty three flying WHITE IBIS were spotted at False Cape SP, Virginia
Beach, VA on Dec 29.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was flying over the Dulles Wetlands, Loudoun Co,
VA on Dec 28. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen on Shorter's Wharf Rd on
Dec 31. 

PIPING PLOVERS were reported from Assateague Island on the Ocean City,
MD CBC on Dec 28.

A  LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen on the Georgetown Reservoir,
Washington, DC on Dec 31.

Stop and go traffic along I95 provided a birder with an opportunity to
see 4 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES* near the median strip near Stafford, VA
on Dec 26.
 
SHORT-EARED OWL reports this week include a bird at Blue Mash Park,
Montgomery Co, MD on Dec 24, 27, and 28; five birds at midday on
Elliott's Island Rd, Dorchester Co, MD on Dec 29, one on Rectortown Rd
near Marshall, Faquier Co, VA on Dec 25, three birds on Cedar Point
Rd, Dorchester Co, MD and one bird on Shorter's Wharf Rd, Dorchester
Co, MD on Dec 31.  

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was found in distress in Arlington, VA on Dec 29;
the bird was turned over to a rehabilitator.

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE* continued on Antietam National Battlefield on
Smoketown Rd; it was seen on Dec 25. Another LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE* was
seen near Little River Farm on Rt 15 about 8 miles south of Leesburg,
Loudoun Co, VA on Dec 29. The NORTHERN SHRIKE in Cromwell Valley Park,
Baltimore Co, MD was seen each day through Dec 30 but does disappear
for stretches of time.

A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen in Sandston, Henrico Co, VA on Dec 29. A
BLUE-HEADED VIREO was found at Hickory Point, Worcester Co, MD on Dec
28.

A SEDGE WREN was in the Fairmont WMA near Rumbly, Somerset Co, MD on
Dec 27. Two MARSH WRENS were found in Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on
Dec 30.

A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER were on the
Noland Trail of Mariner's Museum Park in Newport News, VA on Dec 28.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER were recorded on the
Ft Belvoir CBC on Dec 30. A female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was found
near the entrance to Shirley Plantation, Charles City Co, VA on Dec
24. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER is at a feeder in Norfolk, VA. A
WILSON'S WARBLER was seen near the sewage treatment plant north of
Broad Creek, Sussex Co, DE on Dec 29.

NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was seen in the Fairmont WMA, Somerset
Co, MD on Dec 27. Both NELSON'S and SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS
and SNOW BUNTINGS were seen on the north end of Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD on Dec 28. 

LAPLAND LONGSPURS were found along Oland Rd, Frederick Co, MD on Dec
26 and Dec 30. 

Three BALTIMORE ORIOLES were reported from a Maryland feeder on the Ft
Belvoir CBC on Dec 30.

Flyover RED CROSSBILLS were reported from Finzel, Garrett Co, MD on
Dec 26; Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center, Garrett Co, MD on Dec 27,
and Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co, MD on Dec 27.

An EVENING GROSBEAK was reported as a flyover on the north end of
Assateague Island, MD on Dec 28. A perched EVENING GROSBEAK was seen
on Monocacy Bottom Rd, Frederick Co, MD on Dec 30. 

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