Hi MD Osprey:

Over the years, hurricanes have been directly responsible for some 
significant District of Columbia historical records.

In 1842, a storm made landfall near Ocracoke, NC on 24 August and the 
impact of the storm was hardest to the north. Halley (1861) wrote 
that "the Potomac was covered with multitudes of Mother Cary's 
chickens (Thalassidroma Leachii [Leach's Storm-Petrels]), which had 
been forced out of their natural habitats by the gale." On 12 Sep, 
the next month, specimens were presented to the National Institute 
for the Promotion of Science (a forerunner of the Smithsonian 
Institution) of four Leach's Storm-Petrels, one Wilson's 
Storm-Petrel, and an Audubon's Shearwater that were collected on the 
river. The Leach's specimens are extant, but the Wilson's and the 
Audubon's are not (apparently).

In 1893, another hurricane (the highly destructive "Sea Islands 
Hurricane" that made landfall near Savannah, GA) swept several 
Band-rumped Storm-Petrels up the Potomac River. One specimen was 
taken on 29 Aug at the Navy Yard Bridge (now, the 11th Street 
Bridge). Another was captured the next day on Capitol Hill after it 
flew into a house through an open window! [I assume they opened the 
window after the storm passed ...?] These specimens turned out to be 
the first North American records of this species!

Interestingly, there are still no accepted record of Wilson's 
Storm-Petrel for DC. Several birds were reported after Hurricane 
Ernesto in 2006, but no documentation was ever provided to the MD/DC 
Records Committee.

So, please try to document any seabirds on the Potomac ... Seabirds 
can be notoriously difficult to document; however, here are a few 
documentation suggestions: (1) try to describe the entire bird, from 
tip to tail, not just key field marks - also include notes on 
behavior such as flight style, (2) sketches are valuable for 
documentation (even rudimentary, if you have no artistic ability, as 
yours truly), (3) make notes or sketches as soon as possible after 
the sighting and before consulting field guides; (4) bone-up on where 
the DC/MD boundary crosses the river near the Wilson Bridge and 
remember that none of the Potomac River belongs to Virginia; MD or DC 
"own" the entire river over to the high tide line on the south bank 
(the VA side).

Most of all ... be careful out there ...

Phil


===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland  21035     USA
301-261-0184
mailto:[log in to unmask]

MD/DCRC Web site:  http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
===================================================

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