-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 3:53 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 5/25/10
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 5/25/2010
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
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 25, at 3
PM.
Top birds this week are WHIMBREL in DC, ARCTIC* and ROSEATE TERNS* in
VA, and LARK SPARROW in VA.
Other birds of interest include RED-THROATED LOON, SOOTY SHEARWATER,
LEAST BITTERN, TRICOLORED HERON, MISSISSIPPI
KITE, BALD EAGLE, PEREGRINE FALCON, CLAPPER and VIRGINIA RAILS, COMMON
MOORHEN, PIPING PLOVER, RED KNOT, and other shorebirds, GLAUCOUS GULL,
LEAST TERN, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, CHIMNEY SWIFT, WHIP-POOR-WILL, flycatchers, PHILADELPHIA
VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, SEDGE WREN, CEDAR WAXWING, warblers, SUMMER
TANAGER, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, and BOBOLINK.
On May 23 a flock of 25 WHIMBRELS circled over Hains Point, SW DC, for
several minutes, before heading over the Potomac to VA. This is only
the fourth report for the District of Columbia and just the second in
the past 75 years.
On May 19, Rudee Inlet at Virginia Beach was visited by up to 4 ARCTIC
TERNS*; 2 were seen again May 20 and one still on May 22. On the 19th,
a ROSEATE TERN* made a brief stop at the Inlet, bringing tern species
to 7 for the day.
A LARK SPARROW was discovered May 22 at the pond at Ft C F Smith Park,
Arlington, VA.
On May 19 Rudee Inlet also afforded views of a RED-THROATED LOON and 2
northbound SOOTY SHEARWATERS, as well as more than 2,000 shorebirds.
A LEAST BITTERN was found at Ft McHenry, Baltimore, on May 20. A LEAST
BITTERN continues to be seen at Ft Smallwood in northern Anne Arundel
Co, MD. Four LEAST BITTERNS were found May 23 in Wicomico Co, MD, 3
calling spontaneously in the middle of the day from the Ellis Bay boat
ramp parking area, the other heard from the bridge on Muddy Hole Rd.
Two LEAST BITTERNS were found May 21 at Henricus Historical Park,
Chesterfield Co, VA.
A TRICOLORED HERON was present May 20 at Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD.
MISSISSIPPI KITES were again spotted at numerous locations, including
the Red Fox subdivision, Annandale, Fairfax Co, VA on May 19; at the
far end of Pearson Drive in Dale City, Prince William CO, VA, on May
20; a yard in Anne Arundel Co May 20; and Ft Smallwood Park on May 22.
The College Creek hawk watch in Williamsburg, VA, tallied 34 BALD
EAGLES on May 19 and another 25 on May 22.
A PEREGRINE FALCON was most recently reported at the Roosevelt Island
Bridge, NW DC, May 20.
Two VIRGINIA RAILS were calling at the Riffleford Rd trail of Seneca
Creek SP, Montgomery Co, MD, on May 19 and 20.
As many as 7 CLAPPER RAILS were in view at a time, bathing and
interacting, near the bridge approaching Mispillion Harbor east of
Milford on DE Bay.
A COMMON MOORHEN was seen at Oxbow Lake, western Anne Arundel Co, May
22 and 23. A COMMON MOORHEN was found at Hughes Hollow, Montgomery Co,
on May 23.
Over the weekend, Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA, hosted nesting
PIPING PLOVERS and thousands of other shorebirds.
The annual shorebird spectacle along the Delaware Bay is well under
way. With 2010 identified as "a banner year" for horseshoe crabs,
hosts of shorebirds--not only RED KNOTS but also RUDDY TURNSTONES,
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, among
others--flooded the beaches this week. Good numbers could be seen at
hotspots like Mispillion Harbor, but the abundance of food allowed
birds to spread out over many areas.
A May 20 survey of Poplar Island, Talbot Co, found 17 species of
shorebird, including AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, AMERICAN AVOCET, RED
KNOT, and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. A BLACK-NECKED STILT was at
Chesapeake Farm pond, Kent Co, MD, May 22. An AMERICAN AVOCET was
found at Tanyard Marsh off Rte 331 in Talbot Co. A WHITE-RUMPED
SANDPIPER stopped by the pond at the soccerplex in Germantown,
Montgomery Co on May 18. Two WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were found at
Fairmont WMA, Somerset Co, MD, among a large peep flock in the
easternmost impoundment.
Earlier in the week, the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial,
Washington DC, continued to draw shorebirds, including a DUNLIN on May
18, but by May 19 the pool was being refilled and shorebird habitat
was shrinking.
A first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted at Mispillion Harbor May 18.
LEAST TERNS have established a colony at Brandon Woods in northern
Anne Arundel Co. LEAST TERNS were also present on the beaches at
Chincoteague.
Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES* were found May 22 in South Boston,
Halifax Co, VA; they perched on wires across from the GCR Co on
Seymour Drive.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found May 22 at Leesylvania SP, Prince
William Co, in the vicinity of the Battery.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were widely reported, with sightings particularly
numerous on May 20.
CHIMNEY SWIFTS are roosting in the chimney of Oakdale ES, Fairfax Co,
VA.
WHIP-POOR-WILLS were calling at Fran Uhler Natural Area north of Bowie
in Prince George's Co, MD, on May 22.
An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was spotted May 19 at Long Branch SVP,
Fairfax Co. Two OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were found May 20 at Ft C F
Smith Park, near the main house. YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was
reported from Rock Creek Park, NW DC, May 20, and from Huntley Meadows
Park, Fairfax Co, VA, May 23; this bird was near the Visitor Center.
ALDER FLYCATCHERS were reported from numerous locations this week,
including, in DC, at Hains Point May 19 and 20, and along the C&O
towpath above Fletcher's Boathouse May 19. In MD, reports of ALDERS
came from Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, Howard Co, MD, May 18;
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Central Tract, Prince George's Co,
May 19; Fort McHenry May 20. Another report came from Bles Park in
Loudoun Co, VA, May 19. Birders are cautioned that it is sometimes
difficult to distinguish between the calls of Alder and Willow
Flycatchers.
LEAST FLYCATCHER was found in the NW highlands of Amherst Co, VA, May
22, and at Governor Bridge NA, Prince George's Co, May 19.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen at Patuxent WRC, Central Tract, May 19,
and at the Middle Patuxent EA May 20.
A group of as many as 6 COMMON RAVENS has been showing up at Rocky
Gorge Dam, off west Bond Mill Rd in Prince George's Co; at times the
birds perch atop the dam or on the cell tower. Not far away, COMMON
RAVENS have been visiting Oxbow Lake in western Anne Arundel Co.
On May 23 a SEDGE WREN was found at Fairmont WMA; it was calling
spontaneously on the northwestern end of the easternmost impoundment.
CEDAR WAXWINGS, scarce earlier in the year, are swarming fruiting
trees.
Some 33 species of warbler graced our area this week, but migration is
clearly winding down. Highlights included two reports of MOURNING
WARBLER: May 19 in DC, up-river from Fletcher's Boathouse; and May 20
in MD, from the Glen Artney section of Patapsco Valley SP, Baltimore
Co. Two glimpses suggested possible CONNECTICUT WARBLER, both on May
21: a singing bird in southern Prince George's Co, off Fenno Rd; and a
skulker with a bold eye ring at Kinder Farm Park, Anne Arundel Co.
A pair of SUMMER TANAGERS was banded at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve,
Loudoun Co, on May 22.
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were seen at Rock Creek Park, NW DC, on May 18; at
Ft McHenry May 20; and at Middle Patuxent EA, at the end of Eden Brook
Rd, May 20.
BLUE GROSBEAK was present at Kinder Farm Park May 21 and Blue Mash
Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, May 23. BLUE GROSBEAKS were plentiful at
Bombay Hook NWR, DE.
DICKCISSELS were enjoyed at several locations. On May 19, birds were
singing in fields along Rte 50, south of Easton, Talbot Co; they were
on the north side of White Marsh cemetery. That same day, DICKCISSELS
were found along Mt Olive Rd in Worcester Co, MD. In VA, near
Remington, Fauquier Co, 4 to 6 DICKCISSELS have been frequenting
fields along Grassdale Rd near Sumerduck Rd, from May 21 through 24.
On May 22 BOBOLINKS were reported from Fair Hill NRMA in northern
Cecil Co, MD, and from Gristmill Rd in Rockingham Co, VA. On May 23 a
BOBOLINK perched up high at Blue Mash.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, 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 and select menu
option 2. 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 |