-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 12:25 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 10/6/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               10/6/09
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, October 6, at 10:30 am.

Top birds this week are SWAINSON'S HAWK and LAZULI BUNTING* in VA.

Other birds of interest include COMMON SHELLDUCK, EARED GREBE, WHITE IBIS,
GOLDEN EAGLE, rails, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, COMMON
RAVEN, SEDGE WREN, thrushes, warblers, SUMMER TANAGER, and sparrows
including LARK.

A juvenile light morph SWAINSON'S HAWK flew by the Kiptopeke St Park
Hawkwatch in Northampton Co, VA on Oct 5.

A possible LAZULI BUNTING* was reported on Oct 4 from a private residence on
the northern edges of Kilmarnock, Lancaster Co, VA on the lower Northern
Neck.

A COMMON SHELDUCK, probably an escapee, was seen this past week at Prime
Hook NWR, DE along the beach road.

An EARED GREBE was seen in McCune's Pond near Fishersville in Augusta Co, VA
on both Oct 2nd and 3rd. 

An immature WHITE IBIS was seen Oct 1 in the southwest corner of Swan Cove
Pool, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA. 

For the most part the action at area hawkwatches was subdued this past week.
A GOLDEN EAGLE did fly by the Seaside Hawkwatch, Northampton Co, VA, on
September 29.

Three different species of rails, KING, VIRGINIA, and SORA, were seen at
Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on Oct 4.

A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen at Brandon Woods Park, Anne Arundel Co,
MD on Oct 1.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continued to pop up throughout the region with
reports from several back yards and hawkwatches as well as a family with two
adults and four juveniles who put on quite a show at Huntley Meadows Park,
Fairfax Co, VA on Oct 3 and 4.

A PHILADELPHIA VIREO continues to be seen at Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore
Co, MD, with reports from Sept 30 and Oct 2. Another PHILADELPHIA VIREO was
found at Fort Bayard Park, NW DC on Oct 1. Two PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were
found Oct 4 at the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD. A
PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen at the Harvey's Knob Hawkwatch, Roanoke, VA on
Oct 5.

COMMON RAVENS continue to be observed in areas where they were once
uncommon. This past week one was calling in Great Falls, Fairfax Co, VA on
Sept 30, another was found Oct 1 at Claude Moore Park in eastern Loudoun Co,
VA, and one was found near Gretna, Pittsylvania Co, VA on Oct 3.

A SEDGE WREN was found Oct 1 on Bell's Lane in Staunton, VA. WINTER WRENS
seemly popped up in a number of different locations.

GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were reported from several locations this past week. A
BICKNELL'S THRUSH was heard Oct 3 at Mattaponi Creek, Prince George's Co,
MD. 
 
Good numbers of warblers continued to be found this past week. The
highlights included an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER at Brookside Gardens,
Montgomery Co, MD on Sept 30 and a CONNECTICUT WARBLER that was banded at
the Kiptopeke SP banding station Oct 5.

A SUMMER TANAGER was found at Brookside Gardens on Sept 30.

A LARK SPARROW was found along the Marsh Trail at Chincoteague NWR on Oct 1.
Another LARK SPARROW was found Oct 4 in the vicinity of Fort Miles at Cape
Henlopen SP, DE; it was in a mixed flock of sparrows between Battery 519 and
the top of the dune. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen in the same area
earlier in the week. 

LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were seen in a variety of locations including Mt.
Pleasant, Howard Co, MD on Oct 2. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen at Wheaton
Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD on Oct 1. Single LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were
found Oct 2 at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD and Hashawha
Environmental Center, Carroll Co, MD. On Oct 3 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were found
at Pickering Creek and at Martin's Point Farm, both in Talbot Co, MD. 

A juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was found Oct 3 at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince
William 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