-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 5:19 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 9/29/09
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 9/29/09
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
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, September 29,
at 5:30 pm.
Top bird this week is WESTERN KINGBIRD in MD and VA.
Other birds of interest include WHITE IBIS, hawks, shorebirds, BLACK
TERN, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, flycatchers,
PHILADELPHIA VIREO, thrushes, warblers, SUMMER TANAGER, sparrows,
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and DICKCISSEL.
A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen from the Sunset Beach Inn, Northampton Co,
VA on September 25. The bird was relocated later in the day near
Kiptopeke State Park. Another WESTERN KINGBIRD was perched on a dead
snag on Collins Road off Muddy Creek Road, Anne Arundel Co, MD on
September 29.
One adult and two juvenile WHITE IBIS were spotted at Bayside,
Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD on September 25.
With a few exceptions, the action at the area hawkwatches was subdued
from last week with counts in the hundreds rather than thousands. The
Harvey's Knob Hawkwatch recorded 1409 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS on September
23. The Mendota Hawkwatch recorded 2,014 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS on
September 24. The Cromwell Valley Hawkwatch had a record breaking day
on September 25 with a BROAD-WINGED HAWK count of 2,391. Plus Nine
hundred BROAD-WINGED HAWKS passed over Columbia, Howard CO, MD also on
September 25.
Seven eagles including six BALD EAGLES and one GOLDEN EAGLE were
observed in a hay meadow in Blue Grass, Highland Co, VA on September
24.
A PIPING PLOVER was picked out of a small group of SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS at the north end of Cape Charles, Northampton Co, VA on
September 27. An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER and a PIPING PLOVER were on
the beach near the Back Bay NWR refuge/False Cape boundary on
September 25.
On September 28 and 29 both a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and a
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER were seen in the north cell at Swan Creek,
Anne Arundel Co, MD.
A BLACK TERN was seen at Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD on
September 23.
Three EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES* were seen in downtown South Boston,
Halifax Co, VA on September 28.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was at Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, VA,
seen on September 26.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were observed throughout the region during the
week.
An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen September 25 from the Sunset Beach
Inn, Northampton Co, VA. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen near the
stables at Rock Creek Park, NW DC on Sept 23. Also on September 23 a
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen at Rock Run Mill, Susquehanna State
Park, Harford Co, MD. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was found on
September 24 at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA. A bright
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was re-found at Brookside Gardens,
Montgomery Co, MD on September 25 and seen again on September 28. One
more YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was noted at Leesylvania SP on
September 26. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was at Greenbelt Lake,
Prince George's Co, MD on September 28. An ALDER FLYCATCHER was seen
at Hains Point, DC in the trees around the maintenance yard on
September 27.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO turned up at Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co,
MD on September 26. Another PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen in the
Greenbelt/Lake Artemesia area while yet another was at Leesylvania SP
on the same day. Another PHILADELPHIA VIREO was at Rock Creek Park, DC
on September 27.
SWAINSON'S and GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were seen at Monticello Park,
Alexandria VA on September 25. Both thrushes were also seen at
Cromwell Valley Park on the same day. Another GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was
seen at the Patuxent NWR, Prince George's Co, MD on September 25. Both
SWAINSON'S and GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were seen on a visit to the Blue
Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northwestern Loudon Co,
VA on September 26. A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was at Morgan Run, Carroll Co,
MD on September 27. A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was at Brookside Gardens,
Montgomery Co, MD on September 28.
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, Rock Creek Park, NW DC and
Cromwell Valley SP. Among the highlights were CAPE MAY WARBLERS at
Aspen Hill, Montgomery Co, MD on September 24; the Sunset Beach Inn,
Northampton Co, VA on September 25; Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co,
VA also on September 25; BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER at Parkview Trail,
Baltimore Co, MD on September 25; BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS on the
Quarantine Road path of Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA on
September 24; Little Falls Parkway, Montgomery Co, MD on September 25
and a backyard in Silver Spring, Montgomery Co, MD also on September
25; CONNECTICUT WARBLERS at Gambrill SP, Frederick Co MD on September
23; Governor's Bridge, Prince George's Co. MD on September 28;
MOURNING WARBLER on the campus of Flint Hill School in Oakton, Fairfax
Co, VA on September 28. On September 26, Leesylvania SP hosted CAPE
MAY, BLACKBURNIAN, BAY- BREASTED and CONNECTICUT WARBLERS.
A SUMMER TANAGER was seen at Cromwell Valley Park on Sept 22. A SUMMER
TANAGER visited a yard in Rockville, Montgomery Co, MD on September
23.
A LARK SPARROW was flushed from the road at Back Bay NWR, Virginia
Beach, VA on September 28. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen at Cromwell
Valley Park on Sept 26. Three LINCOLN'S SPARROWS appeared in a Howard
Co, MD yard on September 28.
Small numbers of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS popped up all over the area.
A DICKCISSEL was seen at Bayside, Assateague Island NS, Worcester CO,
MD on September 25 and 26.
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 |