-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 8:28 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 4/7/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               4/7/09 
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, April 7, at
7:45 pm.

Top birds this week are WHITE-WINGED DOVE* in VA and PAINTED BUNTING* and
HARRIS'S SPARROW*, both in MD.

Other birds of interest include BRANT, TRUMPETER SWAN*, EURASIAN WIGEON,
RED-THROATED LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, NORTHERN GANNETT, AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN, AMERICAN BITTERN, night-herons, hawks, rails, AMERICAN
OYSTERCATCHER, WILSON'S SNIPE, LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS, terns,
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, vireos, warblers, sparrows, RUSTY BLACKBIRD,
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and PINE SISKIN.

A WHITE-WINGED DOVE* was spotted from an office window in South Boston,
Halifax Co, VA on April 2.

The HARRIS'S SPARROW* reported last week in Howard Co, MD, continued to be
seen during the week at 6760 Alexander Bell Drive in Columbia.
(From I-95, take MD 175 west 1/2 mile to Gateway Drive; go south on Gateway
to a right on A. Bell. Walk around the right side of the building to the
rear, where there are several feeders.) As always, treat this private
property with respect.  

A brilliant male PAINTED BUNTING continues to enliven another neighborhood
in Howard County, near Savage, with sporadic and typically brief appearances
through the week. Detailed directions to two homes with feeders that the
bird frequents were on the MDOsprey list server. The homeowners and
neighbors are being extremely accommodating to birders, so please respond in
kind. 
  
A BRANT was seen at Cobb Island, Charles Co, MD on April 1.  A EURASIAN
WIGEON was at Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD on April 1.
Another EURASIAN WIGEON was sighted at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA
over the weekend.

A TRUMPETER SWAN* was again present at Lakeside Business Park, Harford Co,
MD, on March 31.

Reports of RED-THROATED LOONS came from the C&D Canal, Cecil Co, MD, Fort
Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co, MD, March 31 and Black Hill Regional Park,
Montgomery Co, MD on April 2 and 3. 

RED-NECKED GREBES were noted at Hains Point, DC, Triadelphia Reservoir,
Montgomery/Howard Co, MD, March 31; Wilde Lake, Howard Co, MD, April 3; Lake
Elkhorn, Howard Co, April 5.

NORTHERN GANNETS were observed at a variety of locations. 

AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were still at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co, MD, as
of April 1.
 
An AMERICAN BITTERN was at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 3.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was at the Snowden Wetlands on the Fredericksburg Canal
Path, Fredericksburg, VA on April 5.  Another AMERICAN BITTERN was at the
Oxbow Nature Preserve, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 5 and 7.

A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was spotted by the little pond in the middle of
the Grosvenor Park apartment complex, Bethesda, Montgomery Co, MD on March
31 while others were seen at Hains Point, DC and Ben Brenman Park,
Alexandria, VA on the same day. Two BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen
from Fisherman's Park at Conowingo Dam, Harford Co, MD on April 6.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS have returned to Hyattsville, Prince George's
Co, MD, as of April 3.  

An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over the Gwynns Falls Trail in Baltimore
City, MD on April 2.  A light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was at Deal Island,
Somerset Co, MD on April 5.  A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at Blackwater NWR, on
April 5.  A PEREGRINE FALCON flew over Flint Hill School, Oakton, Fairfax
Co, on April 3.  Another PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Cylburn Arboretum,
Baltimore Co, MD on April 5.

A SORA was reported March 31 and April 2, 3 and 4 from Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co.  The SORA was accompanied by a VIRGINIA RAIL on April 5 and 6.

An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on
April 2.

Seventy-four WILSON'S SNIPE were at Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince George's
Co, MD on April 2 and 230+ were noted at Swoope, Augusta Co, VA on April 3.
One hundred fifty WILSON'S SNIPE were seen at Tanyard Marsh, Caroline Co, MD
on April 5.

LITTLE and BLACK-HEADED GULLS were noted in the Susquehanna River, seen from
Port Deposit, Cecil Co, MD on March 31. On April 2, two LITTLE GULLS were
seen at Back River, Baltimore Co.  A LITTLE GULL was spotted at the CBBT,
Northampton Co, VA on April 6.


TERN sightings included CASPIAN at the Oxbow Nature Preserve on April 2, 4,
5 and 7.  CASPIAN TERNS were at the Georgetown Reservoir, DC, April 4;
Henricus marsh, Chesterfield Co, VA, April 5; Hunting Creek, Fairfax Co, VA,
Diamond Point, Baltimore Co, April 6.  A COMMON TERN was at Deal Island WMA,
on April 5.

A pair of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES was seen again near Dividing Creek,
Somerset Co, MD, on April 3; the birds sat on a telephone wire in the
vicinity of Pocomoke River Rd and Clearfield Dr. 

A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was singing in Green Ridge State Forest, Allegany Co, MD
on April 4.  A WHITE-EYED VIREO was noted in Fredericksburg, VA on April 6.

Warbler migration is getting underway.  Reports of BLACK-THROATED GREEN,
YELLOW-THROATED, PINE, PALM, BLACK-AND-WHITE, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT have come in from many locations throughout the region.

On March 31, the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD hosted an
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. A SEASIDE SPARROW was singing at Ragged Island WMA,
VA also on March 31. VESPER SPARROWS were at Kenilworth Park, DC on April 2
and 4. Three VESPER SPARROWS and two WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were at the Rte
234 Wetlands near Nokesville, Prince William Co, VA on April 5. A
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen near the Polo Grounds on Hughes Road,
Montgomery Co on April 5.

RUSTY BLACKBIRDS continued, with appearances at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper
Marlboro, Prince George's Co; Huntley Meadows; Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens,
DC; Tuckahoe SP, Caroline/Queen Anne's Cos, MD; Race Road wetlands, Howard
Co, MD; Harford Glen, Harford Co, MD; Forbay Pond, Howard Co, MD, Prime Hook
NWR, DE; Windsor Mill, Baltimore Co.
MD. 

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS persist. Most notably a group of at least seventeen
was seen at Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore on April 3 and Twenty in a DC
neighborhood near the National Zoo on April 6.  Thirty to forty PINE SISKINS
visited a feeder at Lake Frederick, Frederick Co, VA on April 3.  Smaller
flocks were noted at feeders in Davidsonville, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April
2; Eldersburg, Carroll Co, MD on April 4; Crofton, Anne Arundel Co, MD;
Springfield, Fairfax Co, VA on April 5; Potomac Falls, Loudoun Co, VA on
April 6.  A PINE SISKIN flock of fifty to sixty birds were seen on a
driveway in Reisterstown, Baltimore Co, MD on April 7.

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.