-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 11:46 AM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 2/8/11

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               02/08/2011
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):     
Compiler:           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, February 8, at
10 AM.

Top birds this week are LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in MD, WHITE-WINGED DOVE
in MD, ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD in VA, NELSON'S SPARROW and GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW in MD, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL in VA.

Other birds of interest include waterfowl, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, GOLDEN
EAGLE, MERLIN, gulls, alcids, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SNOW BUNTING,
DICKCISSEL, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, RED CROSSBILL, and PINE SISKIN.

A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was spotted Feb 7 at Truitt's Landing,
Worcester Co, MD. The WHITE-WINGED DOVE continued through Feb 4 in the
Monrovia/Kemptown area, Frederick Co MD, and the ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
in Chester, VA (Chesterfield Co) continued through Feb 7. A NELSON'S
SPARROW was seen at Truitt's Landing on Feb 6. The GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW was seen again at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co MD on Feb 5. (When
viewing this bird, birders MUST remain in their cars, or access to the
site may be denied.)  The WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL previously seen at a
feeder in Henrico Co VA was observed throughout the week.

Wicomico Co MD, north of Salisbury, hosted at least one GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Feb 3-7. A ROSS'S GOOSE was seen near Centreville,
Queen Anne's Co MD on Feb 1, and another was seen Feb 3-4 near
Salisbury, MD. On Feb 3, a rare "blue morph" ROSS'S GOOSE was picked
out of a big flock of geese along Waller Rd in Wicomico Co MD.
CACKLING GEESE were seen several times, with the biggest group (11)
seen at Hains Point, in SW DC. Others were seen near Centreville MD
(Feb 1 and 6), and Colonial Beach, Westmoreland Co VA (Feb 6). The
COMMON TEAL continued at Truitt's Landing through Feb 7. The HARLEQUIN
DUCK at Fort Armistead Park, SE Baltimore, was seen again on Feb 1,
and another was spotted on Feb 6 from Island 4 of the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge-Tunnel. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen Feb 1 at Riley's Lock on
the C&O Canal, Montgomery Co MD.

A ROUGH-WINGED HAWK was spotted Feb 5 and 6 over Pond Neck Rd in Cecil
Co MD. On Feb 7, a GOLDEN EAGLE was seen from the Visitor's Center of
Sky Meadow SP, Fauquier Co VA. Two MERLIN were seen at Hains Point DC
on Feb 6.

A BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen at Riley's Lock on Feb 1. In Norfolk, VA,
along the Elizabeth River near Old Dominion University, two
BLACK-HEADED GULLS were spotted on Feb 7. ICELAND (KUMLIEN'S) GULLS
were seen, on Feb 2 at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel
Co MD, and on Feb 6 at the Salisbury landfill in MD. GLAUCOUS GULLS
were more widespread: Feb 1 at Hains Point, DC, Feb 2 at Rudee Inlet
in Virginia Beach, VA, Feb 6 at the Salisbury (MD) landfill, and Feb 7
at MacMillan Reservoir in NW DC.

The Paul Guris pelagic trip Feb 5 seems to have been a success with
regard to alcids, encountering DOVEKIES, COMMON MURRES, and RAZORBILLS
in the waters off DE and MD.

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was spotted near Milford Neck, Kent Co DE on Feb
6.

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES are still widely scattered over DC, MD, and
VA.

The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW south of Berlin MD (Worcester Co) was seen
again on Feb 6 and 7. In MD, LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen in Carroll Co
and Washington Co, and in VA, one was seen at Occoquan NWR, Prince
William County. On Feb 1, a SNOW BUNTING was reported at a feeder in
Bowie, Prince George's Co MD, and another was seen at Back Bay NWR in
Virginia Beach on Feb 4. A DICKCISSEL was seen at a feeder in Arbutus,
Baltimore Co MD, on Feb 2.

RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were scattered widely over DE, MD, and VA, including
a flock of at least 100 at Huntley Meadows Pk, Fairfax Co VA, on Feb
7.

Seven RED CROSSBILLS were seen along the state line between WV and
Rockingham Co VA on Feb 4. A few PINE SISKINS are still being seen:
Feb 4 in Carroll Co MD, Feb 5 in Accomack Co VA, and Feb 6 in
Jefferson Co WV.

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/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