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FW: DC Area, 5/11/10

From:

Norm Saunders

Reply-To:

Norm Saunders

Date:

Tue, 11 May 2010 21:19:42 -0400

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 4:08 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 5/11/10

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               5/11/2010
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, May 11, at 4
PM.

Top birds this week are ANHINGA in VA; SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in VA;
MISSISSIPPI KITE in MD and VA; LONG-TAILED JAEGER in DC and SEDGE WREN
in MD.

Other birds of interest include AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, PEREGRINE
FALCON, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT,
shorebirds, terns, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, WHIP-POOR-WILL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER,
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, swallows, MARSH WREN, GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH,
SWAINSON'S THRUSH, warblers, tanagers, sparrows, ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK, BLUE GROSBEAK, INDIGO BUNTING and BOBOLINK.

An ANHINGA was sighted at Betts Pond, Rte 637(Betts Bottom Road) near
Heathsville in central Northumberland Co, VA on May 6.

A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE made a brief appearance near Great Dismal Swamp
NWR on May 8.  MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen from many locations
including: the Kings Park subdivision, Springfield, Fairfax Co, VA on
May 6; Lake Accotink, Fairfax Co, VA on May 7 and 8; Allens Fresh,
Charles Co, MD and Dixie Lyon Road, St. Mary's Co, MD, also on May 8;
Burke, Fairfax Co, VA on May 8 and 9; from a farm on Wolf Trap Road,
Halifax Co, VA on May 9 and 10 and over the Waynewood subdivision,
Fairfax Co, VA on May 9.

A LONG-TAILED JAEGER flew over Hains Point, DC and soared up the
Potomac River on May 8.

Two SEDGE WRENS were found at Cornfield Harbor Road, near Point
Lookout SP, St. Mary's Co, MD and were there from May 5 to 8.

An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen on the Prince William Co side of
Belmont Bay from Occoquan Bay NWR on May 8.
 
A PEREGRINE FALCON was observed herding pigeons on the Mall, DC on May
10.

A SANDHILL CRANE was observed at Manassas Battlefield, Prince William
Co, VA on May 9. 

AMERICAN AVOCETS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS were at Poplar Island, Talbot
Co, MD on May 5.  A BLACK-NECKED STILT was seen at Truitt's Landing,
Worcester Co, MD on May 8.

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were at Occoquan Bay, Prince William Co, VA and
Hunting Creek, Fairfax Co, VA on May 9.
 
A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was seen on a large pond on Rte 313 north of
Sudlersville, Queen Anne's Co, MD with reports from May 5, 6 and 7.
The PHALAROPE was accompanied by SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and SOLITARY,
SPOTTED, PECTORAL and LEAST SANDPIPERS plus GREATER and LESSER
YELLOWLEGS on May 6.  A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was at Poplar Island,
Talbot Co, on May 5.  A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was found in the north cell
of Craney Island with a report from May 6.  A trip to Hart-Miller
Island, Baltimore Co, MD on May 10 tallied twelve shorebird species
including a WILSON'S PHALAROPE.  A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was at
Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD on May 10.

TWO GULL-BILLED TERNS were working the marsh at Hoffler Park in
Portsmouth, VA on May 4.  LEAST TERNS were seen at North Beach,
Calvert Co, MD on May 9.

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO has been heard/seen south of Devil's Backbone
Brewery near Roseland/Nellysford, Nelson Co, VA on May 4 to 7. Another
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was spotted in Aspen Hill Park, Rockville,
Montgomery Co, MD on May 7.  A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was a highlight of
the May count in Gwynns Falls/Leaking Park, Baltimore, MD on May 8.  A
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found at Long Branch Stream Valley Park,
Annandale, Fairfax Co, VA on May 9.  YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS have
arrived in the area with many reports from across the region.

Three CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOWS were calling along Gregory Road, Talbot Co,
MD on May 5.  A CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW was heard at Blenheim Road at
Hardware River in Albemarle Co, VA on May 6.  An early morning visit
to the St. Mary's County airport on May 8 for nightjars produced
COMMON NIGHTHAWK, CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW and WHIP-POOR-WILL.
 
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER put in an appearance at the Middle Patuxent
Environmental Area (MPEA), Howard Co, MD on May 4. A RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER flew over the Hagerstown Airport, Washington Co, MD on May
5. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA on
May 9.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was found at MPEA, Howard Co, MD as part of
the May Count on May 8 was re-found on May 9.

Swallow sightings include numerous reports of PURPLE MARTINS, TREE,
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, BANK, CLIFF and BARN SWALLOWS. 

Two MARSH WRENS were singing at Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford Co, MD
on May 6.

A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was at the Nature Center, Rock Creek Park, DC on
May 11.  SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were noted at the Henryton area of
Patapsco Valley SP and MPEA, Howard Co, MD on May 4. Various numbers
of SWAINSON'S THRUSHS were seen at the Nature Center, Rock Creek Park,
DC, during the week.  Four SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were at Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, VA on May 7.  Another SWAINSON'S THRUSH was at MPEA
on May 10.

CEDAR WAXWINGS were spotted at the Hagerstown Mall Ponds, 
Washington Co, MD on May 5.  Some twenty CEDAR WAXWINGS were plucking
cherries in a yard in Darnestown, Montgomery Co, MD on May 7.

Warblers are showing beautiful breeding colors. Arrivals continue to
appear in our region and include most of the common species.  Notable
venues include Thompson WMA, Fauquier Co, VA; Rock Creek Park, DC;
Upper Watts Branch, Montgomery Co, MD; Flag Ponds Nature Park, Calvert
Co, MD; Susquehanna State Park, Harford Co, MD; Blue Ridge Center for
Environmental Stewardship, Loudoun Co, VA and Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co,
VA

SUMMER and SCARLET TANAGERS have been brightening the woods throughout
the region.

Sparrow reports have included a LARK SPARROW at Haines Point on May 5.
The banding station at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA caught
a LINCOLN'S SPARROW on May 8, a first for the season. The Seneca Creek
Wetlands, Montgomery Co, MD hosted a LINCOLN'S SPARROW on May 9.

ROSE-BREASTED and BLUE GROSBEAKS along with INDIGO BUNTINGS have been
the subject of many reports in the region.
  
BOBOLINKS continue to migrate through the area with reports from
various sites. 

Numerous other colorful arrivals are in our region.

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