Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 9/5/2006
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@AudubonNaturalist.org
(deadline): midnight Mondays
Compiler: Lydia Schindler
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org)
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 prepared Tuesday, September 5, at
1 pm.
Top birds this week--in the wake of tropical storm Ernesto--are
BLACK-CAPPED and BULWER'S PETRELS, SOOTY SHEARWATER, and WILSON'S,
LEACH'S, and BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS in VA; HUDSONIAN GODWIT in DC;
PARASITIC and POMARINE JAEGERS in MD and VA; LONG-TAILED JAEGER in DC
and VA; SABINE'S GULL in VA;
BROWN NODDY in VA; SOOTY TERN in DC, MD, and VA; and BRIDLED TERN in
VA and MD.
Other birds of interest include GREAT WHITE HERON, shorebirds
including AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and RED PHALAROPE, ROYAL, ARCTIC,
BLACK, and other TERNS, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO,
OLIVE-SIDED and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, PHILADELPHIA VIREO,
swallows, SEDGE WREN, warblers, and BOBOLINK.
The lower Eastern Shore of VA, which bore the brunt of the storm,
scored the some of the most astounding numbers. Birds seen in the
vicinity of the Chesapeake Bay/Bridge Tunnel, Northampton Co, on Sept
2 included 1 BLACK-CAPPED PETREL and 1 BULWER'S PETREL; 71 LEACH'S
STORM-PETRELS, more than 50 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, and 3 BAND-RUMPED
STORM-PETRELS; PARASITIC, POMARINE, and LONG-TAILED JAEGERS; a
juvenile SABINE'S GULL; 2 BROWN NODDIES and 5 additional NODDIES, 2 of
which were likely BLACK; and 21 SOOTY TERNS and 83 BRIDLED TERNS. Two
BROWN NODDIES were also seen at nearby Sunset Beach.
Near Williamsburg, at College Creek, James City Co, observers found
the area's first SOOTY SHEARWATER, a JAEGER (sp), 14 SOOTY TERNS, and
7 BRIDLED TERNS.
Locally on Sept 2, a river watch at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA,
yielded a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL and a SOOTY TERN.
On Aug 30, a flock of 35 HUDSONIAN GODWITS that flew over the Ridge at
Rock Creek Park, NW DC, was likely an all-time high count for the
District.
In the city, storm-tossed birds seen flying upriver from Hains Point,
SW DC, on Sept 2 included a juvenile LONG-TAILED JAEGER and 2 adult
SOOTY TERNS.
Further upriver, a daylong vigil at Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co,
MD, yielded a POMERINE JAEGER and 8 SOOTY TERNS, as well as a (locally
unusual) LAUGHING GULL, an immature ROYAL TERN, 5 BLACK TERNS, and 3
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Elsewhere in Montgomery Co, a SOOTY TERN was
noted at Lake Needwood.
A PARASITIC JAEGER was spotted at Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD. A
PARASITIC JAEGER plus a dozen SOOTY TERNS were reported from Tilghman
Island, Talbot Co, MD.
Still on Sept 2, a SOOTY TERN flew over a yard in Arlington, VA, and 3
BRIDLED TERNS showed up at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA.
Two SOOTY TERNS were observed flying over Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve,
Anne Arundel Co, MD.
In Calvert Co, MD, storm fallout on the Chesapeake Bay included 1 or 2
SOOTY TERNS at Scientists' Cliffs, plus half a dozen BLACK TERNS, with
PARASITIC JAEGER and 3 BRIDLED TERNS as well as BLACK TERNS at Holland
Point.
The GREAT WHITE HERON at Eastern Neck NWR in Kent Co, MD, was seen as
recently as Sept 3. This white morph of the Great Blue Heron frequents
Tubby Cove.
On Aug 31, the rainy fields around Capeville, Northampton Co, were
full of shorebirds, many close to the road; among some 19 species were
an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVEER, 16 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, and a
juvenile BAIRD'S.
On Sept 3, an UPLAND SANDPIPER was calling loudly as it flew east over
the Hains Point golf course and the Washington Channel.
On Sept 2, SANDPIPERS in the polo fields along Hughes Rd, Montgomery
Co, included 1 UPLAND, 2 LEAST, 2 WHITE-RUMPED, 1 PECTORAL, and 2
BUFF-BREASTED; at least one BUFF-BREASTED was still there as of Sept
5.
On Sept 2, the PPG ponds south of Cumberland, Allegany Co, held 9
shorebird species, including 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS.
On Sept 2, the golf course at Hains Point sported a prize collection
of shorebirds: RUDDY TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER,
19 STILT SANDPIPERS, 14 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 1 LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER, plus 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and more than 20 LESSER
YELLOWLEGS.
A RUDDY TURNSTONE at Lake Needwood was an extremely unusual visitor to
Montgomery Co; it was seen Sept 1 and 2.
Two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, on
Sept 2.
On Sept 1, a RED PHALAROPE surfaced at the Northampton Co town of Cape
Charles.
ROYAL and BLACK TERNS were 2 of 5 tern species seen at Dyke Marsh Sept
1; 7 ROYAL TERNS were reported from there Sept 3.
Cape Charles was inundated with both water and TERNS, more than 1,000
on Sept 1; on Sept 3, there were 300 individuals of 7 species,
including more than 75 BLACK TERNS and 2 adult ARCTIC TERNS.
BLACK TERNS were widespread, with the record going to the 175 at seen
at College Creek on Sept 2. In addition to those previously mentioned,
BLACK TERNS were found at several sites in Kent Co, MD, including
Eastern Neck NWR; at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co; at Riverbend
Park, Fairfax Co; and at Lake Anna, Spotsylvania Co, VA.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE continued in Frederick Co, MD, through late
afternoon on Sept 4, in the vicinity of the Stadler Nursery on Mt.
Zion Rd. Please respect the rights of the property owners in this
area.
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found at Lake Needwood as well as the Ridge at
Rock Creek Park, NW DC, on Sept 3; a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard at
the north end of Liberty Lake in Carroll Co, MD, Sept 4.
Flycatchers are on the move. Patterson Park in Baltimore held two
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER on Aug 31. On
Sept 2, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was found at Eakin Park, Fairfax Co,
and Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick Co, MD. YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER was present at Rock Creek Park Aug 31 and at Huntley
Meadows Sept 4.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was found Sept 4 at Meadowside Park, Montgomery
Co, along with 11 species of warbler.
Six species of SWALLOW--TREE, N. ROUGH-WINGED, BANK, CLIFF, and BARN,
plus PURPLE MARTIN--posed cooperatively on a tree branch in the
Potomac River at Violette's Lock on Sept 2.
A SEDGE WREN appeared at the New York Monuments section of Manassas
National Battlefield Park, Prince William Co, on Sept 4.
Small flocks of migrant WARBLERS breezed through a number of
locations, including Club Hollow Rd, Montgomery Co, and a yard in
Great Falls, Fairfax Co. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER at the Maintenance
Yard was the highlight of a dozen species found Sept 4 at Rock Creek
Park, while Little Bennett RP in Montgomery Co featured 4 CAPE MAY
WARBLERS in the same tree. Also on Sept 4, 16 species of warbler were
spotted at Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co. And along Skyline Drive,
the fog pushed down a flock of 50 warblers, with13 species, near the
White Oak Canyon Trail.
Flocks of BOBOLINKS continue to move through.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY,
VA-Bird, and DE Birds list servers.
Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an
excellent source for directions to many birding sites. The ANS
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source
for this and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@AudubonNaturalist.org. But no big photo files, please. You may
also report by calling 301-652-1088 and selecting 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.
Date: 9/5/2006
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice@AudubonNaturalist.org
(deadline): midnight Mondays
Compiler: Lydia Schindler
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle@capaccess.org)
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 prepared Tuesday, September 5, at
1 pm.
Top birds this week--in the wake of tropical storm Ernesto--are
BLACK-CAPPED and BULWER'S PETRELS, SOOTY SHEARWATER, and WILSON'S,
LEACH'S, and BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS in VA; HUDSONIAN GODWIT in DC;
PARASITIC and POMARINE JAEGERS in MD and VA; LONG-TAILED JAEGER in DC
and VA; SABINE'S GULL in VA;
BROWN NODDY in VA; SOOTY TERN in DC, MD, and VA; and BRIDLED TERN in
VA and MD.
Other birds of interest include GREAT WHITE HERON, shorebirds
including AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and RED PHALAROPE, ROYAL, ARCTIC,
BLACK, and other TERNS, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO,
OLIVE-SIDED and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, PHILADELPHIA VIREO,
swallows, SEDGE WREN, warblers, and BOBOLINK.
The lower Eastern Shore of VA, which bore the brunt of the storm,
scored the some of the most astounding numbers. Birds seen in the
vicinity of the Chesapeake Bay/Bridge Tunnel, Northampton Co, on Sept
2 included 1 BLACK-CAPPED PETREL and 1 BULWER'S PETREL; 71 LEACH'S
STORM-PETRELS, more than 50 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, and 3 BAND-RUMPED
STORM-PETRELS; PARASITIC, POMARINE, and LONG-TAILED JAEGERS; a
juvenile SABINE'S GULL; 2 BROWN NODDIES and 5 additional NODDIES, 2 of
which were likely BLACK; and 21 SOOTY TERNS and 83 BRIDLED TERNS. Two
BROWN NODDIES were also seen at nearby Sunset Beach.
Near Williamsburg, at College Creek, James City Co, observers found
the area's first SOOTY SHEARWATER, a JAEGER (sp), 14 SOOTY TERNS, and
7 BRIDLED TERNS.
Locally on Sept 2, a river watch at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA,
yielded a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL and a SOOTY TERN.
On Aug 30, a flock of 35 HUDSONIAN GODWITS that flew over the Ridge at
Rock Creek Park, NW DC, was likely an all-time high count for the
District.
In the city, storm-tossed birds seen flying upriver from Hains Point,
SW DC, on Sept 2 included a juvenile LONG-TAILED JAEGER and 2 adult
SOOTY TERNS.
Further upriver, a daylong vigil at Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co,
MD, yielded a POMERINE JAEGER and 8 SOOTY TERNS, as well as a (locally
unusual) LAUGHING GULL, an immature ROYAL TERN, 5 BLACK TERNS, and 3
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Elsewhere in Montgomery Co, a SOOTY TERN was
noted at Lake Needwood.
A PARASITIC JAEGER was spotted at Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD. A
PARASITIC JAEGER plus a dozen SOOTY TERNS were reported from Tilghman
Island, Talbot Co, MD.
Still on Sept 2, a SOOTY TERN flew over a yard in Arlington, VA, and 3
BRIDLED TERNS showed up at Occoquan Bay NWR, Prince William Co, VA.
Two SOOTY TERNS were observed flying over Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve,
Anne Arundel Co, MD.
In Calvert Co, MD, storm fallout on the Chesapeake Bay included 1 or 2
SOOTY TERNS at Scientists' Cliffs, plus half a dozen BLACK TERNS, with
PARASITIC JAEGER and 3 BRIDLED TERNS as well as BLACK TERNS at Holland
Point.
The GREAT WHITE HERON at Eastern Neck NWR in Kent Co, MD, was seen as
recently as Sept 3. This white morph of the Great Blue Heron frequents
Tubby Cove.
On Aug 31, the rainy fields around Capeville, Northampton Co, were
full of shorebirds, many close to the road; among some 19 species were
an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVEER, 16 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, and a
juvenile BAIRD'S.
On Sept 3, an UPLAND SANDPIPER was calling loudly as it flew east over
the Hains Point golf course and the Washington Channel.
On Sept 2, SANDPIPERS in the polo fields along Hughes Rd, Montgomery
Co, included 1 UPLAND, 2 LEAST, 2 WHITE-RUMPED, 1 PECTORAL, and 2
BUFF-BREASTED; at least one BUFF-BREASTED was still there as of Sept
5.
On Sept 2, the PPG ponds south of Cumberland, Allegany Co, held 9
shorebird species, including 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS.
On Sept 2, the golf course at Hains Point sported a prize collection
of shorebirds: RUDDY TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER,
19 STILT SANDPIPERS, 14 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 1 LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER, plus 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and more than 20 LESSER
YELLOWLEGS.
A RUDDY TURNSTONE at Lake Needwood was an extremely unusual visitor to
Montgomery Co; it was seen Sept 1 and 2.
Two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, on
Sept 2.
On Sept 1, a RED PHALAROPE surfaced at the Northampton Co town of Cape
Charles.
ROYAL and BLACK TERNS were 2 of 5 tern species seen at Dyke Marsh Sept
1; 7 ROYAL TERNS were reported from there Sept 3.
Cape Charles was inundated with both water and TERNS, more than 1,000
on Sept 1; on Sept 3, there were 300 individuals of 7 species,
including more than 75 BLACK TERNS and 2 adult ARCTIC TERNS.
BLACK TERNS were widespread, with the record going to the 175 at seen
at College Creek on Sept 2. In addition to those previously mentioned,
BLACK TERNS were found at several sites in Kent Co, MD, including
Eastern Neck NWR; at Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co; at Riverbend
Park, Fairfax Co; and at Lake Anna, Spotsylvania Co, VA.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE continued in Frederick Co, MD, through late
afternoon on Sept 4, in the vicinity of the Stadler Nursery on Mt.
Zion Rd. Please respect the rights of the property owners in this
area.
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found at Lake Needwood as well as the Ridge at
Rock Creek Park, NW DC, on Sept 3; a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard at
the north end of Liberty Lake in Carroll Co, MD, Sept 4.
Flycatchers are on the move. Patterson Park in Baltimore held two
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER on Aug 31. On
Sept 2, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was found at Eakin Park, Fairfax Co,
and Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick Co, MD. YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER was present at Rock Creek Park Aug 31 and at Huntley
Meadows Sept 4.
A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was found Sept 4 at Meadowside Park, Montgomery
Co, along with 11 species of warbler.
Six species of SWALLOW--TREE, N. ROUGH-WINGED, BANK, CLIFF, and BARN,
plus PURPLE MARTIN--posed cooperatively on a tree branch in the
Potomac River at Violette's Lock on Sept 2.
A SEDGE WREN appeared at the New York Monuments section of Manassas
National Battlefield Park, Prince William Co, on Sept 4.
Small flocks of migrant WARBLERS breezed through a number of
locations, including Club Hollow Rd, Montgomery Co, and a yard in
Great Falls, Fairfax Co. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER at the Maintenance
Yard was the highlight of a dozen species found Sept 4 at Rock Creek
Park, while Little Bennett RP in Montgomery Co featured 4 CAPE MAY
WARBLERS in the same tree. Also on Sept 4, 16 species of warbler were
spotted at Leesylvania SP, Prince William Co. And along Skyline Drive,
the fog pushed down a flock of 50 warblers, with13 species, near the
White Oak Canyon Trail.
Flocks of BOBOLINKS continue to move through.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOSPREY,
VA-Bird, and DE Birds list servers.
Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an
excellent source for directions to many birding sites. The ANS
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source
for this and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice@AudubonNaturalist.org. But no big photo files, please. You may
also report by calling 301-652-1088 and selecting 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.