-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 2:25 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 1/6/09
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 1/06/09
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
(deadline): midnight Mondays
Compiler: Joe Coleman
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, January 7, at 10:30 a.m., and
is for sightings from Dec 30 through the morning of January 6.
Top birds this week are TUFTED DUCK* in MD, LONG-BILLED CURLEW* in VA, and
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD* in VA.
Other birds of interest include waterfowl including KING EIDER, RED-THROATED
LOON, grebes, hawks and eagles, AMERICAN AVOCET, gulls, alcids, SNOWY OWL*,
SHORT-EARED OWL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, warblers, sparrows, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, RUSTY BLACKBIRD,
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, COMMON REDPOLL, and PINE SISKIN.
The previously reported TUFTED DUCK*, which was first seen last week at
Great Marsh Park, Cambridge, Dorchester Co, MD, was seen again as recently
as Jan 6.
The LONG-BILLED CURLEW* continues in residence at a farm near Breaks,
Buchanan Co, VA, with the most recent sighting on Jan 4.
The CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD that has been visiting a feeder just north of
Lynchburg, Bedford Co, VA continues to be seen, thanks to the gracious
hospitality of the property owners at the rear of 207 Sandown Circle, with
the most recent report from Jan 5.
A BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK was relocated on Silver Lake, Rehoboth, DE
with sightings on Jan 1.
The ROSS'S GOOSE near Easton, Talbot Co, MD was relocated on Jan 3 and 4, in
a grassy field just to the north of the Catholic Church on the south end of
Easton.
CACKLING GEESE were found at numerous locations. Some of the sightings
include seven CACKLING GEESE on Jan 2 at the recycling/transfer site on
Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD; a CACKLING GOOSE
was found north of the Belle Haven Marina picnic grounds, Fairfax Co, VA on
Jan 2 and 3; and on Jan 3 a CACKLING GOOSE was found at Piney Run Reservoir,
Carroll Co, MD. A CACKLING GOOSE was found for the Ft Belvoir CBC on Jan 4
off the Great Marsh of Mason Neck, Fairfax Co, VA.
The TRUMPETER SWAN was at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's
Co, MD, on Jan 4.
The EURASIAN WIGEON at Piscataway Park, Prince Georges Co, MD continues with
reports on Dec 30 and Jan 4. The EURASIAN WIGEON at Cambridge, MD, was
relocated on Jan 4 close to the west side of the Cambridge Yacht Club; on
Jan 5 it was at Mill St and Water St. A COMMON TEAL (Eurasian form of the
Green-winged Teal) was seen Jan 3 on the Berlin Sewage Ponds, Worcester Co,
MD. REDHEADS were reported from a wide variety of locations. Two COMMON
EIDERS were at the Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD inlet on Jan 1. The
previously reported two KING EIDERS and female HARLEQUIN DUCK, were reported
from the Ocean City inlet as recently as Jan 4.
Three RED-THROATED LOONS were reported from North Point SP, Baltimore Co, MD
on Jan 4.
A RED-NECKED GREBE was spotted Jan 2 on the Patuxent River just off the boat
ramp underneath the Rte 4 Bridge in Solomons, Calvert Co, MD.
An EARED GREBE was found at the Ocean City, MD inlet on Jan 1.
On Jan 3 an immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was found along Rte 250 west of Rte
601 in Highland Co, VA and a dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen along Rte
640. A dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and two SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen Jan 2
in the marsh off of Cedar Creek Rd in Dorchester Co., MD. On Jan 4 a
juvenile dark phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was viewed in the vicinity of the
power plant on Chelsea Road in Perryman, Harford Co, MD.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was found Dec 30 at the Pocomoke River WMA,
Worcester Co, MD. A GOLDEN EAGLE was found at Decoursey Bridge in eastern
Dorchester County on Jan 2. And on Jan 4 a juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE was seen in
Fauquier Co, VA, just west of the intersection of Carr Lane, Rte 710 and Rte
712.
An AMERICAN AVOCET was found at Willis Wharf, Northampton Co, VA, on Jan 3.
A first-cycle THAYER'S GULL was again found at the Salisbury, Wicomico Co,
MD landfill on Dec 30. A first year ICELAND GULL was found Jan 1 on a sand
bar in the Potomac off of Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA. An
ICELAND GULL was at the Lorton landfill, Fairfax Co, VA for the CBC on Jan
4. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at the Ocean City inlet Jan 1
and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were also reported from Neabsco Creek, Prince
William Co, VA on Jan 4. The first-cycle GLAUCOUS GULL at Oyster,
Northampton Co, VA, first seen last week, was observed again, with the most
recent report from Jan 1.
A RAZORBILL was on the beach Jan 2 on Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD.
Two SNOWY OWLS were seen in the ORV Zone on Assateague Island, MD throughout
the week and as recently as Jan 4.
SHORT-EARED OWLS were again found near Mountain View Elem School off of
Allder School Rd, Rte 711, near Purcellville, Loudoun Co, VA on Jan 3.
The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in Port Republic, Calvert Co, MD is still present
with the most recent sighting on Jan 1.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was found Jan 4 on the northern edge of Great Country
Farms near Bluemont, VA about a 100 feet east of Foggy Bottom Rd, Rte 626.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES popped up at several locations this past week
including the LBJ Grove, Columbia Island, DC.
Warblers that normally don't winter over in our area continued to pop up in
the area last week. There were reports of a NORTHERN PARULA at Dyke Marsh,
Fairfax Co, VA, on Dec 31; a PINE WARBLER at the LBJ Grove on Jan 1; an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and a PALM WARBLER near milepost 8 on the bike path
north of Dyke Marsh on Jan 3; an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER at Ft Belvoir,
Fairfax Co, VA on Jan 4; a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER at the LBJ Grove on Jan 3
and another visiting a feeder in MD on Jan 4; and a YELLOW WARBLER at the
Belle Haven Marina picnic grounds, Fairfax Co, VA on Jan 3.
Among the many different sparrow species found this past week especially on
the different Christmas bird counts were AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, in several
different locations, including 15 on Jan 4 at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD. A
LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found Jan 4 at the Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William
Co, VA. And WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were also widely reported.
Three LAPLAND LONGSPURS were found Jan 1 among more than 200 HORNED LARKS in
corn stubble fields on the north side of Oland Road just west of Rte 85 in
Frederick Co, MD. Two were found there on Jan 2 and four on Jan 4.
A large blackbird flock along Chilcutt Rd near Easton, Talbot Co, MD on Jan
2 included about 150 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS.
Three WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were found Dec 30 at the Poplar Lick ORV trail
head in Garrett Co, MD on a pull-off on New Germany Road south of New
Germany SP and north of Fairview Road. They were in a small group of trees
across New Germany Road made up of spruce and hemlock.
On Jan 1 an adult female WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was found perched high atop
a spruce just behind the New Germany SP headquarters. On Jan 1 three female
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were found one mile north of on the Prince William
Co landfill on the east side of Rte 234.
If anything, PINE SISKINS were even more widely reported this past week all
over the region.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey, VA-Bird,
and DE-birds list servers.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606,
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=511) is an excellent
source for guidebooks 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. |