-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 10:44 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 9/28/10

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               9/28/2010
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, September 28, at 8 AM.

Top birds this week are CASSIN'S SPARROW* and SABINE'S GULL* in MD and LARK
BUNTING* in DE.

Other birds of interest include WHITE IBIS, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BROAD-WINGED
HAWK, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, shorebirds, PARASITIC JAEGER, YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, AMERICAN PIPIT, CONNECTICUT and MOURNING
warblers, LINCOLN'S SPARROW and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 

A CASSIN'S SPARROW* was seen at Point Lookout SP, St Mary's Co, MD on Sep 26
and 27. It was near the lighthouse on the morning of the 27th.

A juvenile SABINE'S GULL* was found on the Chesapeake Bay a few miles south
of Tilghman's Island, Talbot Co, MD on Sep 25.

A LARK BUNTING* was occasionally seen at Raymond Pool, Bombay Hook NWR, Kent
Co, DE on Sep 21 and 25.

There were 8 WHITE IBIS on the bayside of Assateague Island National
Seashore in MD on Sep 24. An immature WHITE IBIS was on the flats at
Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach, VA on Sep 24. Chincoteague NWR, Accomack
Co, VA hosted 39 WHITE IBIS on Sep 23.

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was spotted at Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co, MD on Sep
21. A possible juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK was found at the Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center, Prince Georges Co, MD  on Sep 23.

Significant kettles of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS continued during the week.
High counts included 3387 at Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD on Sep
21; 3172 at Snicker's Gap Clarke/Loudoun Co, VA on Sep 22 and 2969 there on
Sep 21; 7015 at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, Afton/Augusta Co, VA on Sep 23
and 6264 there on Sep 22. 

Falcon migration is picking up. There were 65 MERLINS over Kiptopeke,
Northampton Co, VA on Sep 23 and 37 seen from Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co,
DE on Sep 26. Hawkwatchers also saw 14 PEREGRINES at Cape Henlopen on Sep
26. A pair of PEREGRINES roosted on the NOAA building in downtown Silver
Spring, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 24 and a pair were seen over Arlington, VA
on Sep 25.

Five AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were at Swan Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD on Sep
22 and another was seen at Bombay Hook NWR on Sep 25. Four AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS were at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on Sep 23. A HUDSONIAN
GODWIT and a MARBLED GODWIT were seen at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA
on Sep 23. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT and a MARBLED GODWIT were found at Bombay Hook
NWR on Sep 22 and 3 MARBLEDS and one HUDSONIAN were there on Sep 25. A
MARBLED GODWIT was on Bethel Beach, Mathews Co, VA on Sep 26. 

A RED KNOT, away from its usual haunts, was in North Beach marsh, Calvert
Co, MD Sep 24 through 27. Also there was a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. A
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was at Poplar Island on Sep 23 and another was on the
Chesapeake Bay south of Tilghman Island on Sep 25.
 
A juvenile PARASITIC JAEGER was seen off the ocean side of Cape Henlopen on
Sep 23. Perhaps the same bird was seen from Assateague Island National
Seashore on Sep 24. 

There were YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER reports from Governor Bridge Natural
Area, Prince Georges Co, MD on Sep 22, Bombay Hook NWR on Sep 25, the
Maintenance Yard in Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC on Sep 26, and
Rockville, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 26.

There have been many reports of PHILADELPHIA VIREOS during this migration.
Locations this past week include Wheaton Regional Park, Montgomery Co, MD on
Sep 21, Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC on Sep 21,  Cape Henlopen SP on Sep
21, Bethesda, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 22, Governor Bridge Natural Area on
Sep 22, Robert E Lee Park, Baltimore Co, MD on Sep 23, Sands Road Park, Anne
Arundel Co, MD on Sep 23, Paris, VA on Sep 25, Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince
William Co, VA on Sep 26, and Washington Monument SP, Washington Co, MD on
Sep 26.

Single AMERICAN PIPITS were seen at the Blue Mash Trail, Montgomery Co, MD
on Sep 23 and Lake Needwood, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 26. 

Hot spots for warblers this week included Cape Henlopen SP with 18 species
on Sep 22, Mariner's Museum Park in Newport News, VA with 15 species on Sep
26, Occoquan Bay NWR with 15 species on Sep 26, Cromwell Valley Park with 12
species on Sep 21 and 26, and Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC with 12
species on Sep 26.

CONNECTICUT WARBLERS appeared in Milford Neck Wildlife Area, Kent Co, DE on
Sep 21, Cape Henlopen SP on Sep 21, Sands Road Park on Sep 23 and 25, Rock
Creek Regional Park near Meadowside Nature Center, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep
26, Rock Creek Park in DC on Sep 26, and Cromwell Valley Park on Sep 26.
 
MOURNING WARBLERS were seen at Schooley Mill Park, Howard Co, MD on Sep 24,
and Cromwell Valley Park on Sep 26.

Once again there were many sightings of LINCOLN'S SPARROW. They were seen at
Cromwell Valley Park on Sep 21, Cape Henlopen SP on Sep 21, Piney Run Park,
Carroll Co, MD on Sep 22, Mt Pleasant Farm, Howard Co, MD on Sep 22, Robert
E Lee Park on Sep 23, Sands Road Park on Sep 23 and 25, and Northwest Branch
Park, Montgomery Co, MD on Sep 24.

A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was found at Lynnhaven Inlet on Sep 26. 

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. 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