-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 3:45 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 10/7/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               10/7/2008 
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):     
     (deadline):    midnight Mondays 
Compiler:           Helen Patton
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, October 7, at 3:30 p.m.

Top birds this week are WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL in WV and CALIFORNIA
GULL* in VA.

Other birds of interest include AMERICAN BITTERN, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, falcons,
shorebirds, BONAPARTE'S GULL, BLACK TERN, woodpeckers, flycatchers,
BLUE-HEADED and PHILADELPHIA VIREO, WINTER WREN, thrushes including
BICKNELL'S, warblers including CONNECTICUT, and sparrows, including
CLAY-COLORED and LINCOLN'S.

A WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL has been present since mid-Sept in a pond at the
Huntfield subdivision south of Charles Town, Jefferson Co, WV. It can be
found by taking Rte 340 south at Charles Town from the interchange of US
340, Rt. 9, and Rt. 51, go about 3.3 miles to Augustine Avenue where you
need to take a sharp right. The Huntfield subdivision is just ahead on the
left. Take the second left onto Prospect Hills Blvd. At the circle/obelisk,
go right onto Butler Street. At the next circle, go 3/4 of the way around
circle, taking the first right (Colston Road). The pond will be on your
right a little ways ahead.

On October 1, a juvenal-plumaged CALIFORNIA GULL was found on the beach at
Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA.

A juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported from the Turkey Point Hawk Watch,
Cecil Co, MD on October 5.

A MERLIN and six PEREGRINE FALCONS were noted at Washington Monument SP,
Washington Co, MD on October 3. On the same day, two MERLINS and a PEREGRINE
FALCON were seen at Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD.
Other PEREGRINE sightings included a yard in Ferndale, Anne Arundel Co, MD
and Rock Creek Park, DC, on October 1; Point Lookout, St.
Mary's Co, MD on October 3 and Western Regional Park, Howard Co, MD on
October 6. 

A trip to Hart-Miller Island on October 4 recorded 10 shorebird species
including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.
Non-shorebird sightings included AMERICAN BITTERN, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON
and LINCOLN'S SPARROW.

Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS and a BLACK TERN were spotted at Point Lookout, St.
Mary's Co, MD on October 5.

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were reported from Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co,
MD on October 1 and another was seen on October 3.
There were also several reports of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS returning to
the area this past week.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen at Lake Artemesia, Prince George's Co, MD
on October 4.
 
A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was seen at Rock Creek Park, DC on October 1, 4 and 6
while another was at Rockburn Branch Park, Howard Co, MD on October 2.
Another BLUE-HEADED VIREO was at Little Bennett Regional Park, Montgomery
Co, MD on October 6. A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was banded at Kiptopeke SP,
Northampton Co, VA on October 1.
 
WINTER WRENS are starting to appear with sightings from Rock Creek Park on
October 1, 2 and 5 and Little Bennett Regional Park on October 6.

GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were among the different species of thrushes found
moving through the area this past week. One was found at the Hashawha Nature
Center, Carroll Co, MD on October 3. Both GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES were seen at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co, MD and at Mason Neck
NWR, Fairfax Co, VA on October 5. SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were seen at Rock
Creek Park on October 1 and 2. The banding station at Kiptopeke SP caught
six thrush species, including GRAY-CHEEKED, BICKNELL'S and SWAINSON'S during
the week.

Warbler migration continued throughout the area with a wide diversity of
different species being reported from a number of different locations. 

A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was spotted on Lower Pindell Road, Anne Arundel Co, MD
on October 2. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen at Fort Smallwood, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on October 3. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was banded at Kiptopeke
SP on October 1. CONNECTICUT WARBLERS were seen on Lower Pindell Road and
Hughes Hollow on October 3. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was seen at Huntley
Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on October 4.
Another CONNECTICUT WARBLER appeared at Mason Neck NWR on October 5. A
MOURNING WARBLER was sighted at the Elkhorn Garden Plots, Columbia, Howard
Co, MD on October 1. Another MOURNING WARBLER was seen at Governor Bridge
Road Park, near the Patuxent River, MD on October 2. A female WILSON'S
WARBLER paid a visit to a yard in Ferndale, Anne Arundel Co, MD on October
1.

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was sighted at the Swan Creek Facility, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on October 1. Another CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was at the Indian Creek
WMA, Charles Co, MD on October 2. Yet another CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen
on Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD on October 4. Both a CLAY-COLORED and
a LINCOLN'S SPARROW were seen at Millington WMA, Kent Co, MD on October 4.
Two LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were on Grace Hill Farm in the scrub along Ebenezer
Church Road (Rte 779) near Bluemont in western Loudoun Co, VA on October 1.
Another LINCOLN'S SPARROW was banded at Kiptopeke SP on the same day. More
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were in Howard Co, MD: one at Rockburn Branch Park and
another at Meadowbrook Park on October 2. On October 3, two LINCOLN'S
SPARROWS were sighted at Hashawha Nature Center while another LINCOLN'S
SPARROW was at Terrapin Park, Queen Anne's Co, MD on October 4. A LINCOLN'S
SPARROW was noted at Rock Creek Park on October 5. Another LINCOLN'S SPARROW
was noted at the Elkhorn Garden Plots on October 6. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
was seen near Melvin Hazen Park, DC on October 3.

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.