-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 5:25 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 4/13/10
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/13/10
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, April 13, at 10 AM.
Top birds this week are YELLOW RAIL* in MD, RUFF in MD, and PAINTED BUNTING
in MD.
Other birds of interest include ducks, WILD TURKEY, RUFFED GROUSE,
RING-NECKED PHEASANT, AMERICAN BITTERN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON,
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, PEREGRINE FALCON, VIRGINIA RAIL,
SORA, shorebirds, LITTLE GULL, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, WHIP-POOR-WILL,
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BANK and CLIFF SWALLOW, warblers including SWAINSON'S,
VESPER SPARROW, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD.
A YELLOW RAIL*, as well as a VIRGINIA RAIL and a SORA, were found at Swan
Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 10.
A RUFF was found behind the visitor's center at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester
Co, MD on April 11 and seen again on April 12 in the same location. It was
best viewed from the Wildlife Drive near Marker 10 and the Osprey Cam.
The PAINTED BUNTING on Wakefield Lane in Bowie, Prince George's Co, MD
continues to frequent a feeder there with the most recent sighting on April
12.
A LONG-TAILED DUCK continued to be seen on Cash Lake, Patuxent Research NWR
(south tract), Prince George's Co, MD, with a report from April 9.
People had the pleasure of seeing WILD TURKEYS, including displaying toms,
pop up at a number of locations this past week including Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, VA.
Two RUFFED GROUSE were found at Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co, MD on April
7 and one was seen there on April 10. A RUFFED GROUSE was seen April
11 along the Asa Durst trail off of West Shale Road in Garrett Co, MD.
On April 10 a RING-NECKED PHEASANT flew over Rte 15 and landed in a field
just north of the Rte 140 overpass in the vicinity of Emmitsburg, Frederick
Co, MD.
AMERICAN BITTERNS were reported from several locations including one in
Carroll Co, MD on April 9 near the swamp along John Owings Rd.
Another was seen April 12 in the wetlands behind a backyard near Leesburg,
Loudoun Co, VA. Three AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen April 12 at Swan Harbor
Farms, Harford Co, MD.
Three YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were reported April 13 as returning to
their nesting site over the Jones Falls, near Stieff Silver, Baltimore, MD.
Another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was spotted from the Cape Henlopen SP Hawkwatch,
Sussex Co, DE on April 10. On April 10 a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen flying
low in a northwesterly direction over Lakeside Business Park in Edgewood,
Harford Co, MD.
A PEREGRINE FALCON continues to be seen at the Legg Mason Building in
Baltimore with a report from April 7.
A SORA was found April 11 at Greenbury Point, Anne Arundel Co, MD.
There was also one and possibly two at Swan Harbor Farms, Harford Co, MD on
April 12.
An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER and four AMERICAN AVOCETS were among the several
shorebirds found April 12 on the weekly trip to Hart-Miller Island,
Baltimore Co, MD.
Over 400 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and one STILT SANDPIPER were among the
shorebirds found in a flooded field along Shiloh Church Rd south of Hurlock,
Dorchester Co, MD on April 11.
A LITTLE GULL was seen on April 8 at Augustine Beach, New Castle Co, DE. A
LITTLE GULL was also seen April 12 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD.
On April 13 a LITTLE GULL was found at Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach, VA.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was found again this week in Somerset Co, MD, on
April 7.
A WHIP-POOR-WILL announced himself in Burnt Chimney, Franklin Co, VA on
April 10.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was found at Hillandale Park in Harrisonburg, VA on
April 9 and 10.
A single BANK SWALLOW was seen April 11 flying over the baseball fields at
Davidsonville Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD. On April 12 four BANK SWALLOWS were
seen at Swan Harbor Farms, Harford Co, MD. The CLIFF SWALLOWS that nest
under the Rte 58 bridges over Kerr Lake, Mecklenburg Co, VA were observed on
April 9. CLIFF SWALLOWS were also seen April 11 and 12 flying around
Brighton Dam in Montgomery Co, MD.
Warbler numbers continued to swell this past week including a BLUE-WINGED
WARBLER at Little Bennett Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD on April 10. A
SWAINSON'S WARBLER was observed April 7 along the Washington Ditch in the
Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA about 3/4 of the way to the intersection
with Lynn Ditch.
VESPER SPARROWS continue to be seen at several sites including one on April
7 along Old Morgantown Rd W, Garrett Co, MD. Three VESPER SPARROWS were seen
near the Visitor Center at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, on April 10. One was
seen at Aquasco Farm in southeast Prince George's Co, MD on April 10. A
VESPER SPARROW was found April 7 and 10 at Belmead, Powhatan Co, VA. There
was also a VESPER SPARROW at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co., MD on
April 10.
Over a hundred RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found April 11 in a large flock of
blackbirds at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax 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 |