-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:16 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 5/28/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               5/28/2008 
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 Wednesday, May 28, at 2
pm. 

Top birds this week are the estimated 10,000 RED KNOTS feeding along
the Delaware Bayshore.

Other birds of interest include AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS,
TRICOLORED HERON, CATTLE EGRET, ibis, raptors including MISSISSIPPI
KITE, rails, SANDHILL CRANE, shorebirds, BLACK TERN, BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO, nightjars, flycatchers including OLIVE-SIDED and
YELLOW-BELLIED, thrushes, warblers including GOLDEN-WINGED, MOURNING,
and SWAINSON'S, SUMMER TANAGER, HENSLOW'S and other SPARROWS,
DICKCISSEL, and PINE SISKIN. 

The shorebird spectacle is in full swing in Delaware Bay. Researchers
estimate that by May 26 the number of RED KNOTS in the vicinity of
Mispillion Harbor reached 10,000. Mingling with them were thousands of
RUDDY TURNSTONES, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, and SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS, plus lesser numbers of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and
SANDERLINGS. Every so often, a PEREGRINE FALCON flies through, putting
swirling masses of shorebirds into the air. A fine place to take in
this extraordinary experience is the deck of the Dupont Nature Center,
at the end of Lighhouse Rd off Rte 36.

Closer to home, on May 26 Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, hosted
both AMERICAN BITTERN and LEAST BITTERN. On May 23 an AMERICAN BITTERN
was flushed from the first impoundment at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery
Co, MD. 

A TRICOLORED HERON was reported May 22 from Fowler Beach, DE.

Two CATTLE EGRETS were spotted May 22 in a farm field near Damascus,
close to the Montgomery/Frederick Co (MD) line. A small flock of
CATTLE EGRETS was noted along the road to North Point SP, Baltimore
Co, along with GLOSSY IBISES.

An immature WHITE IBIS was seen May 26 at Swan Pool at Chincoteague
NWR, Accomack Co, VA. 

MISSISSIPPI KITES were spotted at a wide variety of locations: in VA,
just west of West Springfield HS, Fairfax Co; in eastern Fairfax Co,
over the Fort Hunt peninsula; around Buckland near the Fauquier/Prince
William (VA) Co line; and at the College Creek Hawkwatch,
Williamsburg. In MD, a subadult MISSISSIPPI KITE cruised over the
marina at Herrington Harbor, Anne Arundel Co, May 22; that same day a
bird flew over Governor Bridge Natural Area near Bowie, Prince
George's Co; another was seen over Jarrettsville, Harford Co, MD May
25; and another over Parker's Creek, Calvert Co, May 26. 

On May 23, the hawkwatch at Fort Smallwood Park, Anne Arundel Co,
registered 141 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. 

Kayakers came upon a KING RAIL along the Patuxent River in Charles Co,
MD, on May 26. A May 25 report of a family of VIRGINIA RAILS--2 adults
and 3 young--signals the first known instance of breeding VIRGINIA
RAILS at Huntley Meadows. Also on May 25, a VIRGINIA RAIL was found at
Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick Co. A VIRGINIA RAIL and a SORA were
found at Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co, MD, on May 27. 

Puddles left by heavy rains produced patches of shorebird haven. On
May 20 in DC, Hains Point was home to BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, both
YELLOWLEGS, and SOLITARY and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS; Anacostia Park added
LEAST SANDPIPER; and there were 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS at Kenilworth
Park.

On May 21 shorebirds at North Branch, Allegany Co, MD, included 3
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS; the next day, there were 21 SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS. Four SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were also noted at Sky
Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, on May 22. 

Mixtures of shorebirds were also found in flooded fields behind the
Home Depot in Hagerstown, Washington Co, MD; Laws Rd, Wicomico Co, MD,
and Sugarland Rd, Montgomery Co.   

Two BLACK TERNS visited a yard in Eldersburg, Carroll Co, MD, May 20.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were noted at several locations, including 2 at
Greenbury Point's Bobwhite Trail, near Annapolis; West St in
Annapolis; Russett, Anne Arundel; Potomac, Montgomery Co; Indian
Springs, Washington Co; Fort McHenry, Baltimore. 

On the baseball front, COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were drawn to the lights at
the National's park in DC and to the Key's park in Frederick. A number
of nighthawks were seen at Soldiers Delight May 24; more than two
dozen visited a yard in Fairfax City.  

A WHIP-POOR-WILL has been entertaining residents at a home in Waldorf,
Charles Co. A Whip was spotted May 24 in Rock Creek Park, NW DC,
perched near the Equitation Field. Pre-dawn on May 25, a
WHIP-POOR-WILL was singing near the base of Sugarloaf Mt, on the
Frederick/Montgomery Co line.

It was a superior week for flycatchers. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was
found May 22 at Barry's Hill Rd, Charles Co; May 24 at Huntley
Meadows; May 24 at Patuxent Research Refuge/North Tract (along with 19
species of warbler); May 25, Prescott Rd, Little Bennett RP,
Montgomery Co; May 25 near Sugarloaf Mt; on May 26 at the picnic area
at Great Falls NP, VA; May 26 and 27 on Race Rd, Howard Co; 

Reports of YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER came from Hains Point May 20;
Finzel Swamp May 23; a yard in Fairfax Station May 24; and Thompson
WMA, May 25.

ALDER FLYCATCHERS were noted May 22 at Greenbury Point and Susquehanna
SP; May 23, along Bumpy Oak Rd, Charles Co, and at Huntley Meadows; on
May 24, at Dyke Marsh and at Cockpit Point Rd; May 25, at Pigpen Pond
near UMBC; and May 26, Kenilworth Park and KAG, NE DC. 

Reports of LEAST FLYCATCHERS came from Huntley Meadows, along the
Middle Branch of the Patapsco in Baltimore Co; Milford Mill Park,
Baltimore Co; and Hunting Quarter Rd, Montgomery Co.

Thrush migration continued heavy. BICKNELL'S THRUSH was found May 20
at Weyanoke Sanctuary, VA, along with several SWANSON'S and
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES. BICKNELL'S THRUSH visited a yard in Fairfax
Station, VA, May 21 and a yard in Anne Arundel Co May 22. 

On May 23, a Potomac yard entertained VEERY, GRAY-CHEEKED, and WOOD
THRUSH. At Piney Run, May 25 brought an amazing 7 GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSHES, a dozen SWAINSON'S, and 4 WOOD THRUSHES. That same day 20
SWAINSON'S were reported from the McKeldin area of Patapsco Valley SP.
Twelve were noted at Rock Creek Park May 20.

Warbler highlights included a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER along Old
Legislative Rd, Allegany Co, May 25. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was
reported May 24 from Quiet Waters Park, Anne Arundel Co. CERULEAN
WARBLERS were found at several locations, including Tower Rd in the
Catoctin Mts, Frederick Co, the Blue Ridge Center in Loudoun Co, VA,
the Aspen Hill Rec area in Rockville, Montgomery Co, and the Rock Run
area of Susquehanna SP. SWAINSON'S WARBLER is back at the Great Dismal
Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA.

The week brought numerous sightings of MOURNING WARBLERS. They popped
up in yards in Frederick Co May 21 and Columbia May 24. Rock Creek
Park registered MOURNING WARBLER daily from May 21 through May 25,
when two were sighted. A MOURNING WARBLER was found May 25 at Harford
Glen Park.

A SUMMER TANAGER was discovered May 22 at the Liberty Watershed in
Carroll Co; it was in the Morgan Run section of the lake east and
north of the Rte 32 bridge. This bird, only the second county record,
was refound the following day. Other SUMMER TANAGER reports came from
Soldiers Delight NEA May 24, and from the Elklick Woodlands, along
Pleasant Valley Rd in western Fairfax Co.   

HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were found along Old Legislative Rd May 24 and Pea
Ridge Rd, Garrett Co May 26. A NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was
present May 21 at a marsh in North Beach, Calvert Co, and on May 24, a
NELSON'S was singing at a small creek near Pigpen Pond, next to the
UMBC campus. SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS were found May 26 along
Elliott Island Rd, Dorchester Co, and along Oyster Rocks Rd, DE, May
26. 

DICKCISSELS are up and singing: in Dorchester Co, MD, along Egypt Rd 2
miles south of Rte 16; in Fauquier Co, VA, at Remington Sod Farms on
Sumerduck Rd; in Milford, DE, at Abbot's Mill Nature Center. 

A PINE SISKIN was glimpsed May 26 at Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore.

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