FW: DC Area, 8/15/2017

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Joe Coleman

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Aug 15, 2017, 4:35:45 PM8/15/17
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FYI Joe Coleman

-----Original Message-----
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 8/15/2017
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments and questions: vo...@anshome.org
Compiler: Gerry Hawkins
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 of the Naturalist (Individual $50; Family $65; Nature Steward $100;
Audubon Advocate $200). 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 covers the week starting Tuesday, August 8 and was
completed on Tuesday, August 15 at 1:00 a.m.

Information on noteworthy birds is presented below in taxonomic order, as
set forth in the American Ornithological Society Checklist for North and
Middle American Birds, as revised through the 58th Supplement (July 2017).

The top birds this week were WOOD STORK* in VA and NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* in
MD.

Other birds of interest this week included TUNDRA SWAN, NORTHERN SHOVELER,
GADWALL, SURF and BLACK SCOTERS, RUDDY DUCK, COMMON GALLINULE, AMERICAN
AVOCET, MARBLED GODWIT, STILT, BAIRD'S, WHITE-RUMPED and BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILSON'S and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES,
BONAPARTE'S and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, GULL-BILLED and BLACK TERNS,
ANHINGA, AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS, SNOWY EGRET, LITTLE BLUE and
TRICOLORED HERONS, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, WHITE and GLOSSY IBIS,
MISSISSIPPI KITE, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BELLIED
and ALDER FLYCATCHERS, PURPLE MARTIN, SEDGE WREN, LARK SPARROW, BLUE-WINGED
and MOURNING WARBLERS, SUMMER TANAGER and DICKCISSEL.

TOP BIRDS

On August 8 and 9 a young WOOD STORK* was seen in fields along 1366-1474
Pleasant Ridge Road in Virginia Beach, VA, and on August 11 this bird was
relocated along Muddy Creek Road about one-half mile north of the
intersection with Pleasant Ridge Road and then seen again along Pleasant
Ridge Road on August 12-14. Another WOOD STORK reportedly visited a private
property in Northampton Co, VA on August 8. These and other recent sightings
in and outside the reporting area suggest that birders should be on the
lookout for Florida wetland species in the coming weeks.

A continuing NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* was seen at several proximate locations in
Calvert Co, MD: the North Beach marsh on August 10, Chesapeake Beach Marina
on August 11, Chesapeake Beach Veterans Memorial Park on August 12 and North
Beach from the north end of Atlantic Avenue on August 13.

OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST

Two continuing TUNDRA SWANS were seen at Hurlock WWTP in Dorchester Co, MD
on August 8. A TUNDRA SWAN also was reported at James River SP in Buckingham
Co, VA on August 9.

Waterfowl also included small numbers of several migratory duck species.
These included three NORTHERN SHOVELERS and a RUDDY DUCK at Bombay Hook NWR,
Kent Co, DE on August 12; two continuing GADWALL at Hart-Miller Island in
Baltimore Co, MD on August 9 and 14; two continuing SURF SCOTERS at Big
Water Farm (private) in Queen Anne's Co, MD on August 10; a continuing BLACK
SCOTER at the North Beach marsh in Calvert Co, MD on August 9-14 and at the
Ocean City Inlet in Worcester Co, MD on August 11; and two RUDDY DUCKS at a
pond near the end of Discovery Boulevard in Prince William Co, VA on August
12 and 14.

A high of five juvenile COMMON GALLINULES were seen at Hart-Miller Island in
Baltimore Co, MD on August 9 and 14, and one COMMON GALLINULE was seen at
Perryville Community Park in Cecil Co, MD on August 12.

High numbers of AMERICAN AVOCETS continue at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE
and the Craney Island Disposal Area (restricted access) in Portsmouth, VA,
with a high of 120 and 200 individuals reported at these respective
locations on August 13 and 11, respectively. Sightings of AMERICAN AVOCETS
also included a high of 23 individuals at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on
August 11, 13 and 14; eight individuals at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co,
MD on August 9; two individuals at Lake Habib in Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co,
MD on August 10; and a single continuing individual on Hog Island in Surry
Co, VA on August 9.

Shorebird highlights also included a high of three MARBLED GODWITS seen at
Chincoteague NWR in Accomack Co, VA on August 9 and 11, and one MARBLED
GODWIT photographed along Franklin and Strawberry Banks Boulevards in
Hampton, VA on August 13 and 14. Migratory STILT SANDPIPERS were seen at
several locations, with a high of 21 individuals at Swan Creek Wetland-Cox
Creek (restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 8 and 9; 20
individuals at the Craney Island Disposal Area (restricted access) in
Portsmouth, VA on August 11; and a high of 19 individuals at Bombay Hook
NWR, Kent Co, DE on August 8, 12 and 13. An early BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was
found along Whitehall Neck Road in Kent Co, DE on August 9. Sightings of the
similar WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER included 1-2 individuals at Bombay Hook NWR,
Kent Co, DE on August 10 and 13; one individual at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex
Co, DE on August 14; a high of seven individuals at Swan Creek Wetland-Cox
Creek (restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 8 and 10; one
individual at Assateague Island NS, Worcester Co, MD on August 11; one
individual at the Central Sod Farms-John Brown Road in Queen Anne's Co, MD
on August 10, 11 and 14; and three individuals at the Craney Island Disposal
Area (restricted access) in Portsmouth, VA on August 11. On August 8 an
early BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was found at the Oakwood Turf Farm-Taylor Road
in Wicomico Co, MD. On August 9 an inland juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
was identified at the C & O Canal-North Branch in Allegany Co, MD. Ten
WILSON'S PHALAROPES and three RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were counted at the
Craney Island Disposal Area (restricted access) in Portsmouth, VA on August
11. In addition, a single WILSON'S PHALAROPE was photographed at the
Riverside Turf Farm in Charles City Co, VA on August 9.

A BONAPARTE'S GULL was seen again at Swan Creek Wetland-Cox Creek
(restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co, MD on August 8-10 and at Tydings
Memorial Park in Harford Co, MD on August 10. On August 9 a LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen again at the Chesapeake Beach Marina in Calvert
Co, MD.

On August 11-13 a high of four GULL-BILLED TERNS, which included a juvenile,
were seen at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE. GULL-BILLED TERNS also were seen
at several locations in the Virginia eastern coastal plain, where they
regularly breed, but the only multiple reports were two individuals at the
Craney Island Disposal Area (restricted access) in Portsmouth on August 11
and a high of four individuals at Tom's Creek and nearby Smith Island in
Northampton Co, VA on August 13.

Small numbers of BLACK TERNS were seen at several locations in the reporting
area. Multiple sightings in Maryland included a high of six individuals
reported at Violette's Lock on the C & O Canal in Montgomery Co on August
11; two individuals at Perryville Community Park in Cecil Co on August 11;
three individuals at Oakwood Turf Farm-Hampshire Road in Wicomico Co on
August 12; and two individuals at Morgantown in Charles Co on August 13. On
August 11 and 12 two BLACK TERNS were seen over DC waters from locations on
the Alexandria, VA waterfront. Reports of BLACK TERNS in Virginia included
two individuals at Algonkian Nature Park in Loudoun Co on August 11; one
individual at the Route 701 ramp area in Briery Creek WMA, Prince Edward Co
on August 8; two individuals at the Staunton View Public Use Area in
Mecklenburg Co on August 12; seven individuals at Leonard's Pond in
Rockingham Co on August 11; and one individual at Dyke Marsh WP in Fairfax
Co on August 12 and 13.

On August 13 an ANHINGA* was photographed at Chamberlayne Swamp in Hanover
Co, VA.

On August 14 an AMERICAN BITTERN was reported along Raymond Neck Road at
Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE. Encounters with the elusive LEAST BITTERN
included a continuing individual at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery Co, MD on
August 8.

Inland herons and egrets included a continuing SNOWY EGRET at Violette's
Lock on the C & O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on August 9; a continuing
LITTLE BLUE HERON at College Lake on the Lynchburg College campus in
Lynchburg, VA on August 8 and 12; and an adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
photographed at Borden's Spring in Clarke Co, VA on August 13 and 14, which
is an apparent first record for this county. A continuing TRICOLORED HERON
was seen at several locations in Maryland: Swan Creek Wetland-Cox Creek
(restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co on August 8-11; the North Beach marsh
in Calvert Co on August 8, 10 and 13; and the Chesapeake Bay Environmental
Center (Horsehead) in Queen Anne's Co on August 9 and 13.

Inland sightings of WHITE IBIS included a high of three continuing
individuals at College Lake on the campus of Lynchburg College in Lynchburg,
VA on August 8 and 12; a continuing individual at Green Mountain Lake in
Greene Co, VA on August 11; and four continuing individuals at the Staunton
View Public Use Area in Mecklenburg Co, VA on August 12. Inland, two GLOSSY
IBIS were seen flying up the Potomac River and landing in Loudoun Co, VA
from Violette's Lock on the C & O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on August 9,
and on August 14 two GLOSSY IBIS were observed flying over Remount Road in
Front Royal, VA. An inland GLOSSY IBIS also was seen at the Patton Turf Farm
in Montgomery Co, MD on August 13.

During the week birders enjoyed watching a recent fledgling MISSISSIPPI KITE
perched in and near its nest and its parents at a location near Monticello
Park in Alexandria, VA. These appear to be the most northern breeding
MISSISSIPPI KITES in the reporting area this year. Noteworthy raptors during
the week also included a small number of early migrating BROAD-WINGED HAWKS
at several locations in Virginia and Maryland and at a couple of locations
just outside the reporting area in New Castle Co, DE.

A family of four RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS was observed as far north as Big
Stone Beach Road in the Milford Neck Wildlife Area, Kent Co, DE on August 9.


On August 14 the long-time compiler of migratory birds at Monticello Park in
Alexandria, VA reported an early YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER that was seen and
heard. Early migratory Empids also included an ALDER FLYCATCHER seen and
heard on Hart-Miller Island in Baltimore Co, MD on August 9.

Large numbers of migrating PURPLE MARTINS continue to be seen in Winchester,
VA, with an estimated 3,000 individuals at a roost near the end of Covington
Lane on August 8-10, 12 and 13, and an estimated 1,000 individuals perched
on utility wires at the intersection of Marple and Bethel Grange Roads on
August 8.

On August 11 a SEDGE WREN was reported at Swan Creek Wetland-Cox Creek
(restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co, MD.

On August 10 a LARK SPARROW was spotted on a wire at 30355 Seaside Road in
Northampton Co, VA.

Migratory warblers continued to trickle into the reporting area. Highlights
included a BLUE-WINGED WARBLER found along Schwaninger and Piney Hill Roads
in Talbot Co, MD on August 9 and 10, respectively, and at Patuxent Research
Refuge-Central Tract (private) in Prince George's Co, MD on August 11.
Noteworthy sightings of migratory warblers also included a MOURNING WARBLER
at Swan Creek Wetland-Cox Creek (restricted access) in Anne Arundel Co, MD
on August 8, Cromwell Valley Park in Baltimore Co, MD on August 10-13 and
along Oak Road in Charles Co, MD on August 13.

A continuing SUMMER TANAGER was encountered near Blockhouse Point on the C &
O Canal-Violette's Lock in Montgomery Co, MD on August 9, 11 and 13.

DICKCISSELS continue in the Underwood Road area in Howard Co, MD, with a
high of three individuals seen on August 10, 13 and 14, and at various other
locations in the reporting area.

***

This week's report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers, eBird records and various birding pages on Facebook.

The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, http://anshome.org/shop)is an
excellent source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.

To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to vo...@anshome.org.
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as well as
the state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning contact, e-mail or
phone.

Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.

*Of interest to the applicable state records committee

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