-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 6:53 PM
To: 
Subject: DC Area, 2/22/11

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               02/22/2011
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
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, February 22, at
3:45 PM.

Top birds this week are TRUMPETER SWAN* and PACIFIC LOON* in VA and WOOD
STORK* in MD.

Other birds of interest include waterfowl, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, OSPREY, GOLDEN
EAGLE, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL,
ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD*, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, sparrows,
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and COMMON REDPOLL.

An immature TRUMPETER SWAN* was seen again in the Stuart's Draft area of
Augusta Co, VA on February 15. The swan was in a pond viewable from Rte 632
Shalom Rd about 1.5 miles from its intersection with Rte 340.

A PACIFIC LOON*, accompanied by COMMON and RED-THROATED LOONS, was spotted
well off and to the left of Palmer Point, Kerr Reservoir, Mecklenburg Co, VA
on February 15.

A juvenile WOOD STORK* was seen in Point Lookout SP, mostly in the campsite
69 area during the week.

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen in several places, including:
Bowleys Quarters Road in the Middle River area of Baltimore, MD, the
Salisbury Landfill, Wicomico Co, MD and Riverstone Technology Park, South
Boston, VA all on February 18. A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen in
fields just north of the Rte. 50 borrow pit, Wicomico Co, MD on February 21
and another was at the Salisbury Landfill on February 22. Two ROSS'S GEESE
were at Great Oak Pond, Kent Co, MD on February 20.  One ROSS'S GOOSE was
found in a field near Snow Hill, Worcester Co, MD on February 20.  CACKLING
GEESE were found in several spots
including: the Washington Channel, Washington, DC on February 15 and 17;
Lake Artemesia, Prince Georges Co, MD on Feb 18; Allen's Fresh, Charles Co,
MD on February 21 and the MacMillan Reservoir, DC on February 22.

A EURASIAN WIGEON was visible from Riley Roberts Road, Somerset Co, MD on
February 15 and 16. A EURASIAN WIGEON was at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co,
VA on February 18 and 19.  Another EURASIAN WIGEON was seen at Mason Neck
SP, Fairfax Co, VA on February 20.  The Eurasian form of GREEN-WINGED TEAL
was seen at Truitt's Landing, Worcester Co, MD on February 18 and 20 while
another was at Fairmount WMA, Somerset Co, MD, seen on February 22.  At
least 5 COMMON EIDERS and a KING EIDER plus two HARLEQUIN DUCKS were in
Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co, MD on February 20. The HARLEQUIN DUCK
frequenting Fort Armistead Park, Baltimore, MD was enjoyed throughout the
week. A HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen from the north dike of the Swan Creek Dredge
Containment Facility property, Anne Arundel Co, MD on February 18 and 21. 

A covey of 20 NORTHERN BOBWHITE was flushed from a path in a Talbot Co, MD
yard on February 20.

An early OSPREY was seen at Jug Bay Natural Area, Prince Georges Co, MD on
February 19. A GOLDEN EAGLE was flying near the border with West Virginia,
Shenandoah Co, VA on February 19. A MERLIN visited a yard in Fairfax, VA on
February 16.  A MERLIN was flying along a pathway between Lake Elkhorn and
Oakland Mills Road, Howard Co, MD on February 19.  A PEREGRINE FALCON was
viewed at Aberdeen Proving Ground's Edgewood Area, Harford Co, MD on
February 16.

The peent call of AMERICAN WOODCOCK is beginning to be heard in the area
with reports from Sycamore Landing Road, Montgomery Co, MD on February 15;
Dry Fork, VA on February 16; Greenbury Point, Annapolis, MD and Patapsco
Valley SP, Sykesville, MD on February 18; Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co,
VA on February 21 and Swan Creek Dredge Containment Facility, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on February 21.

Once again there were many reports of gulls. A gull challenge presented
itself at Fairmount WMA, Somerset Co, MD when both a BLACK-HEADED GULL and a
BLACK-HEADED X RING-BILLED hybrid were noted on February 16.  Subsequent
sightings during the week appeared to be the hybrid.  A BLACK-HEADED GULL
was seen at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co, MD on February 17, 18, 20 and
21.  A BLACK-HEADED GULL was at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on
February 19.  An unconfirmed report of CALIFORNIA GULL* came from Rudee
Inlet, Virginia Beach, on February 19. An ICELAND GULL was at Swan Creek
Dredge Containment Facility on February 21.  A GLAUCOUS GULL was also
present at Rudee Inlet on February 19.  Another GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at
the Salisbury Landfill, Wicomico Co, MD, on February 20 joined by an ICELAND
GULL on February 22.  

SHORT-EARED OWLS were flying in several locations this week,
including: the marsh at George Island Landing near Stockton, Worcester Co,
MD, the loop walk at Stemmer's Run (west of Cecilton), Cecil Co, MD and the
Oaks Landfill, Montgomery Co, MD, all on February 20; Shorter's Wharf Road,
Dorchester Co, MD on February 21.
 
The ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* in Chester, Chesterfield Co, VA continued through
February 20.

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was noted away from Kerr Reservoir perched on a wire on
Rte 713 on February 15.  Another LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was noted from Rte. 15
south of the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project, Loudoun Co, VA on
February 20.  Another LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE showed up in the Ashville Park
subdivision in Virginia Beach on February 21.

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

Three AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA
on February 20.  The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW located south of Berlin at the
intersection of Mason Road and Rte. 113, Worcester Co, MD was seen again on
February 20.

The WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL being seen at a feeder in Henrico Co VA was
observed on Feb 21.

There were several COMMON REDPOLL sightings during the week including Cape
Charles, Northampton Co, VA on February 16; Rock Creek Regional Park near
Lake Needwood, Montgomery Co, MD on February 17; Hughes Hollow, Montgomery
Co, MD and a yard in Henrico Co, VA on February 20; Back Bay NWR, Virginia
Beach on February 21.

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

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

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