-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:48 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 8/11/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               8/11/09
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):     
Compiler:           John Bjerke
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, August 11, at 8:00 am.

Top bird this week is ROSEATE SPOONBILL* in DE.

Other birds of interest include BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK*, KING EIDER,
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, NORTHERN GANNET, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN,
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, LEAST BITTERN, WHITE IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE,
shorebirds, JAEGER species, terns, LEAST FLYCATCHER, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE,
PURPLE MARTIN, VESPER SPARROW, and DICKCISSEL. 

The ROSEATE SPOONBILL* seen intermittently the last few weeks on Fenwick
Island, Sussex Co, DE was reported again from the vicinity of the Catch 54
Restaurant on Aug 8.

The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK* continues at Silver Lake in Rehoboth
Beach, Sussex Co, DE. There is a late report of an unusual summering KING
EIDER on the boat trip out to Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on Aug 3.  

Two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS flew over Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on Aug 5.
Two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were found in Thousand Acre Marsh, New Castle
Co, DE on Aug 6 and 8. The birds were near the intersection of Rt 9 and
South Reedy Point Rd.

A seawatch from the OSV parking lot on Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD
turned up 8 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, a second year NORTHERN GANNET, and a
JAEGER of undetermined species on Aug 8.

A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT seen in Highland Co, VA on Aug 6 was a rare find
for the county.

A female LEAST BITTERN highlighted a kayak trip on Jug Bay, Prince Georges
Co, MD on Aug 6. A canoe trip on Jug Bay flushed three LEAST BITTERNS on Aug
9.

Three juvenile WHITE IBIS were at the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation
Project, Loudoun Co, VA, on Aug 4 and 8.

Three MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen over the Kings Park subdivision, Fairfax
Co, VA on Aug 7. One MISSISSIPPI KITE was found there on Aug 9.

Notable spots for the shorebird migration included the Delaware refuges,
especially Bombay Hook and Prime Hook NWRs and Taylor's Gut, Skimmer Island
in Ocean City, MD, and the ORV zone on Assateague Island, MD. A
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and 10 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were among 9 shorebird
species on the Summit Hall Turf Farm near Poolesville, Montgomery Co, MD on
Aug 6. Two MARBLED GODWITS were included in the species on Skimmer Island in
Ocean City on Aug 5, 7, and 9. Two MARBLED GODWITS were seen at Mispillion
Harbor, Sussex Co, DE on Aug 5 and 6.

A SANDWICH TERN was spotted at Skimmer Island on Aug 5 and two were there
with a GULL-BILLED TERN on Aug 7. Thirteen SANDWICH TERNS and some BLACK
TERNS were seen in the ORV zone on Assateague Island on Aug 9; 7 SANDWICH
TERNS were seen there on Aug 8. Five BLACK TERNS were found at the West
Ocean City pond on Aug 8.

A LEAST FLYCATCHER was seen at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA; a bird was along
the haul road on Aug 8 and on the boardwalk on Aug 9.

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen Aug 5 through 9 at the Center at Hagerstown,
Washington Co, MD; it was near 12608 Sedgwick Way.

Large flocks of PURPLE MARTINS continue to impress birders in our region.
Flocks totaling 855 birds were counted at Fort Howard Veterans Hospital,
Baltimore Co, MD on Aug 7. The roost in Chantilly, Fairfax Co, VA had grown
to 1300 birds by Aug 8. The roost in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood in
Richmond, VA was estimated at 5000 birds on Aug 10.

A VESPER SPARROW was seen near West Willard Rd, Montgomery Co, MD on Aug 6.
A DICKCISSEL was spotted outside of Easton, Talbot Co, MD on Aug 7.

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