-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 4:30 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 1/22/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               1/22/2008
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, January 22, at
noon.

Top birds this week are PACIFIC LOON* and TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE* in VA
and PAINTED BUNTING in both MD and VA. 

Other birds of interest include geese and ducks, including HARLEQUIN,
TRUMPETER SWAN, loons, EARED GREBE, raptors including NORTHERN GOSHAWK
and GOLDEN EAGLE, WILSON'S SNIPE, gulls including ICELAND and
GLAUCOUS, owls, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, NORTHERN SHRIKE, AMERICAN
PIPIT, PINE WARBLER, OVENBIRD, sparrows, SNOW BUNTING, EASTERN
MEADOWLARK, RED CROSSBILL, COMMON REDPOLL, PINE SISKIN, and EVENING
GROSBEAK. 

A PACIFIC LOON* was again seen at Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, VA,
on Jan 20.

A "sassy" TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE continues in a residential area of
Williamsburg, VA, with sightings throughout the past week.

A beautiful male PAINTED BUNTING has been frequenting feeders in the
Annapolis (Anne Arundel Co, MD) area. The first report dates to Dec
29. On Jan 20, a male PAINTED BUNTING showed up in Arnold; this yard
is near Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd and backs to a bike path, close to
the Asquith View crossing. 
 
As of Jan 19, a PAINTED BUNTING was still visiting a feeder on River
Circle, Verona, Augusta Co, VA.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE continues at North Branch, Allegany Co,
MD, as of Jan 19. Six GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen from White
Rock Rd in Piney Run Park, Carroll Co, MD, Jan 16. A GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was heard at Piney Run on Jan 20. And on Jan 20, a
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was spotted at Jug Bay, Anne Arundel Co,
MD. 

A SNOW GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE were found Jan 20 at Kershner's
Pond, on Rte 17 in Frederick Co, MD. The pond also hosted NORTHERN
SHOVELER and REDHEAD.

A CACKLING GOOSE was reported Jan 19 from Lake Artemisia, near College
Park, Prince George's Co, MD.

TRUMPETER SWAN #960 was still at Oxbow Lake in the Russett Community
of Laurel, Anne Arundel Co, as of Jan 17.

A EURASIAN WIGEON was spotted Jan 20 at Ridgeway Park, Hampton, VA.
Five REDHEADS were lurking among the hundreds of CANVASBACKS on the
Choptank River in Cambridge, Dorchester Co, MD.

On Jan 19, 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS--an adult male, a first-year male, and a
female-- were sheltering in the west end of the north jetty at the
Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co, MD.

A good assortment of waterfowl were found at Loch Raven Reservoir,
Baltimore Co, Jan 18; Piney Run Jan 19; and Greenbelt Lake, Prince
George's Co, Jan 20. The Potomac River near Sycamore Landing,
Montgomery Co, MD, held many BUFFLEHEAD as well BLACK DUCK, COMMON
GOLDENEYE, and HOODED MERGANSER.

An EARED GREBE continued in the pond by the boat ramp at Point Lookout
SP, St. Mary's Co, MD, as of Jan 19.

In the snowfall of Jan 17, 13 BALD EAGLES roosted high in the trees
along the shore of Accotink Bay, Fort Belvoir, Fairfax Co, VA. 

An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was found Jan 18 in Washington Co, MD,
along Leitersburg Pike just south of Marsh Pike.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was reported from Elliott Island, Dorchester Co,
MD, on Jan 19. 

An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was seen Jan 18 at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester
Co, as it flew over Shorter's Wharf Rd about 2 miles south of the
bridge. 

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen Jan 19 at Cape Henlopen SP, DE.
That same day Fowler Beach, DE, held ICELAND, NELSON'S
(GLAUCOUS/HERRING hybrid), and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS.

On Jan 20, numerous large flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were observed
flying over the south end of Jug Bay in Anne Arundel Co, MD.

An ICELAND GULL was found at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince
George's Co, on Jan 17 and Jan 21. On Jan 20, a first-cycle GLAUCOUS
GULL showed up at the Northampton Co (VA) landfill, north of Oyster. 
It was a very good week for owl encounters. Yards in Calvert Co, Anne
Arundel Co, and Montgomery Co, MD, are hosting EASTERN SCREECH-OWLS.
On Jan 21, a DE birder watched as male and female GREAT HORNED OWLS
quickly traded off incubation duty at the nest, this on a farm east of
Smyrna. On Jan 17, a LONG-EARED OWL was calling in the Ellis Bay WMA,
Wicomico Co, MD. 

SHORT-EARED OWLS were enjoyed at numerous locations, including
Shorter's Wharf, where at dusk on Jan 16, one was "undulating over the
remnants of an extensive prescribed burn;" one was there again Jan 18.
On Jan 19, a SHORT-EARED OWL wafted back and forth alongside Broadkill
Beach Rd, DE. 

Also on Jan 19, 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS (and 8 NORTHERN HARRIERS) were
found in northwestern Carroll Co; they were at an overgrown field
along Keysville Rd, which can be accessed from a muddy pullout near an
abandoned house and barn, just before the sharp curve as you head
north from Keysville. The birds were seen here again Jan 20.

In VA, SHORT-EARED OWLS were found in Purcellville, Loudoun Co; Zion
Crossroads, Louisa Co; and near Gordonsville, Orange Co.  

And keep an eye out for NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS. One is roosting in a
front yard in Rockville, Montgomery Co, and spent five minutes on a
windowsill in Takoma Park, MD.

As many as 8 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were discovered near MP 24, about
a mile north of Riley's Lock, Montgomery Co, during the C&O Midwinter
Count Jan 19. RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were also reported from Hughes
Hollow, Montgomery Co, on Jan 16. 

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was found along Old Legislative Rd, Allegany Co, MD,
on Jan 18.

On Jan 18, a sports field on Hydes Rd, Baltimore Co, sported 31
AMERICAN PIPITS and 9 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS (as well as 2 WILSON'S
SNIPE). AMERICAN PIPITS were also seen in Baltimore Co, 3 miles north
of Cromwell Valley Park on Glen Arm Rd. 

PINE WARBLERS seen this week include 1 in Havre de Grace, Harford Co,
at Market and Alliance Sts, and 1 seen Jan 19 at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax
Co. An OVENBIRD was spotted Jan 16 in bushes on the north side of the
National Building Museum, along G Street, NW DC.

AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were noted at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co,
on Jan 15 and 21. Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen Jan 19 at
Soldiers Delight Natural Area, Baltimore Co. A Gambel's WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW was reported from North Branch Jan 19.

SNOW BUNTINGS continue at Cape Henlopen SP, DE, with the numbers
reaching several hundred by Jan 21. On Jan 19, one flock of SNOW
BUNTINGS was accompanied by 4-6 COMMON REDPOLLS. SNOW BUNTINGS were
also found at the north end of Assateague Island, Worcester Co, on Jan
19. 

A RED CROSSBILL was reported from Cape Henlopen on January 21. A
flyover RED CROSSBILL was reported from Dan's Rock, Allegany Co, MD
on January 13.

During the snowstorm of Jan 17, numerous flocks of small finches flew
past the tower at BWI airport; at least one was made up of COMMON
REDPOLLS.

The snow also brought 17 PINE SISKINS to a feeder in Talbot Co, and on
Jan 21, PINE SISKINS visited Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co.  

Four EVENING GROSBEAKS were found Jan 20 north of Noland's Ferry along
the C&O Canal in Frederick Co; they were about halfway between the
parking lot and MP 45. A dozen EVENING GROSBEAKS have been visiting
feeders in a yard near New Germany SP, Garrett Co, MD.

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