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.Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist Date: 8/22/2006 Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1 Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2 (email): (deadline): midnight Mondays Compiler: Joe Coleman Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!) Transcriber: Steve Cordle ()
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist Society. This report was prepared Tuesday, August 22, at 4 pm.
Top birds this week are GREAT WHITE HERON* in MD, WHITE-FACED IBIS* in VA, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE* in MD, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE* in MD and SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER in DE.
Other birds of interest include MISSISSIPPI KITE, PEREGRINE FALCON, shorebirds including REEVE, GULL-BILLED and BLACK TERNS, MONK PARAKEET, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, YELLOW-BELLIED and LEAST FLYCATCHER, and COMMON RAVEN.
A GREAT WHITE HERON*, a white morph of the GREAT BLUE HERON, was seen and photographed from the Tubby Cove observation platform at the Eastern Neck NWR, Kent Co, MD on August 20. This bird is reviewable in MD as "a subspecies or form unusual to the region."
A bird thought to be a juvenile WHITE-FACED IBIS* was seen at Snow Goose Pool along the Chincoteague NWR (VA) wildlife loop at the start of the Black Duck Trail on Aug 18 along with several juvenile GLOSSY IBISES.
A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE* was reported Aug. 18 at Cromwell Valley Park, Baltimore Co, MD flying toward Loch Raven Reservoir.
A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE continued to be seen throughout the week, through this morning, Aug 22, at and near a nursery in Frederick Co, MD. The Stadler Nursery is located on Mt. Zion Road. Please respect the rights of the different property owners in this area and do not trespass. There is no need to enter the nursery unless you would like to buy a plant.
The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER near Smyrna, Kent Co, DE was again seen on Aug 17. It was flycatching from the utility wires along Fleming Landing Rd, Rte 9, about a quarter mile south of Paddock Rd.
On Aug 19, a MISSISSIPPI KITE nestling, close to fledging, was seen in its nest near the Waynewood subdivision in Fairfax Co, VA. Two MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen in the Waynewood neighborhood on August 20.
A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen on the 14TH Street Bridge, mid-river, during the morning rush hour on Aug. 19. Two juvenile PEREGRINE FALCONS were seen at Capeville, Northampton Co, VA on Aug. 21.
An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was seen on the wildlife loop at the Chincoteague NWR on Aug 19. PIPING PLOVERS were seen twice at the wildlife refuge over the weekend. An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was also seen on Aug. 21 at Capeville, Northampton Co, VA.
Among the many birds seen during a visit to Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on August 19 was 14 shorebird species along with one juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER and a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Also observed were 91 PIED-BILLED GREBES, two TRI-COLORED HERONS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON.
WHIMBRELS were seen flying overhead on Aug 16 at the Ocean City, MD inlet and offshore at the Chincoteague NWR on Aug. 20.
A juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was seen Aug 17 at the edge of Swan Cove Pool not far from the Chincoteague NWR visitor center. A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was also reported from the Chesterton Sewage Ponds on John Hanson Rd, Kent Co, MD on Aug 20.
A REEVE, a female RUFF, was seen Aug 17 on the edge of the large pool on the right side of the Road leading to Broadkill Beach, DE.
Other locations that reported several shorebird species during the week were the Craney Island landfill, Portsmouth, VA, the mouth of Hunting Creek, Fairfax Co, VA, Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA, and Paper Mill Flats, Baltimore Co, MD.
GULL-BILLED and BLACK TERNS (a few seen each day) were noted at the Chincoteague NWR during the past week. A BLACK TERN was seen at Bombay Hook NWR, DE on August 17 and another at the Chesterton Sewage Ponds, John Hanson Rd, on Aug 20.
This week two MONK PARAKEETS, probably escaped/released pets, turned up at a feeder in Takoma Park, Montgomery Co, MD on Aug 17 and on Aug 19. A MONK PARAKEET was also reported visiting a feeder during the past week in Denton, Caroline Co, MD.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen at Susquehanna SP, Harford Co, MD on Aug 20.
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen overhead throughout the area last week with reports of ten flying at Strathmore, Montgomery Co, MD on Aug 20 and up to 30 at Tyson's Corner on Aug 20 and 21. A CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, in the nets on Aug 19, was among the many birds banded this past week at the Kiptopeke SP banding station. The same day they banded a LEAST FLYCATCHER. Another LEAST FLYCATCHER was banded there on the 21st as well as a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER.
A COMMON RAVEN was heard near Bles Park in eastern Loudoun Co, VA on Aug 19.
Southbound warblers continued to move through the area in small numbers with numerous reports on the list servers.
The hawk watch at Snicker's Gap, on the Clarke/Loudoun Co (VA) line, is looking for volunteers to help monitor hawk migration, September-November. For information call 703-734-1238.
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 . 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.
*Of interest to either the MD/DC Records Committee or the VA Records Committee
