-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 1:07 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 1/18/11
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 1/18/2011
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
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, Jan. 18, at 11 AM.
Top birds this week are WHITE-WINGED DOVE* in MD, ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* in
VA, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD* in VA, and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW* in MD.
Other birds of interest include waterfowl, WHITE IBIS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK,
GOLDEN EAGLE, PURPLE SANDPIPER, gulls, DOVEKIE, SHORT-EARED OWL, RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, NORTHERN SHRIKE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE,
nuthatches, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, SNOW BUNTING, RUSTY and BREWER'S
BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN, and COMMON REDPOLL.
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE* is visiting feeders near Monrovia, Frederick Co, MD and
was first reported on Jan 15 and seen most recently the morning of Jan 18.
It is at 12439 Fingerboard Rd, Monrovia, MD 21770 which is between
Bartholows Rd and Kemptown Church Rd. The feeders can be easily viewed from
the corner of Kemptown Church Rd and Sandra Lee Ct. Stay on the edge of the
road and do not trespass on to private property. Because parking is limited
it may be necessary to park some distance away so you can see this bird
without trespassing or violating the neighbor's privacy.
The hatch year female ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* was still visiting feeders in a
yard in Chester, VA as of Jan 18.
The MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD* first reported two weeks ago at Oyster, Northampton
Co, VA was seen again on Jan 16 and 17. It is being seen at the entrance to
the World Healing Institute north of Oyster, on Seaside Rd [please do not
enter the institute grounds.]
The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW* found Dec 19 continues to be seen at Chesapeake
Farms, Kent Co, MD, with the most recent report from Jan 17. The bird
continues to be seen foraging with other sparrows on the entrance road to
the headquarters off Ricauds Branch Rd.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found Jan 13 south of Pocomoke HS,
Worcester Co, MD. Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were found Jan 16 at River
Stone Industrial Park just west of South Boston, Halifax Co, VA on HWY 58W.
Also on Jan 16 two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were among nearly 3,000
Canada Geese on Rte 309 just north of Rte 404, Queen Anne's Co, MD.
The ROSS'S GOOSE behind the Wal-Mart in Madison Heights, Amherst Co, VA and
the three ROSS'S GEESE at Lake Thrasher, Amherst Co, were still being seen
as of Jan 15. Two ROSS'S GEESE were seen Jan 15 in the cove to the left of
Palmer Point, Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, VA. A ROSS'S GOOSE was seen
Jan 13 along the west side of Rte 258 just north of the Isle of Wight Co
(VA) Courthouse. The ROSS'S GOOSE that is east of the junction of VA 47 and
County Line Rd in northern Charlotte Co, VA was seen again on Jan 16. A
ROSS'S GOOSE was picked out of a large flock of Snow Geese at Blackwater
NWR, Dorchester Co, MD on Jan 17.
A CACKLING GOOSE was found Jan 14 at Hains Point, SW DC on Jan 13. A
CACKLING GOOSE was also found in a flock of 2500 Canada Geese along Turkey
Island Rd, Henrico Co, MD. A CACKLING GOOSE was found Jan 16 along St. Louis
Rd in southwestern Loudoun Co, VA.
A COMMON TEAL, the European counterpoint to our Green-winged Teal, was found
Jan 15 at Truitt's Landing Rd, Worcester Co, MD. The HARLEQUIN DUCK at Fort
Armistead Park, Baltimore, MD, was seen again this week with the most recent
sighting on Jan 17. A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen Jan 16 and 17 at the
private Horn Point Harbor Marina, Annapolis, MD though it is sometimes
visible from Horn Point Park. COMMON EIDERS were seen Jan 11 in the Ocean
City (Inlet), Worcester Co, MD; another was seen Jan 13 in Rudee Inlet,
Virginia Beach, VA.
Two WHITE IBIS were found Jan 11 in Locustville, Accomack Co, VA.
Two light-phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen Jan 15 in Stuarts Draft (Hall
School Rd & Swoope on Rte 708 at the Riley's farm), Augusta Co, VA. A
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen Jan 14 flying over the James Rumsey Technical
Institute field near Martinsburg, Berkeley Co, WV. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was
seen working the airfield Jan 16 at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility near
Chincoteague, Accomack Co, VA.
GOLDEN EAGLES were reported from several locations this past week. One was
seen Jan 12 flying over the sheep farm near Reeses Corner, Kent Co, MD; one
was seen Jan 13 flying over the Ashland Nature Center, New Castle Co, DE;
and another was seen flying overhead Jan 16 from the Merkle Wildlife
Sanctuary, Prince George's Co, MD.
PURPLE SANDPIPERS were seen on the jetties at Chesapeake Beach, Calvert Co,
MD on Jan 15 and 16.
An ICELAND GULL was seen Jan 12 from Sandy Point SP, Anne Arundel Co, MD
while another was seen from Jan 13 through the 17th from the Hemingway's
Restaurant parking lot and the Bay Bridge Marina at the east end of the Bay
Bridge, Kent Island, MD. An ICELAND GULL and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were
seen Jan 11 at the lake across from the Henrico Co, VA landfill. An ICELAND
GULL and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were also seen Jan 16 in Jug Bay from
Selby's Landing, Prince George's Co, MD. Some of the other locations where
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were found during the week included one on Jan 11
at Schoolhouse Pond, Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co, MD; another on Jan
13 near Fort Armistead; and still another on Jan 15 sitting on the ice at
Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, VA. A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen Jan 15 at
Rudee Inlet, Virginia Beach. Two first-cycle GLAUCOUS GULLS were found Jan
16 at the Salisbury landfill, Wicomico Co, MD along with three LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULLS.
A DOVEKIE was seen flying over the ocean Jan 12 at Chincoteague NWR,
Accomack Co, VA.
SHORT-EARED OWLS appear to have returned to northern Fauquier Co, VA with a
report of two along Crenshaw Rd north of Rectortown on Jan 16 and another
along Rectortown Rd on Jan 17. SHORT-EARED OWLS were also reported Jan 16
flying over the landfill at Blue Mash, Montgomery Co, MD.
It appears that the female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in the Calvert Hills area of
College Park, Prince George's Co, MD, has departed being last seen on Jan
14.
The LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE* found in Dec at the Pickering Creek Audubon
Sanctuary, Talbot Co, MD was seen as recently as Jan 17. The NORTHERN SHRIKE
at Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD was seen again on Jan 13 at the very
end of the Life of the Marsh parking lot in the Bayside Campground.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES continued to pop up at widely scattered locations
throughout the area.
In addition to numerous reports of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES visiting feeders
throughout the area a small flock of BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES was found Jan
13 in Mosely, Chesterfield Co, VA. On Jan 16, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES,
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and a single WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH visited
feeders in a yard in Blue Ridge, Botetourt Co, VA.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were reported from a number of locations this past
week.
A flock of eight SNOW BUNTINGS was found Jan 12 several miles north of the
northernmost parking lot at Chincoteague NWR. A SNOW BUNTING was in a
pasture with Horned Larks at the intersection of Wiltshire and Leetown Pike
in Jefferson Co, WV, on Jan 14.
Four RUSTY BLACKBIRDS visited a yard Jan 14 in Creswell, Harford Co, MD. The
BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS in Nokesville, Prince William Co, VA were seen again on
Jan 13 and Jan 16 on the farm just south of the intersection of Aden Rd and
Fleetwood Dr.
PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS continue to be widely reported visiting
feeders throughout the area.
A COMMON REDPOLL was visiting feeders in Frostburg, Allegany Co, MD on Jan
12.
On Feb 5, See Life Paulagics will run a trip out of Lewes, DE, looking for
Dovekies and other alcids. For details, contact or call
215-234-6805.
Most of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey, VA-Bird,
West Virginia Birding List, and DE-Birds list servers.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, http://www.audubonnaturalist.org),
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 |