-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 6:07 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 10/26/10
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 10/26/2010
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
Compiler: Lydia Schindler/Bob Hartman
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, October 26, at
5 PM.
Top birds this week are SWAINSON'S HAWK in DE and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD in
MD.
Other birds of interest include geese and ducks, HORNED GREBE, NORTHERN
GANNET, AMERICAN BITTERN, WHITE IBIS, raptors including NORTHERN GOSHAWK and
GOLDEN EAGLE, shorebirds, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, CAVE SWALLOW, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, CEDAR WAXWING, warblers, sparrows including CLAY-COLORED, EASTERN
MEADOWLARK, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and PINE SISKIN.
An immature SWAINSON'S HAWK was found in the vicinity of Prime Hook NWR, DE,
on the afternoon of Oct 23. It was seen again Oct 24, 25, and
26 near the intersection of Cods Rd and Fowler Beach Rd.
The YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD discovered last week in St Mary's Co was
glimpsed briefly on Oct 19 but not thereafter.
An adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was again seen at the Chestertown WWTP
off John Hanson Road, Kent Co, MD, on Oct 19. That same day a ROSS'S GOOSE
was observed at Great Oaks Pond, Kent Co. Reports of CACKLING GOOSE came
from Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co, MD on Oct 21 and from the
Salisbury landfill, Wicomico Co, MD on Oct 23.
A juvenile male COMMON EIDER was spotted at Indian River Inlet, DE, on Oct
20, and seen as recently as Oct 25. Seven RUDDY DUCKS found Oct 19 were a
new entry for the checklist at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co, VA.
Some 840 RUDDY DUCKS were among 13 species of duck spotted during a trip to
Poplar Island, Talbot Co, on Oct 25.
A HORNED GREBE showed up at Liberty Lake, off Oakland Rd, in Carroll Co, MD,
on Oct 22.
Hundreds of NORTHERN GANNETS engaged in a feeding frenzy off Cape Henlopen,
DE, on Oct 22.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was found Oct 23 along Sands Rd, Anne Arundel Co, MD.
Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, hosted 20 WHITE IBIS on Oct 21.
Raptor migration is slowing overall. Outstanding among numerous sightings of
NORTHERN HARRIERS was the report of 19 at Bombay Hook NWR, DE, on Oct 21.
Hawkwatchers at Cape Henlopen got a "great look"
at a NORTHERN GOSHAWK on Oct 23. On Oct 22 a NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over a
property in Baltimore Co. On Oct 22 a GOLDEN EAGLE flew over the hawk watch
at Turkey Point in Elk Neck SP, Cecil Co, MD; on Oct 24 a GOLDEN EAGLE was
tallied at the hawk watch at Cromwell Valley SP, Baltimore Co. One of
several MERLIN sightings took place on Oct 20, when one flew past Children's
National Medical Center, NE DC--pursued by 2 crows. Six MERLINS were tallied
at the Cape Henlopen hawk watch on Oct 25, along with 5 PEREGRINE FALCONS.
On Oct 21 and 22, more than 60 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS congregated in a
plowed field at the intersection of MD 514/Flatland Rd and Mary Morris Rd,
outside Chestertown, Kent Co, MD. An UPLAND SANDPIPER was seen Oct 19 along
Haven Beach Rd, Matthews Co, VA. On Oct 23, there were 13 HUDSONIAN GODWITS,
and 1 MARBLED GODWIT, at Bombay Hook NWR.
On Oct 19 3 MARBLED GODWITS were spotted on Skimmer Island, Ocean City, MD.
A male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues to visit a feeder in Woodbridge, Prince
William Co. Directions are available on VA-Bird.
CAVE SWALLOWS showed up in DE this week. One was seen along Rte 1 in the
vicinity of Prime Hook NWR on Oct 23; that same day a flock of 9 was
recorded at the Cape Henlopen hawk watch.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE reports continue. Birds were photographed in Elkton,
Cecil Co, and at Courthouse Point WMA, Cecil Co; on Oct 21 a BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE bird was netted at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Prince
George's Co, MD. Others were noted at Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co,
MD, Harford Glen Park, Harford Co MD; and Loch Raven Reservoir, Baltimore
Co.
A few warblers are still straggling through, including, this week, late
YELLOW and HOODED WARBLERS.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found Oct 23 in DE, along Deep Branch Rd near a
sign for Prime Hook. On Oct 24, a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found at
Greenbury Pt in Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co. A FOX SPARROW was seen Oct 23 at
Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD, and another Oct 24 at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co,
VA.
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS continue to be widespread. A VESPER SPARROW was found Oct
20 at Sands Park in southern Anne Arundel Co, and seen again Oct 23. Other
VESPER SPARROWS were reported from Assateague Island NS Oct 23; Blue Mash
Oct 23; Kenilworth Park, NE DC, Oct 24; and Milltown Landing WMA, Anne
Arundel Co, Oct 25.
An EASTERN MEADOWLARK made a surprise appearance in the District of
Columbia, showing up Oct 24 and 25 at Kenilworth Park.
RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were noted at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co,
Oct 23; at Occoquan NWR, Prince William Co, VA, Oct 23; and at Hughes
Hollow, Montgomery Co, Oct 24
Among numerous PINE SISKIN sightings, 140 of the birds were observed at Cape
Henlopen on Oct 23.
Most 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 |