-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 7:37 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 4/26/11
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 4/26/2011
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, April 26, at
3:45 pm.
Top birds this week are WHITE-FACED IBIS* in MD and SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in
DE and MD.
Other birds of interest include waterfowl, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, EARED GREBE,
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, bitterns, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BALD EAGLE, hawks,
AMERICAN KESTREL, rails, SANDHILL CRANE, PIPING PLOVER, UPLAND SANDPIPER,
EUROPEAN WHIMBREL, terns, CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW, WHIP-POOR-WILL, COMMON RAVEN,
migrants, SUMMER TANAGER, SEASIDE SPARROW, BOBOLINK, PURPLE FINCH and RED
CROSSBILL.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS* was feeding with about 30 GLOSSY IBIS on Rte. 113 south
of Shad Landing SP, Worcester CO, MD on April 19.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was flying over Holy Angels School, Newark, DE on
April 23. A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen multiple times at several locations
on Kent Island, Anne Arundel Co, MD, on April 24.
Subsequently, there were multiple sightings of SWALLOW-TAILED KITES
including: one flying over Baltimore City, MD; another flying over Ft.
Smallwood SP, Anne Arundel Co, MD, heading NNE; another flying over Swan
Creek Dredge Facility, Anne Arundel Co, all on April 25.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was flushed from a possible nest between Rte. 17 and the
Rappahannock River, Spotsylvania Co, VA on April 19.
An EARED GREBE was re-found at the end of Cove Road in Wicomico Co, MD on
April 20.
Birders enjoying an after dinner walk in Arbutus, Baltimore Co, MD on April
24 encountered a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON. Another YELLOW-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON was at Lake Accotink Park, Fairfax Co, VA on April 25.
AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen at the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA on
April 21 and Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co, MD on April 23 and 24.
At least four AMERICAN BITTERNS were at Seneca Creek SP, Montgomery Co, MD
on April 25. A LEAST BITTERN was present at Ft. Smallwood SP, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on April 21. Both AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS were at Swan Harbor
Farm, Harford Co, MD accompanied by a SORA and a VIRGINIA RAIL. A LEAST
BITTERN was calling in a yard in Croom, Prince George's Co, MD on April 25.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen on Wolf Trap Rd. in Halifax Co, VA on April 24.
Documented on April 18, a BALD EAGLE pair on Bailey's Creek, Hopewell, VA is
tending an unusually large four-chick brood. The four chicks appeared in
good condition and range in age from about 32 to 42 days. 411 SHARP-SHINNED
HAWKS were recorded at the Fort Smallwood Hawk Watch, Anne Arundel Co, MD on
April 20. A NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over a yard in Nelson's Co, VA on April
21.
A baseball aficionado AMERICAN KESTREL attended an Oriole's game at Camden
Yards, Baltimore, MD on April 20.
CLAPPER RAILS were clapping at Bethel Beach, Matthews Co, VA on April 23,
some in response to the sound of motorcycle engines. A KING RAIL was heard
at the Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, MD on April 23 and another KING
RAIL was at Lilypons, Frederick Co, MD on April 24.
An early COMMON MOORHEN was seen at Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve, Anne Arundel
C0, MD on April 25.
Two SANDHILL CRANES soared over Hog Island WMA, Surrey Co, VA on April 26.
A PIPING PLOVER paid a brief visit to Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on April
18 and 19.
An UPLAND SANDPIPER was near the marshy impoundment at Swan Harbor Farm,
Harford Co, MD on April 22 and 23. A EUROPEAN WHIMBREL* was hanging out with
20+ WHIMBRELS on the ORV Zone of Assateague Island, Worcester Co, MD seen on
April 20.
An estimate of 80 LEAST TERNS were observed arriving at the colony at Queen
Anne's County High School in Centerville on April 19. Seven SANDWICH TERNS
were at Back Bay NWR, Virginia Beach, VA on April 25.
Six CHUCK-WILLS WIDOWS were calling in the pine woods just north of the
Elliott Island marshes, Dorchester Co, MD on April 19. A CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW
cut loose in a back yard in St. Michaels, Talbot Co, MD on the evening of
April 21 and again the next morning. At least three CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOWS were
calling at Weinberg Park, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 24. A WHIP-POOR-WILL
joined the CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOWS at Weinberg Park on April 25.
A COMMON RAVEN was soaring above birders walking home in DC on April 20.
The spring migration continued to gather steam this past week with sightings
of BLACK-BILLED and YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, CHIMNEY SWIFT, RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD, ACADIAN and GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, vireos, swallows,
nuthatches, HOUSE WREN, thrushes, GRAY CATBIRD, warblers, ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK, INDIGO BUNTING and both ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES. The warbler
hot spots included: Rock Creek Park, DC; Monticello Park, Alexandria, VA;
Susquehanna SP, Harford Co, MD; Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk, VA;
Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co, VA and Patapsco Valley SP, Howard Co, MD.
BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS were seen in several sites in the region during the
week. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA on
April 24. A CERULEAN WARBLER was on the Liberty Dam Trail, Patapsco SP, MD
on April 21.
A SUMMER TANAGER came to a feeder in New Kent, VA on April 23.
At least seven SEASIDE SPARROWS were found on Dent Road, Anne Arundel Co, MD
on April 21.
An early BOBOLINK was on Sugarland Road, Montgomery Co, MD on April 23. Two
BOBOLINKS were at Swan Harbor Farm, Harford Co, MD and nine BOBOLINKS were
at Harrison Road, Fauquier Co, VA on April 24.
PURPLE FINCHES showed up at various locations throughout the region during
the past week. Five RED CROSSBILLS were noted at Reddish Knob near Augusta
Co, VA and Pendleton Co, WV on April 20. Ten RED CROSSBILLS were seen at the
very top of Briery Branch Road in SW Rockingham Co, VA on April 24. An
EVENING GROSBEAK was seen at a private feeder in northern Howard Co, MD, on
April 25 and 26.
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
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