-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 6:34 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 5/31/11
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 5/31/2011
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
Compiler: Lydia Schindler
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, May 31, at 10 AM.
Top birds this week are LITTLE EGRET* in DE, WOOD STORK* in MD, and SANDHILL
CRANE in VA.
Other birds of interest include LEAST BITTERN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON,
GLOSSY IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE, VIRGINIA RAIL, shorebirds, LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL, LEAST TERN, BLACK SKIMMER, EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE,* OLIVE-SIDED and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSH, WARBLERS, including GOLDEN-WINGED and MOURNING, NELSON'S and other
SPARROWS, BLUE GROSBEAK, and DICKCISSEL.
A LITTLE EGRET discovered May 22 in Sussex Co, DE showed up sporadically
through May 28, sometimes along Fowler Beach Road, sometimes along the next
road to the south, Prime Hook Beach Rd. It was mixed in with Snowy and Great
Egrets.
A WOOD STORK was photographed May 25 as it flew over Berwyn Heights, Prince
George's Co, MD.
On May 24 a SANDHILL CRANE was observed from the College Creek hawk watch as
it circled over and landed at Hog Island WMA in Surry Co, VA.
Four LEAST BITTERNS were found May 29 by a kayaker traveling the Patuxent
River in Anne Arundel Co, MD, south from Rte 4; the trip concluded with 2
calling VIRGINIA RAILS. On May 30, 2 LEAST BITTERNS were flushed along Haul
Rd at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA.
A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen May 26 at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens,
NE DC; it was in lily ponds along the path leading to the boardwalk; on May
30, 2 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were in evidence.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON flybys were noted at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery
Co, MD, on May 30.
Three GLOSSY IBIS were seen May 26 at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot
Co, MD. Two GLOSSY IBIS were found at the Swan Creek dredge containment
facility in northern Anne Arundel Co, MD.
MISSISSIPPI KITES made a strong showing this week. The hawk watch at Fort
Smallwood SP, Anne Arundel Co, set a new season record of 15, including a
group of 4 on May 26. Other reports came from the Masonville Cove
Environmental Ed Center south of Baltimore May 24; from the Lynchburg (VA)
side of the Rte 29 bridge over the James River May 24; a yard in
Catonsville, Baltimore Co, May 26; a yard in Howard Co, MD, May 29; and at
Bombay Hook NWR, DE, May 29. A MISSISSIPPI KITE discovered at Hughes Hollow,
Montgomery Co, on the evening of May 28 returned on May 29 and 30.
A PIPING PLOVER was found May 26 at Tom's Cove, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack
Co, VA, on May 26. A PIPING PLOVER was spotted along Fowler Beach Rd, DE,
May 30.
On May 24 Swan Harbor Farm, Harford Co, MD, hosted 7 species of shorebird,
including WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.
This week RED KNOTS by the thousands-on the hunt for horseshoe crab
eggs-crowded the sands at Mispillion Harbor, DE. There were also large
numbers of RUDDY TURNSTONES, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, and DUNLIN. A group of
at least 23 RED KNOTS continued at Skimmer Island, Ocean City, Worcester Co,
MD as of May 30.
A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was a surprise find in Washington Co, MD on May 24; the
bird was in a field at the intersection of Mt Aetna and Whitehall Rds. A
female RED-NECKED PHALAROPE showed up just 15 ft from the edge of Prime Hook
Beach Rd, DE, May 29, roughly opposite the
Osprey nesting platform.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL paid a visit to the beach at Sandy Point SP in
Anne Arundel Co on May 24.
LEAST TERNS and BLACK SKIMMERS were among the mix along Fowler Beach Rd
throughout the week.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was discovered May 29 in the Newark area of
Worcester Co, MD; it was on the south side of Cedartown Rd between Basket
Switch and Taylor Rds.
An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen May 29 near Salt Log Gap in Amherst Co,
VA. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was found May 29 in the back fields of Hughes
Hollow. On May 30, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was perched and singing in a
yard in Jefferson Co, WV.
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was an unusual visitor at First Landing SP in
Virginia Beach on May 25; it was singing along Long Creek trail.
On May 24, a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH-along with VEERY, SWAINSON'S, and WOOD
THRUSH-were present at Baltimore's Cylburn Arboretum. On May 25,
2 GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES (and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT) were found at Rachel
Carson Park, Montgomery Co. On May 27, a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH was found at
Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co.
Migrant warblers were scarce, but breeding warblers made a good show.
Ten species of warbler provided the highlight of the monthly walk at the
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northern Loudoun Co, VA
on May 28. Reports of GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER came from Shenandoah Co, VA,
along Judge Rye Rd, on May 29, and, also on May 29, from Highland Co, VA,
along Wimer Mountain Rd. CERULEAN WARBLERS continued to display at Thompson
WMA in western Fauquier Co, VA. On May 25, at least 3 SWAINSON'S WARBLERS
were singing along Jericho Ditch in the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk Co,
VA.
KENTUCKY WARBLER was one of 5 warbler species singing at Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, NE DC, on May 24. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was reported May 30 from
Canaan Valley NWR in Tucker Co, WV; the bird was along A-Frame Rd .75 mile
from the gate. A MOURNING WARBLER was seen May 29 on Allegheny Rd at Paddy's
Knob, Bath Co, VA. A swing through 8 WV counties over a period of several
days this week produced an amazing
28 species of warbler, including 2 GOLDEN-WINGED, 3 SWAINSON'S, and 7
MOURNING. A loop in southeastern Glouster Co, VA, on May 30, produced 10
YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS.
A NELSON'S SPARROW was reported May 29 from the tidal marshes of Lawnes
Creek, Surry Co, VA. SALTMARSH and SEASIDE SPARROWS were singing along the
road leading to Mispillion Harbor in DE on May 26.
BLUE GROSBEAKS, a pair and an additional singing male, were spotted at the
Howard Co Conservancy May 28. Bombay Hook also featured numerous BLUE
GROSBEAKS.
DICKCISSELS are up and singing at many locations. In DE, along Rte 36 (which
leads east from Rte 9 to Mispillion and Slaughter Beach), near the
intersection of 36 with Shockley Rd. In MD, along Keymar Rd in Frederick Co,
a quarter mile north of Good Intent Rd; west of Snow Hill in Worcester Co,
on Mt Zion Church Rd, a few miles north of Rtes
352 and 12; and, again this week, along Egypt Road near Blackwater NWR,
Dorchester Co.
In VA, Grassdale Rd in Remington, southwest Fauquier Co, hosted 8 or 10
DICKCISSELS; in Prince William Co, half a dozen DICKCISSELS were found in
the area around Nokesville as recently as May 30; and in Frederick Co, a
single DICKCISSEL was discovered May 30 in a field just north of Winchester.
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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