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FW: DC Area, 01/05/10

From:

Norm Saunders

Reply-To:

Norm Saunders

Date:

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:29:00 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 8:46 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 01/05/10

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               01/05/10
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, January 5, at 8:00 am.

Top birds this week were ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER* and HARRIS'S
SPARROW* in VA and WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBE* in MD.

Other birds of interest include Geese, EURASIAN WIGEON, COMMON EIDER,
PACIFIC LOON*, EARED GREBE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, GREAT CORMORANT,
ANHINGA, GREAT EGRET, GREEN HERON, OSPREY, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, KING
RAIL, VIRGINIA RAIL, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, gulls, NORTHERN SHRIKE,
BLUE-HEADED VIREO, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER,
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER,
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, LARK SPARROW, LAPLAND LONGSPUR,
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and RED
CROSSBILL.

Despite the bitter wind chills from the howling winds, birders completed a
number of Christmas Bird Counts this past weekend and many species unusual
for the season were found. Congratulations to all! 

A bird that was either a WESTERN* or a CLARK'S GREBE* was seen Jan 3 near
the mouth of the Magothy River in Cape St. Claire, Anne Arundel Co, MD
during the Annapolis Christmas Count. Direct access in Cape St Claire is
restricted and birders might try from nearby Sandy Point St Park.

Two ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS* were spotted on Tim Rd, Virginia Beach, VA on
Dec 31 on the Little Creek Christmas Count. The birds were also seen on Jan
1 and 3. Birders are cautioned to be very careful in the area.

A HARRIS'S SPARROW* is making sporadic appearances in Rockbridge Co, VA. It
was seen from Dec 30 through Jan 3 along Hyde Rd (Rt 727) about
.4 mile from its intersection with Brownsburg Turnpike (Rt 252).

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were found at several locations including
Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD on Dec 30, Bear Swamp, Bombay
Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on Jan 4, Shiloh School RD about 6 miles north of
Kilmarnock, Northumberland Co, VA on Dec 31, and Hunting Creek, Alexandria,
VA on Jan 2. A ROSS'S GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE were seen at Blackwater
NWR, Dorchester Co, MD on Dec 30. Single CACKLING GEESE also were spotted at
St. Margarets, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Dec 31, Dairy Farm Rd, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on Dec 31, Underwood Rd, Howard Co, MD on Dec 31, Hains Point,
Washington, DC on Jan 2, Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA on Jan 3,
and Greenbelt Lake, Prince Georges Co, MD on Jan 4.

A male EURASIAN WIGEON was in Swan Cove, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA
on Dec 31 and Jan 3. A EURASIAN WIGEON was seen in the Assawoman Wildlife
Area, Sussex Co, DE on Jan 2. Four COMMON EIDERS were in the Ocean City,
Worcester Co, MD inlet on Dec 30 and 3 were there on Jan 3. Five COMMON
EIDERS were found at Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co, DE on Dec 30 and 4 were
there on Jan 1.

A PACIFIC LOON* drifted down the Lafayette River in Norfolk, VA on Jan 3. An
EARED GREBE was in the Ocean City, MD inlet on Jan 3.

An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN flew by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Anne Arundel,
Co, MD on Dec 31. Eight AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were spotted on the wildlife
drive at Chincoteague NWR on Jan 3.

Sightings of GREAT CORMORANT included one at the Ocean City inlet on Dec 30
and Jan 3, 5 at Indian River Inlet on Dec 30, and 1 at Sandy Point SP on Dec
31. Three ANHINGAS were seen in Virginia Beach on Dec 31.

A GREAT EGRET was found on Ft Belvoir, Fairfax Co, VA on Jan 3. An unusually
lingering GREEN HERON was found in Ben Brenman Park, Alexandria, VA on Jan
1.

An OSPREY was seen at Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, Arlington, VA on Jan
1. A MERLIN and a PEREGRINE FALCON were in Perryville Community Park, Cecil
Co, MD on Jan 3. A MERLIN was at Occoquan Bay NWR on Jan 3. Another MERLIN
was seen at Hains Point, Washington, DC on Jan 4. A PEREGRINE FALCON was
found along the Potomac River between Dickerson, Montgomery Co, MD and the
Monocacy Aqueduct on Jan 3. Two PEREGRINE FALCONS were on the Wilson Bridge,
Prince Georges Co, MD on Jan 2.
Another PEREGRINE FALCON was found in Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, VA
on Jan 3.

A KING RAIL was seen in Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on Jan 1 and
Jan 3. A VIRGINIA RAIL was heard along the RFK access trail in Washington,
DC on Jan 1 and one was seen in Huntley Meadows Park on Jan 3.

Four LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were spotted on Sinepuxent Bay, Worcester Co, MD
on Dec 30. 

A BLACK-HEADED GULL was at the Ocean City Inlet on December 30.
Another BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen at Indian River Inlet on Jan 1. One other
BLACK-HEADED GULL was in the town of Chincoteague, VA on Dec 29 and 31. A
second winter KUMILIEN'S ICELAND GULL was found in the Prince William Co, VA
landfill on Dec 31. An adult ICELAND GULL was seen in North East Town Park,
Cecil Co, MD on Dec 31. An immature ICELAND GULL was in Swan Cove,
Chincoteague NWR on Jan 3. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were in several
locations including North East Town Park on Dec 31, Prince William and
Fauquier Co, VA landfills on Dec 31, Anacostia Park, Washington DC on Jan 2,
and the Easton, MD water treatment plant on Dec 30. A GLAUCOUS GULL was
found in Hallowing Pt Estates, Mason Neck, Fairfax Co, VA on Jan 3.

A NORTHERN SHIKE reappeared near the intersection of Rt 544 and Kibler
Roads, Queen Annes Co, MD on Jan 4.

Despite the record snow falls followed by very cold temperatures and very
strong winds, area Christmas Bird Counts turned up a remarkable number of
out-of-season songbirds. The Rehoboth, DE Count had a BLUE-HEADED VIREO at
Holt's Landing SP on Jan 2. The Washington, DC Count, also on Jan 2, had
four ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS including one at Ft Foote, one in Anacostia
Park, one at Dyke Marsh, and one at Jones Point. The Washington Count also
had a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER at Jones Point and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER at
Dyke Marsh. The Calmes Neck Count had a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at a feeder
in western Loudoun Co, VA on Jan 3. The Ft Belvoir Count on Jan 3 had a
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH at Fountainhead Park, Fairfax Co, VA, a BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHER at Hard Bargain Farm, Charles Co, MD, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
at Indian Head, Charles Co, MD, and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in the Burke
Lake, Fairfax Co, MD area.    

AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were scattered across the region in small numbers.
Locations include Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA on Dec 31, Beltsville
Agricultural Center, Prince Georges Co, MD on Jan 1, Davidsonville Park,
Anne Arundel Co, MD on Jan 1, Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA on Jan
1 and 3, Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA on Jan 2, Oxon Farm Park, Prince
Georges Co, MD on Jan 2, western Loudoun Co, VA on Jan 3, and Schooley Mill
Park, Howard Co, MD on Jan 4.

Two LARK SPARROWS were found on the Cape Charles, VA Christmas Bird Count on
Dec 30.

Two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen along Underwood Rd, Howard Co, MD near Rt 99
on Dec 31. Four LAPLAND LONGSPURS were along Raymond Neck Rd near Bombay
Hook NWR, DE on Dec 30. Five LAPLAND LONGSPURS were on the runways of the
Patuxent River Naval Air Station, St Marys Co, MD on Jan 3. 

A BREWER'S BLACKBIRD was found in the Hallowing Pt Estates, Mason Neck on
Jan 3. A BALTIMORE ORIOLE graced a feeder in Croom, Prince Georges Co, MD on
Dec 31 and Jan 1.

RED CROSSBILLS flew over Shenandoah MT between Augusta and Highland Cos on
Jan 1.

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