-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 3:42 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 9/1/09
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 9/1/09
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
Compiler: Lydia Schindler
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, Sept 1, at 3 p.m.
Top birds this week are WOOD STORK* in VA and SCISSOR-TAILED
FLYCATCHER* and LARK SPARROW in MD.
Other birds of interest include AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, TRICOLORED HERON,
CATTLE EGRET, WHITE IBIS, BROADWINGED HAWK, PEREGRINE FALCON, shorebirds,
BLACK TERN, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, SEDGE WREN,
PHILADELPHIA VIREO, warblers, and BOBOLINK.
The WOOD STORK* discovered Aug 22 near Woodstock, Shenandoah Co, VA,
continued through the evening of Aug 31. The bird frequents ponds and fields
along Patmos Rd/Rte 763, in the vicinity of Fravel Rd.
A SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER* discovered Aug 22 in MD, near Sudlersville in
northern Queen Anne's Co, continued to accommodate birders through at least
Aug 30--although it has shed its tail streamers. (From Rte 301, go east on
Rte 300 to Sudlersville, then turn north on Rte 313/Millington Rd for a
couple of miles to 1421, a house with a small produce stand. Check the power
lines as well as a line of trees bordering a field across the road and to
the south.)
A LARK SPARROW was reported Aug 30 from Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD.
It was seen at the beginning of Old Ferry Landing.
An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continued at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co, MD, as
of Aug 29.
A TRICOLORED HERON was spotted at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center
(Horsehead), Grasonville, Queen Anne's Co, MD, Aug 28. On Aug 27, a
TRICOLORED HERON was found in the impoundments along Broadkill Beach Rd, DE,
Aug 27.
A CATTLE EGRET flew over Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's
Co, MD, on Aug 28. More than 40 WHITE IBIS were present at Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA, on Aug 28.
Fall hawk watches have opened for business, and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS are
moving through. On Aug 25, a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Triadelphia
Reservoir, on the Montgomery/Howard Co line in MD.
A KING RAIL was heard calling during the weekly bird walk at Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, VA, on Aug 31.
Shorebirds dominated this week's reports, with more than two dozen species
in evidence. At various times during the week the sod fields along John
Brown Rd, Queen Anne's Co, held as many as 6 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, a
WHIMBREL, and 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. On Aug 31 the Broadkill Beach
impoundments hosted a possible SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER as well as BAIRD'S and
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and WILSON'S PHALAROPES. Fields along Cartanza Rd,
off Rte 9 south of Leipsic, DE, drew UPLAND and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS as
well as BAIRD'S and WHITE-RUMPED and BLACK-BELLIED and AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER. Five AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were observed Aug 29 at the
Summit Hall Turf Farm, Montgomery Co; 3 UPLAND SANDPIPERS were found there
Aug 27.
A HUDSONIAN GODWIT--and 7 MARBLED GODWITS--were two of 21 shorebird species
at Chincoteague NWR Aug 28. On Aug 27 a HUDSONIAN GODWIT was found in a
flooded field on the south side of the road to Port Mahon, DE, prior to the
tank field; it was still being seen Aug 30.
A MARBLED GODWIT was present at the WWTP in Hurlock, Dorchester Co, on Aug
29 and 30. Fifteen UPLAND SANDPIPERS were found Aug 29 at the Shiloh Church
Turf Farm, south of Hurlock.
In Western MD, a nice mix of shorebirds could be found at North Branch in
Allegany Co and at the Youghiogheny Reservoir in Garrett Co.
Five BLACK TERNS were noted at Ted Harvey Conservation Area, DE, on Aug 30
and 31.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were widely reported again this week. Twenty-five or so
were swirling around in the lights of the Air Force Memorial, Arlington Co,
VA, the evening of Aug 24, while about 50 were drawn to the lights of the US
Capitol Aug 26.
Reports of YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER came from Little Bennett Aug 28; the
Maintenance Yard at Rock Creek Park, NW DC, Aug 30; and the Ten-Mile Creek
area of Black Hill RP, Montgomery Co, on Aug 31.
PHILADELPHIA VIREO showed up at Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co, on Aug 29;
Western RP, Howard Co, MD, Aug 30; and Rock Creek Park Aug 31.
A SEDGE WREN was noted at Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co, on Aug 26.
'Tis the season for those "confusing Fall warblers." Standouts among the 28
or more species reported were GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, Aug 25 at Milford Mills
Park, Baltimore Co, MD; Aug 26 at Finzel Swamp; Aug 30 at Little Bennett;
and Aug 31 at Oak Grove, Seaford, DE. The Golden-winged/Blue-winged hybrid
known as LAWRENCE'S WARBLER was found Aug 30 at the NY Monuments area of
Manassas National Battlefield Park, Prince William Co, VA. WILSON'S WARBLER
showed up Aug 26 at Finzel and
Aug 30 at Little Bennett.
BOBOLINKS were enlivening fields along Cartanza Rd Aug 30.
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 |