-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 2:17 PM
To:
Subject: DC Area, 2/1/11
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 2/1/2011
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email):
Compiler: Joe Coleman
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, Feb. 1, at noon.
Top birds this week are WHITE-WINGED DOVE* in MD, THAYER'S GULL in MD,
ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* in VA, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD* in VA, and GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW* in MD.
Other birds of interest include waterfowl, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, GREAT
CORMORANT, hawks, falcons, VIRGINIA RAIL, gulls, SHORT-EARED OWL, LOGGERHEAD
and NORTHERN SHRIKE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, warblers, sparrows, SNOW
BUNTING, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILL.
The WHITE-WINGED DOVE* continues to visit feeders near Monrovia, Frederick
Co, MD with sightings as recent as Jan 31. It is at 12439 Fingerboard Rd,
Monrovia, MD 21770 which is between Bartholows Rd and Kemptown Church Rd.
The feeders can be easily viewed from the corner of Kemptown Church Rd and
Sandra Lee Ct. Stay on the edge of the road and do not trespass on private
property. Because parking is limited it may be necessary to park some
distance away so you can see this bird without trespassing or violating the
neighbor's privacy. Parking at the Church is allowed any day except Sunday
before 11 a.m.
On Jan 27 an adult THAYER'S GULL was seen at the Salisbury landfill,
Wicomico Co, MD along with a GLAUCOUS GULL and several LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULLS.
The hatch year female ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD* was still visiting feeders in a
yard in Chester, VA as of January 26.
For the first time in a couple of weeks the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD* at Oyster,
Northampton Co, VA, was seen on Jan 29. As before, it was seen at the
entrance to the World Healing Institute north of Oyster, on Seaside Rd
[please do not enter the institute grounds].
The GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW* found December 19 continues to be seen at
Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co, MD, with a report as recent Jan 29. The bird
continues to be seen foraging with other sparrows on the entrance road to
the headquarters off Ricauds Branch Rd. When viewing this bird, birders
MUST remain in their cars or access to the site may be denied.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found Jan 29 near Urieville Lake, south of
Kennedyville, Kent Co, MD, along MD Rte 213. Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, accompanied by three SNOW GEESE, were seen again Jan 26 at Riverstone
Technology Park, Halifax Co, VA.
A CACKLING GOOSE was found Jan 26 on Leverage Rd, Queen Anne's Co, MD.
A CACKLING GOOSE was seen Jan 28 in a large flock of Snow Geese at Rte
301 and Rolling Bridge Rd near Centreville, Queen Anne's Co, MD.
A EURASIAN WIGEON was picked out of the mass of ducks at Occoquan Bay NWR,
Woodbridge, Prince William Co, VA, on Jan 30. A EURASIAN WIGEON continues
at Fowler's Beach, Sussex Co, DE and one was also at the Slaughter Beach
flats, Sussex Co, DE Jan 29. The COMMON TEAL at Truitt's Landing Rd,
Worcester Co, MD, was seen again Jan 29. The HARLEQUIN DUCK at Fort
Armistead Park, Baltimore, MD, was seen there on Jan 27 and 31. The
HARLEQUIN DUCK pair at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co, MD was seen again
on January 28 and 30.
A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was found Jan 31 on the Potomac River off of Hains
Point, SW DC; nine were seen the same day, also on the Potomac River at
Riley's Lock, Seneca, Montgomery Co, MD.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was seen Jan 29 along Wildlife Dr, Occoquan Bay NWR,
Woodbridge, Prince William Co, VA.
Three immature GREAT CORMORANTS were reported at the Ocean City Inlet
January 28 and two there on Jan 30.
On Jan 29 five ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and two GOLDEN EAGLES were found during a
trip to Highland Co, VA; another trip there on Jan 30 found a GOLDEN EAGLE
near Bluegrass. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were again seen in a variety of sites
including: Blue Mash, Montgomery Co. MD on Jan 25, 26, 27, and 29; along Hwy
32 between Odenton and the Burns Crossing exit in Anne Arundel Co; Mt Aetna
Rd, Washington Co, MD, Jan 28; and two in Garrett Co, MD, on Jan 29 at
Pleasant Valley and Russell Rd.
A VIRGINIA RAIL was found Jan 30 in the Mulberry Island marshes, Richmond
Co, VA.
A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen Jan 29 at the end of Prime Hook Beach Rd,
Sussex Co, DE. A first winter GLAUCOUS GULL was seen standing on the ice at
North East Community Pk in Cecil Co., MD Jan 30. A GLAUCOUS GULL was found
Jan 31 at Tanyard Marsh, Caroline Co, MD. And another first cycle GLAUCOUS
GULL was seen Jan 31 at the Washington Channel.
Two ICELAND GULLS were seen Jan 30 in the Washington Channel, SW DC.
An ICELAND GULL was found Jan 31 at Swan Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were reported from a number of locations with as
many as nine found on a field trip in the Richmond VA area on Jan 29 and
two, the same day, at Neabsco Creek, Prince William Co, VA.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen Jan 25 flying at Blue Mash, Montgomery Co, MD.
Four SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen Jan 31 in the Zion Crossroads area of Louisa
Co, VA, hunting the fields on the southeast side of Rte 640, E Jack Jouett
Rd.
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was found in the same area as the Louisa Co owls.
The NORTHERN SHRIKE at Chino Farms, Kent County, MD was seen on Jan 30. On
Jan 29 it was reported on Round Top Rd about a ¼ mile down from Kibler Rd.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES continued to pop up at widely scattered locations
throughout the area.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continued to be reported from a number of locations
this past week. The NASHVILLE WARBLER spotted just north of Mile Marker 8 on
the George Washington Parkway, Alexandria, VA last week was seen again on
January 25.
With deep snow in much of the area, the grassy areas along country roads
proved to be good places to find sparrows. AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen
at a number of locations. The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW reported on Jan 22 at
the intersection of US113 and Mason Rd, Worcester Co, MD was seen again as
recently as Jan 30. A VESPER SPARROW was seen on Kibler Rd, Queen Anne's Co,
MD on January 26. A rare winter GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was found Jan 29 along
the side of Taylorstown Rd, in northern Loudoun Co, VA. A NELSON'S SPARROW
was found Jan 29 at the end of the road at Truitt's Landing, Worcester Co,
MD.
Several birders got great looks at LAPLAND LONGSPURS in a number of
locations this past week. Among the sightings were two LAPLAND LONGSPURS
found Jan 29, first along the entrance road in the Occoquan Bay NWR,
Woodbridge, Prince William Co, and relocated a little later on the edge of
the parking lot. Also, on Jan 29 two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen along Old
Frederick Road about two miles west of Route 32.
On both the 29th and 30th LAPLAND LONGSPURS were along Underwood Rd, just
north of Rte 99 in Howard Co, MD. LAPLAND LONGSPURS were found Jan 29 and
30 along Oland Rd, Frederick Co, MD close to the intersection with
Buckeystown Pike, Rte 85.
A SNOW BUNTING was found Jan 30 with a flock of Horned Larks on Worton Lynch
Rd just east of Worton in northern Kent Co, MD. A trip to Highland Co, VA
Jan 30 found a small flock of SNOW BUNTINGS on Heavener Ln near Bluegrass.
SNOW BUNTINGS were found on visits to Swan Creek, Anne Arundel Co, MD on
both Jan 27 and Jan 31. Three SNOW BUNTINGS were found Jan 31 on Leverage
Rd, Queen Anne's County with a small group of Horned Larks. Also mixed in
with Horned Larks, was a single SNOW BUNTING on Jan 31 in Washington Co, MD.
The YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD that has been visiting a feeder in Callaway, St.
Mary's Co, MD was seen again as recently as Jan 31.
With the RUSTY BLACKBIRD blitz scheduled for Jan 29 through Feb 13 a lot of
people are keeping an eye out for them and they were reported from a number
of locations including: a single one was found Jan 29 at the E A Vaughn WMA,
Worcester Co, MD; 13 were seen Jan 29 at North Branch, Allegany Co, MD; on
Jan 29 and 30 there was a flock of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on Florence Rd and
Schaffers Mill Rd, Howard Co, MD; . on Jan 29 there was a flock of 13 on
Mary Morris Rd, Kent Co, MD in freshly spread cow manure near the dairy
farm. They were also found Jan 29 on Bunch Walnuts Rd off Ballahack Rd in
Chesapeake, VA.
The WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL which has been visiting a feeder in Henrico Co,
VA was seen as recently as January 30.
On Feb 5, See Life Paulagics will run a trip out of Lewes, DE, looking for
Dovekies and other alcids. For details, contact or call
215-234-6805.
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),
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 |