-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 9:37 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 2/10/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               2/10/09 
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
       (email):      
    (deadline):     midnight Mondays 
Compiler:           Lou DeMouy
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 February 10 at
8:30 A.M.

Top birds this week are BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK* in DE, TUFTED
DUCK* in MD, and BARROW'S GOLDENEYE* in MD

Other birds of interest include GREAT CORMORANTS, GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, BAR-HEADED GOOSE,
REDHEAD, KING EIDER, scoters, GOLDEN EAGLE, PEREGRINE FALCON, AMERICAN
WOODCOCK, gulls, pelagic birds, SNOWY OWL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
nuthatches, AMERICAN PIPIT, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING, RED
CROSSBILL, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, and PINE SISKINS.

The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* continues to be seen off Lake Drive
at Silver Lake in Rehoboth, DE.

The TUFTED DUCK* and a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE*, which have been at
the Cambridge Marina, in Dorchester Co, MD, continue with the most
recent report from February 7. The Dock Master at the Marina asks that
birders sign in on the clip board near the stainless steel panel boxes
at the High Street entrance. A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE* has been among
scaup, COMMON GOLDENEYES, and BUFFLEHEADS at Jefferson Patterson Park,
Calvert Co, MD, as recently as Feb 9.

Six GREAT CORMORANTS were at Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co, DE, on
February 6. A GREAT CORMORANT was found along Scotland Beach Road, St.
Mary's Co, MD, on Feb 7.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was spotted at Centennial Lake, Howard
Co, MD, on Feb 3. 

A CACKLING GOOSE showed southwest of Fish Hatchery and Handy Point
Roads, Kent Co, MD on Feb 4. Another CACKLING GOOSE was spotted at
Lake Artemesia, Prince George's Co, MD, on Feb 8. 

Two ROSS'S GEESE were seen southwest of Fish Hatchery and Handy Point
roads in Kent Co, MD on February 4. Two ROSS'S GEESE were reported at
Lake Artemesia on Feb 9.

A BAR-HEADED GOOSE was reported at Lake Fairfax Park (across from the
headquarters), Fairfax Co, VA, on Feb 5.

Two REDHEADS were found at Lake Artemesia, Prince George's Co, MD, on
February 8. Five other REDHEADS were at Beauvue Ponds, St. Mary's Co,
MD, on Feb 8.

Two KING EIDERS were swimming at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co.,
MD, on Feb 6

A single GOLDEN EAGLE was spotted at Blackwater National Wildlife
Refuge, Dorchester Co, MD, on February 7 and two GOLDEN EAGLES were
found at the same refuge on Feb 8.

AMERICAN WOODCOCK were heard at Powhatan Wildlife Management Area,
Powhatan Co, VA, on Feb 8.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS showed on the Anacostia River, Washington,
DC, on Feb 7 and also at the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge,
Prince William Co, VA, on Feb 7. A THAYER'S Gull was reported on the
Tidal Basin, Washington, DC, on Feb 8.

A Feb 7 pelagic trip out of Lewes, DE, entered both DE and MD waters
finding scoters, loons, NORTHERN GANNETS, gulls including GLAUCOUS
GULL AND ICELAND GULL, and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE plus DOVEKIE,
RAZORBILL, and ATLANTIC PUFFIN.

A SNOWY OWL was sighted on Assateague Island State Park, Worcester Co,
MD, on Feb 8. Another SNOWY OWL showed in the vicinity of Oxford
Laboratory, Talbot Co, MD, early in the morning on Feb 10. The Lab is
federal property and requires visitors to sign in, weekdays only,
between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in Garrett Co,
MD on Feb 7 and another SHORT-EARED OWL on Port Mahon Road, Little
Creek Wildlife Area, DE, on Feb 8.

A RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was reported coming to a feeder in Dover, Kent
Co, DE on Feb 8.

AMERICAN PIPITS were found in fields at Jefferson Patterson Park,
Calvert Co, MD, on Feb 7.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was spotted on Leverage Road, Queen Anne's Co, MD,
on Feb 5. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR and SNOW BUNTINGS were in the fields
close to the junction of Route 9 and White Neck Road on the way to the
entrance of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, DE, on Feb 8. 

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been reported at various locales
including Brantwood Golf Course, Cecil Co, MD, on Feb 7 and the
Hoffmanville Cemetery close to Gunpowder Road, Baltimore Co, MD, on
Feb 7. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were reported at Blackwater National
Wildlife Refuge, Dorchester Co, MD, on Feb 8 and at Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge, Accomack Co, VA, on Feb 8.

RUSTY BLACKBIRD reports have come from Pemberton Park, Wicomico Co,
MD, on Feb 3; Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Sussex Co, DE on
Feb 8; and Southwest Area Park, Baltimore, Co, MD on Feb 9

A RED CROSSBILL was reported at Prettyboy Reservoir, Baltimore Co, MD,
on Feb 3. A RED CROSSBILL was heard at Point Lookout State Park, St.
Mary's Co, MD, on Feb 5. 

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL reports have steadily come from throughout our
region including the property of the Audubon Naturalist Society in
Chevy Chase, Montgomery Co, MD; Centennial Park in Howard Co, MD;
Dover, Kent Co, DE; New Germany State Park, Garrett Co, MD; Blandy
Experimental Farm, Clarke Co, VA; and elsewhere. 

Similarly, PINE SISKINS continue to be widespread with reports coming
from Hagerstown, Washington Co, MD; Ashland Nature Center in New
Castle Co, DE; Soldiers Delight Natural Area, Baltimore Co, MD;
Colesville in Montgomery Co, MD; Reston, Fairfax, Co, VA, and
elsewhere.
 
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and Delaware 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.