-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 12:31 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 9/22/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               9/22/09
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):     
Compiler:           Joe Coleman
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, September 22, at 11:30 am.

Top bird this week is SWAINSON'S HAWK in DE.

Other birds of interest include AMERICAN BITTERN, hawks, KING RAIL, SANDHILL
CRANE, shorebirds, BLACK-HEADED GULL, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, YELLOW-BELLIED
SAPSUCKER, flycatchers, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, thrushes,
warblers, SUMMER TANAGER, sparrows, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and PURPLE
FINCH.

An immature SWAINSON'S HAWK flew over the Cape Henlopen Hawkwatch, Lewes,
DE, on Sept 19. 

An AMERICAN BITTERN was spotted Sept 19 at the Gap Run pond at Sky Meadows
State Pk, Fauquier Co, VA.

There was a great deal of action at a number of area hawkwatches this past
week. BROAD-WINGED HAWKS were seen in large numbers at most of the hawk
watches in the area. On Sept 16, 4,631 were reported from the Rockfish Gap
Hawkwatch, Waynesboro, VA; 2,901 were reported from the Snickers Gap
Hawkwatch, Clarke Co, VA, on Sept 18; and 2,024 were seen there on the 21st.
However, BROAD-WING HAWK migration wasn't limited to hawkwatches as
approximately a thousand passed over the Wolf Run Raptor Refuge in Fairfax
Station, Fairfax Co, VA, in less than an hour on Sept 19.

A very early GOLDEN EAGLE was seen Sept 19 from the dock at Rigby's Folly,
Ferry Neck, Talbot Co, MD. One was also reported from Taylor's Island,
Dorchester Co, MD the same day.

On Sept 16, 240 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 34 MERLINS, and 8 PEREGRINE FALCONS flew
over the Kiptopeke St Pk Hawkwatch, Northampton Co, VA and on Sept 17, 270
MERLINS flew over the Hawkwatch. The 17 PEREGRINE FALCONS that flew over the
Kiptopeke St Pk Hawkwatch on Sept 21 tied their best flight of the season to
date. On Sept 19 two PEREGRINE FALCONS flew around the Suntrust building at
the intersection of E. Byrd and S. 7th Street, Richmond, VA

Three KING RAILS put on a show during the regular weekly bird walk at
Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co, VA on Sept 21.

Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen soaring overhead at Brightwell Mill, Amherst
Co, VA on Sept 19.

Among the many shorebirds seen on the Sept 19 trip to Hart-Miller Island,
Baltimore Co, MD were 13 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS. Four AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER were found Sept
15 at the Tull Road Turf Farm, Worcester Co, MD. Two juvenile AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS and a STILT SANDPIPER were found Sept 17 and 19 at North
Branch C&O Canal, Allegany Co, MD. A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was found in
the south dredge pond at Swan Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Sept 17.

On Sept 16 a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen on the north side of the bridge
at Browns Bridge Rd, Howard Co, MD; there were three there on the 19th. A
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was on the polo fields along Hughes Rd in Montgomery
Co, MD on Sept 16.

A BLACK-HEADED GULL was photographed on Sept 20 at the Anacostia Boathouse
near the 11th Street Bridge, SE DC.

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found Sept 15 at Bayside, Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD. One was also found at Rock Run Mill, Susquehanna SP, Cecil
Co, MD, on Sept 18.

Flycatcher sightings seemed to come from everywhere. An OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER was seen Sept 15 on the northeast side of Purnell Crossing Rd,
Worcester Co, MD at the border with Wicomico Co, and one flew over the
Kiptopeke Hawkwatch on Sept 15. Another was seen Sept 17 at Schoolhouse
Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was
found from Sept 16 through the 20th on a snag at the Willow Fall barn in
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen
in Rock Creek Park on Sept 20.
It was on a dead snag and seen from the horse trail as it enters the woods,
almost at the junction with the longer trail to the Maintenance Yard.

A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen near the stables at Rock Creek Park, NW
DC on Sept 15. On Sept 19 both YELLOW-BELLIED and LEAST FLYCATCHERS were
seen in the maintenance yard at Rock Creek Park and at Cromwell Valley Pk. A
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was found again at Brookside Gardens/Wheaton
Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 16.
A LEAST FLYCATCHER was observed at Morgan Run, Benrose Lane, Carroll Co, MD
on Sep 18. There was also a LEAST FLYCATCHER at Leesylvania SP, Prince
William Co, VA on Sept 19. Two LEAST FLYCATCHERS were reported from the
Morgan Run Natural Environmental Area, Carroll Co, MD on the 20th.

An ALDER FLYCATCHER and a PHILADELPHIA VIREO were found Sept 17 at the
Brighton Dam on Triadelphia Reservoir, Montgomery Co, MD. 

PHILADELPHIA VIREOS turned up at several locations this past week including
the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD on Sept 15, at
Millford Mills Park, Baltimore Co, MD on the 17th and 19th, and one on Sept
18 at Morgan Run, Benrose Lane, Carroll Co, MD.
Some of the other sightings included Cromwell Valley Park on Sept 19 and 20,
Russell Rd in Garrett Co, MD on the 19th, and on Sept 19, 20 and 21 at the
maintenance yard at Rock Creek Park.

A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH visited a feeder in a yard in Gaithersburg,
Montgomery Co, MD, on Sept 18.

Migrating thrushes were seen in several locations including a GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSH on Sept 19 in a yard in Colesville, Montgomery Co, MD and two in Rock
Creek Park on Sept 20. A BICKNELL'S THRUSH was heard along with over 200
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES at Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co, MD early the morning of
Sept 19.

A wide variety of warblers seemed to be almost everywhere this past week.
However, they were most commonly found in the normal hotspots such as
Monticello Park, Alexandria, VA, several locations in Rock Creek Park, NW
DC, and Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD. Among the
highlights were a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER on Sept 16 at Little Bennett
Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD; a MOURNING WARBLER at the ridge in Rock
Creek Park on Sept 17, and one was at the lower area of the Dog Run there on
the 21st. Another MOURNING WARBLER was seen at Cromwell Valley Park on Sept
19 and 20.

A SUMMER TANAGER was seen at Rock Creek Park on Sept 19. 

A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen at Cromwell Valley Park on Sept 19. A
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was found at Occoquan Bay NWR, on the 20th. 

Small flocks of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS popped up all over the area.

A PURPLE FINCH was heard and seen Sept 19 at Oregon Ridge Pk, Baltimore Co,
MD.

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