-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 8:30 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 12/22/09

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               12/22/09
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, Dec 22, at 7:30 am.

Top bird this week is any bird you were able to see during the historic snow
storm of Dec 19.

Other birds of interest include GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE,
LONG-TAILED DUCK, EARED GREBE, BROWN PELICAN, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT,
NORTHERN GOSHAWK, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, WILSON'S SNIPE, THAYER'S GULL,
ICELAND GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, WHITE-WINGED DOVE*, RED-COCKADED
WOODPECKER*, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, PAINTED BUNTING, BALTIMORE
ORIOLE, PURPLE FINCH and EVENING GROSBEAK.

Several Christmas Bird Counts were snowed out this past weekend.
Compilers are attempting to reschedule. Please look for details online or
directly from the relevant compiler. Your help is needed more than ever. 

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen in a large SNOW GOOSE flock on the
corner of Rt 50 and Woodyard Rd, Wicomico Co, MD on Dec 21.
Another GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at Herrington Harbor, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on Dec 21. A CACKLING GOOSE was found on Dec 16 at Hains Point,
Washington, DC and perhaps the same bird was seen between the 14th St and
Memorial Bridges, Washington, DC on Dec 18 and in the Tidal Basin near the
Jefferson Memorial on Dec 15. At least two CACKLING GEESE were spotted on
Jug Bay, Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Co, MD on Dec 18 and 20. Two
CACKLING GEESE were in Charles City Co, VA on Dec 20. Another CACKLING GOOSE
was on Mill Creek Lake, Amherst Co, VA on Dec 21.  

Four LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen on the Potomac River near Piscataway Park,
Prince Georges Co, MD on Dec 16. Two LONG-TAILED DUCKS and a REDHEAD were on
the lake at Black Hill Reg Park, Montgomery Co, MD on Dec 20.

An EARED GREBE was found near the Assateague Island Causeway in Worcester
Co, MD on Dec 16.

Some 60 BROWN PELICANS were still at Point Lookout, St Marys Co, MD on Dec
15.

An unusual record for DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT comes from the Catoctin CBC,
Carroll Co, MD on Dec 14.

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving
Ground, Harford Co, MD on Dec 18. An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK raided a bird
feeder in a Kensington, Montgomery Co, MD back yard on Dec 20.

A MERLIN was spotted during the week at the Beltsville Agricultural Research
Center, Prince Georges Co, MD. A MERLIN  flew over Black Hill Reg Park on
Dec 20. A PEREGRINE FALCON continues in the area of Bailey's Crossroads,
Fairfax Co, VA.

Twenty one WILSON'S SNIPE were seen from the Anne Arundel Co, MD side of Jug
Bay on Dec 18. 

A probable first winter THAYER'S GULL and an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
were found on Schoolhouse Pond, Prince Georges Co, MD on Dec 18.
A THAYER'S GULL and 5 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen at North East Town
Park, Cecil Co, MD on Dec 21. Five LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were at the
Fauquier Co, VA landfill on Dec 18. A first winter and a second winter
ICELAND GULL of the Kumlien's subspecies were found at the Prince William
Co, VA landfill on Dec 18 along with a first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL.  

A WHITE-WINGED DOVE* was photographed in a Chesapeake, VA yard on Dec 20.

The Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary College and The
Nature Conservancy announced that the Conservancy's Piney Grove Preserve
reached a record high 41 RED-COCKADED WOODPECKERS* in 8 clusters during the
annual winter survey.

A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen Dec 16 along Interior Ditch in the Great Dismal
Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA.

The only LAPLAND LONGSPUR reports this past week were a bird in Rockingham
Co, VA and two birds in Kennedyville, Kent Co, MD on Dec 21. 

A male PAINTED BUNTING was observed at a feeder in Williamsburg, VA on Dec
17. A female PAINTED BUNTING visited the same yard as the White-winged Dove
in Chesapeake, VA on Dec 20.

A BALTIMORE ORIOLE continued at a feeder in Charles Co, MD through Dec 17.

Small numbers of PURPLE FINCHES were reported at feeders across the region
after the snow storm.

An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen from a yard in Jarrettsville, Harford Co, MD on
Dec 20. 

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