-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 5:51 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 6/24/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               6/24/2008 
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, June 24, at 1
p.m. 

Top birds this week are LITTLE EGRET* in DE, a black-billed GREAT
EGRET* and ROSEATE TERN* in VA, and HENSLOW'S SPARROW* in MD. 

Other birds of interest include AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BROWN PELICAN,
LEAST BITTERN, ibises, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, WILSON'S PHALAROPE,
nightjars, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, OLIVE-SIDED and ALDER FLYCATCHERS,
COMMON RAVEN, CERULEAN WARBLER, and DICKCISSEL.

A LITTLE EGRET* was found again at Bombay Hook NWR, DE. The most
recent report, on June 20, placed the bird far out on the flats across
from Shearness Pool. 

A black-billed subspecies of GREAT EGRET* has been present at
Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, since late May. It is thought to be
an Old World form, from either Central Europe or Africa south of the
Sahara. 

A likely ROSEATE TERN* was photographed on the beach at Chincoteague
on June 19.

The HENSLOW'S SPARROW* in Montgomery Co, MD, continues to sing
vigorously, and sporadically offer views, in a grassy field west of
Poolesville, with the most recent report from June 24. The field, part
of the NIH Animal Facility, is located across from 23021 Club Hollow
Rd. Please respect the rights of local residents, do not park on
private land, and keep your distance from the NIH fence. [NIH has
postponed mowing the field because of the bird.]

An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen flying south over Cape Henlopen SP,
DE, on June 17.

A June 21 survey found 870 BROWN PELICAN nests on Holland Island in
southern Dorchester Co, MD. 

A pair of LEAST BITTERNS was found along Pohick Creek, Fairfax Co, VA,
on June 22.

On June 21 a GLOSSY IBIS flew over a yard in Anne Arundel Co, MD. Both
WHITE and GLOSSY IBIS were present at the Eastern Shore of VA NWR June
21. 

On June 21, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, NE DC, hosted a YELLOW-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON, as well as a singing ALDER FLYCATCHER. That same day a
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was stalking the marshy woods along the
easternmost trail off Hunting Quarter Rd, Montgomery Co.   

On June 17 and 18, Chincoteague's Swan Cove hosted at least 7 WILSON'S
PHALAROPES. 

CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOWS and WHIP-POOR-WILLS are singing along the country
back roads that are their usual haunts. A highly successful Bird Blitz
in western Wicomico Co, MD, on June 19 recorded 52 CHUCKS and 7 WHIPS.

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were observed at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery
Co, June 21. 

Report of an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER came from Fort Dupont Park, SE DC,
on June 17. 

Suburban COMMON RAVENS put in several appearances. Two were seen at
midday June 20 over Upper Watts Branch Park, Montgomery Co, perhaps
the same two that visited a yard in Bethesda later that day. An
immature COMMON RAVEN was seen in a yard in Mt Airy, Carroll Co, MD,
June 19.

A Breeding Bird Survey identified 11 CERULEAN WARBLERS along a 24-mile
stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Big Meadows on June 22. On
June 21, singing CERULEAN WARBLERS were reported along the C&O towpath
south of Sycamore Landing Rd, Montgomery Co.

A DICKCISSEL was again found in Hightown, Highland Co, VA, on June 17;
the location is along the north side of Rte 250 just west of the
intersection with Rte 640. Two DICKCISSELS were found June 22 about 3
miles west of Seaford, DE, one at the sharp corner on Old Carriage Rd
and the other singing from a hayfield opposite the woods to the east.

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.