-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 12:42 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 6/2/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               6/2/09
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, June 2 at noon.

Top birds this week are BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* in MD, LEACH'S
STORM PETREL in MD, WHITE-FACED IBIS* in VA, SCISSOR-TAILED
FLYCATCHER* in MD and SNOW BUNTING in MD.

Other birds of interest include ROSS' GOOSE, SOOTY SHEARWATER, WHITE
PELICAN, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BALD EAGLE, PEREGRINE FALCON, shorebirds,
GLAUCOUS GULL, BLACK TERN, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, warblers, sparrows, and DICKCISSEL.

A group of twelve BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS* was found on May 30
at Lake Churchill in Germantown, Montgomery Co, MD.

A LEACH'S STORM-PETREL was seen from a fishing boat out of Ocean City,
Worcester Co, MD on May 30.

A WHITE-FACED IBIS* was spotted among a small group of GLOSSY IBIS at
Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on May 30.

A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER* was seen at the Ingleside area of Eastern
Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD on May 26 and 27.

A breeding-plumaged SNOW BUNTING was spotted in a plowed field at the
corner of Berry and MT. Hermon Roads in Wicomico County on May 26 and
27.

A ROSS' GOOSE was seen with a small flock of CANADA GEESE on the Old
Concord Turnpike near downtown Lynchburg, VA on May 29 and 30.

A SOOTY SHEARWATER was spotted floating close to CBBT Island #1,
Northampton Co, VA on May 30.

WHITE PELICANS were seen at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co, MD on May
30.

A MISSISSIPPI KITE soared over Waynewood in southeast Fairfax Co, VA
on May 30. Two MISSISSIPPI KITES were spotted at the Fort Smallwood
Park Hawk Watch, Anne Arundel Co, MD also on May 30. MISSISSIPPI KITES
were seen in Anne Arundel Co, MD on May 31 - one flew over West
Annapolis; another flew over a yard in Ferndale and another was seen
at the Fort Smallwood Hawk Watch(the sixth of the season). Three
MISSISSIPPI KITES flew over the Kings Park subdivision in Springfield,
Fairfax Co, VA on June 1.

A surprising 91 BALD EAGLES were present at Conowingo Dam,
Harford/Cecil Co, MD on May 30.

A quick check on the PEREGRINE FALCONS at the American Legion Bridge,
Montgomery Co, MD on June 2 revealed one adult sitting on the
abutment, facing the nest box.

Two PIPING PLOVERS were spotted on the beach at Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD on May 30.

Four BLACK-NECKED STILTS were on private property south of Snow Hill,
Worcester Co, MD, seen on May 31. Two birds continued to be seen on
June 1.

The shorebird spectacle continues at the Mispillion/Slaughter Beach
area, DE with thousands of SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, about 125 RED
KNOTS, and hundreds of RUDDY TURNSTONES, DUNLIN and SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS seen on May 27. RED KNOTS were also present at Skimmer
Island, Ocean City, Worcester Co, MD on May 30.

A trip to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on May 30 observed 13
shorebird species including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, RED KNOT,
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and RED-Necked PHALAROPE plus eight
BLACK-NECKED STILTS and 162 BLACK SKIMMERS.

A Reeve, a female RUFF, was re-found May 27 in Remington Pond, off of
Ricauds Branch Rd at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co, MD. RED-NECKED
PHALAROPES were seen in a variety of locations this week including
Hains Point, DC on May 26; Shirley Plantation, Charles City Co, VA
also on May 26; Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC on May 27; two at Fort
McHenry NHM, Baltimore, MD on May 27; Hurlock WWTP, Dorchester Co, MD
on May 27; Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on May 27 and 28.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at Skimmer Island, Ocean City, Worcester Co,
MD on May 26. Another GLAUCOUS GULL was floating around the harbor in
Oyster, Northampton Co, VA on May 30.

A BLACK TERN was flying over Shearness Pool, Bombay Hook NWR, DE on
May 27.
 
The EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE that has been present in downtown South
Boston, Halifax Co, VA appears to have found a mate as seen the week
of May 26. The two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES on Pocomoke River Drive,
Somerset Co, MD are still present as of May 30.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was observed in a yard in Front Royal, Warren
Co, VA on May 27.

A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was seen at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA on May 31.

While warbler migration was clearly winding down this past week there
were still several interesting reports. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was
heard near the Youghiougheny Reservoir, Garrett Co, MD on May 30. A
MOURNNG WARBLER was found at Milltown Landing in southern Prince
George's Co, MD on May 30. A WILSON'S WARBLER was observed at Finzel
Swamp, Garrett Co, MD on May 30.
 
A HENSLOW'S SPARROW was noted on Old Legislative Road, Allegany Co, MD
on May 30. Twelve HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were calling on Pea Ridge Road,
Garrett Co, MD on May 31. SEASIDE and SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS
were found on Elliott Island Road, Dorchester Co, MD on the same day.
 
DICKCISSELS continue to sing west of the intersection of New Cut Road
with Sandy Bottom Road in south Cecil Co, MD with reports from May 28,
29 and 31. On May 30, there were three DICKCISSELS at the spot.
DICKCISSELS have returned to the Wilna unit of the Rappahannock River
Valley NWR, Warsaw, Essex Co, VA.
 
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.