DC Area, 11/11/97

Steve Cordle (scordle@erols.com)
Tue, 11 Nov 1997 15:40:54 -0500


Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist
Date:               11/11/97
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone:          301-652-1088
Reports (voice):    301-652-9188 x3101
          (fax):    301-951-7179
        (email):    voice@capaccess.org 
     (deadline):    8am tuesdays
Compiler:           Steve Cordle
Sponsor:            Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
                      Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber:        Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org)

!!Visit the ANS web site at http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org,
and check http://www.capaccess.org/snr/chase.txt for updates
between tuesdays!!

     This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the
Audubon Naturalist Society.  This tape was made Tue, Nov 11, at 
2pm.  Please consider joining the Society, especially if you are
a regular user of the Voice (Indiv.$30; Family $40; Nature
Steward $60; Audubon Advocate $100).  The membership number is
above and the address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD
20815.  

     Top birds this week are: PACIFIC LOON, EARED GREBE, GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, COMMON EIDER, WOOD SANDPIPER, PARASITIC
JAEGER, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BROWN-CHESTED
MARTIN, and COMMON REDPOLL.  

     Other birds of interest include: RED-THROATED LOON, SNOW
BUNTING, and EVENING GROSBEAK.  

     The lake above the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River
in Cecil Co, MD provided lots of good birding this past week. 
(DeLorme p76, A3).  A PACIFIC LOON, presumably the one seen in
Pennsylvania last week, moved down the river into MD this week. 
It was seen in Cecil Co, MD on Thursday and Friday, Nov 6 & 7,
and again on Sun and Mon Nov 10 & 11.  In between, it was seen
in PA on Sat, Nov 8.  Thursday Directions:  From Conowingo, MD,
go north on Rt 222 to Mt Zoar Rd.  Turn left and follow the road
to the river.  At the river, on Belle Manor Rd, go over the
bridge over Conowingo Creek and go about 1/4 mile to a pullover
on the left.  There is a path down to the RR tracks.  Follow the
tracks about 1/2 mile north.  On Friday, the bird was seen about
a mile north of the boat launch on Mt Zoar Rd.  On Sun, the Loon
was seen from the entrance to the RR tunnel just south of the PA
line.  On Monday it was seen from the boat launch near the RR
crossing.  In the same area, about a mile above the boat launch,
an EARED GREBE was seen on Wed, Nov 5, and a juvenile PARASITIC
JAEGER was just north of the boat launch the afternoon of Thurs,
Nov 8.

     Also on the Susquehanna, hundreds of RED-THROATED LOONS
were seen on Sat Nov 8, some still in partial breeding plumage
with red on their necks.  Just north in PA a BLACK-LEGGED
KITTIWAKE was seen on Friday, Nov. 9 flying past the 1st RR
tunnel, and roosting with hundreds of gulls in mid-river, just
below the atomic plant.    

     Other water birds seen this past week include a PARASITIC
JAEGER at Cape Henlopen State Park, DE between the point and the
pier on Friday, Nov 7.  Also, 2 COMMON EIDER were seen off the
point there the same day.  A RED-THROATED LOON was seen at
Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co., DE on Nov 8. 

     Farther afield, a probable WOOD SANDPIPER, a Eurasian
species, was seen at Springton Reservoir, Edgemont, Delaware Co,
PA on Sun Nov 9.  At last report that day, numbers of birders
were headed there to confirm the sighting.  The bird was seen on
the mud flats from Gradyfield Rd. between Providence and Bishop
Hollow Rds.  You may wish to check the Philadelphia/PA bird line
at 215-567-2473.  

     A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, Greenland Race, was spotted
by several people at Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation
Project, Co Rt 650, Oatlands Mill Rd, Loudon Co, VA on Sunday,
Nov 9, at the far end nearest Rt 15 among a large flock of geese
(DeLorme p80, D1). Four TUNDRA SWANS were also there the same
day. 

     NORTHERN GOSHAWKs were seen in two different spots this
week.  On Thu. Nov. 6 one was seen from the Dulles Greenway
Wetlands Mitigation Project, Loudon Co, VA and another was seen
flushing pigeons and starlings from rooftops in the Adams-Morgan
neighborhood of Washington, DC at the intersection of 19th St
and Columbia Rd the same day, at about the same time.  

     Just outside our area in Cape May, NJ, a BROWN-CHESTED
MARTIN, a South American species, was seen among other swallows,
including Cave Swallows, from Friday, Nov 6 through Tues, Nov.
11 at various places in the Cape May area.  You may wish to
consult the Cape May Hotline at 609-861-0466 for the bird's
latest location.  

     Other wintering land birds seen this week include
widespread reports of EVENING GROSBEAKs and PINE SISKINs, as
well as a COMMON REDPOLL in goldenrod stalks in a lot at S
Division St and Philadelphia Ave, near the inlet at Ocean City,
MD on Nov 9.  Keep an eye on your feeders. There were also 2
SNOW BUNTINGs seen near the dredge pipes on the beach at Indian
River Inlet, Sussex Co, DE on Nov 8.  

     There will be a reservations-only trip to Huntley Meadows
Park, VA, on Sat, Nov 15; call the leader, Ed Eder of
Alexandria, at 703-360-7994, to secure your place.

     There will be a 12-person-limit trip to Charles County:
Marshall Hall to Myrtle Grove on Sun, Nov 23. Call the leader,
George Jett in Waldorf at 301-843-3524 for a reservation.  

     To report bird sightings you can FAX your report to ANS at
301-951-7179, or call 301-652-9188, extension 3101 for a
dedicated answering machine at all hours.  Internet users can e-mail 
reports to: voice@capaccess.org.  Thank you for calling and
GOOD BIRDING.