Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist Date: 5/2/2017 Coverage: MD/DC/VA/central and southern DE/WV panhandle Reports, comments and questions: [email protected] 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 (Senior $35; 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.anshome.org/. This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist Society. This report covers the week starting Tuesday, April 25 and was completed on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:45 a.m. Information on noteworthy birds is presented below in taxonomic order, as set forth in the American Ornithologists’ Union Checklist for North and Middle American birds, as revised through the 57th Supplement (July 2016). The top bird this week was RUFF in DE and MD. Other birds of interest this week included SNOW and CACKLING GEESE, GREATER SCAUP, SURF, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCK, TRUMPETER SWAN, NORTHERN BOBWHITE, RED-NECKED GREBE, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON GALLINULE, SANDHILL CRANE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, STILT and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, WILSON’S PHALAROPE, PARASITIC and LONG-TAILED JAEGERS, GULL-BILLED TERN, ANHINGA, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, AMERICAN and LEAST BITTERNS, TRICOLORED HERON, WHITE and GLOSSY IBIS, MISSISSIPPI KITE, LOGGERHEAD and NORTHERN SHRIKES, SEDGE WREN, SWAINSON’S, MOURNING, CERULEAN and CANADA WARBLERS, CLAY-COLORED and LINCOLN’S SPARROWS, DICKCISSEL and BOBOLINK. TOP BIRD On April 27 and 29 birders enjoyed watching and photographed a RUFF in the headquarters area at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE. A RUFF also was reported on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 28. OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST On April 26 an injured SNOW GOOSE was observed at Byrd Park and nearby Pocomoke River SP-Shad Landing in Worcester Co, MD. A continuing CACKLING GOOSE at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (Horsehead) in Queen Anne’s Co, MD was most recently seen on April 30. Lingering waterfowl also included small numbers of most migratory duck species. Noteworthy sightings included a singe CANVASBACK at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (Horsehead) in Queen Anne’s Co, MD on April 27; a LONG-TAILED DUCK at the North Beach marsh in Calvert Co, MD on April 30; and small numbers of LONG-TAILED DUCKS and SURF, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS among other ducks at Poplar Island in Talbot Co, MD on April 26. Noteworthy inland waterfowl included 1- 2 GREATER SCAUP at Violette’s Lock on the C&O Canal in Montgomery Co, MD on April 29 and 30, and a SURF SCOTER at this location on April 28. Two TRUMPETER SWANS were seen at the Owensville Road pond in Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 26, and a continuing TRUMPETER SWAN was at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 27. The Chester River Field Research Center (Chino Farms)(restricted access) in Queen Anne’s Co, MD is one of the most reliable locations in the reporting area for NORTHERN BOBWHITES, with a high of eight individuals reported there on April 26. NORTHERN BOBWHITES also continue to be regularly encountered at Bombay Hook NWR in Kent Co, DE, particularly around the Visitors Center and Allee House. On April 26 a late RED-NECKED GREBE visited Lake Frederick in Frederick Co, VA. Migrating cuckoos included BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS at several locations, including along Aquasco Farm Road in Prince George’s Co, MD on April 27; C&O Limekiln Road in Washington Co, MD on April 27; Woodlawn Wildlife Area in Cecil Co, MD on April 28; Beverly Farms Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April 29; Ivy Creek Natural Area in Albemarle Co, VA on April 30; Fort Dupont Park in Washington, DC on April 2 28; and Rock Creek Park-Maintenance Yard in Washington, DC on April 30. Two pairs of COMMON GALLINULES were found during a survey of Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on April 26. On April 29 a likely continuing SANDHILL CRANE was seen along Orendorf Road in Garrett Co, MD. Breeding WILSON’S PLOVERS have returned to Wallops Island in Accomack Co, VA, with three individuals reported on May 1. A high of four BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were counted at the Patton Turf Farm in Montgomery Co, MD on April 26 and 27. A small number (1-2) of early STILT SANDPIPERS were found at several locations, including Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 26 and 30 and May 1; Poplar Island, Talbot Co, MD on April 26; Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co, MD on April 28; Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on April 28; and Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on April 30. A single WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was reported along Route 213 south of Redner’s in Cecil Co, MD on April 29; on Hart-Miller Island in Baltimore Co, MD on May 1; and on Hog Island WMA in Surry Co, VA on April 30; and 1-2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were found at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 30 and May 1. A WILSON’S PHALAROPE was spotted during the weekly survey of the Craney Island Disposal Area in Portsmouth, VA on April 27. A PARASITIC JAEGER was reported chasing gulls off Rehoboth Beach in Sussex Co, DE on April 30, and single PARASITIC and LONG-TAILED JAEGERS were reported (with photos) in DE waters from the Lewes-Cape May Ferry on the same day. GULL-BILLED TERNS continued to return to the southeastern Virginia coastal plain, with sightings including two individuals at the Craney Island Disposal Area in Portsmouth on April 27; four individuals at the Grandview Nature Preserve in Hampton on April 29; and eight individuals at Fort Monroe in Hampton on April 29. An ANHINGA was seen at the Stumpy Lake Natural Area in Virginia Beach, VA through May 1, and two ANHINGAS were found there on April 29. Two ANHINGAS also were found at the Carson Wetland in Prince George Co, VA on April 29. 3 On April 30 a single AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was photographed in flight above Hog Island WMA in Surry Co, VA. Continuing AMERICAN BITTERNS were encountered at Black Marsh in Baltimore Co, MD on April 25 and Bles Park in Loudoun Co, VA on April 25 and 30. An AMERICAN BITTERN also was encountered at a closed bridge over Catoctin Creek on Poffenberger Road in Frederick Co, MD on April 27; a vernal pool in the campground section of Cabin John Park in Montgomery Co, MD on April 27; Dulles Greenway Wetlands Mitigation Project in Loudoun Co, VA on April 26 and 29; Broadlands Wetlands Nature Preserve in Loudoun Co, VA on April 27; and Bombay Hook NWR-Refuge Headquarters in Kent Co, DE on April 29. In addition, two AMERICAN BITTERNS were unexpectedly seen together at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George’s Co, MD on May 1. Encounters with the elusive LEAST BITTERN included a continuing individual at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery Co, MD on April 25-28 and 30, 1-2 calling individuals at Dick Cross WMA in Mecklenberg Co, VA on April 27 and 29; and two calling individuals at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 27. On April 27 a TRICOLORED HERON was photographed at Beverly- Triton Beach in Anne Arundel Co, MD. On April 27 38 WHITE IBIS were observed flying past the College Creek Hawkwatch in James City Co, VA. Ten GLOSSY IBIS were at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St. Mary’s Co, MD on April 27, and 1-2 GLOSSY IBIS were found at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford Co, MD on April 30 and May 1. Raptor highlights included two early migrating MISSISSIPPI KITES at the Smith Farm in Lunenburg Co, VA on May 1. Two continuing LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES at the Smith Farm in Lunenburg Co, VA were seen most recently on May 1. A NORTHERN SHRIKE* that has been present at the Sully Woodlands in Fairfax Co, VA since late October 2016 was seen most recently on April 29. On April 26 a SEDGE WREN was heard and briefly seen doing a display flight at the woodcock meadow by the hike-bike trail in Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax Co, VA. A SEDGE WREN 4 also was found at Franklin Point SP in Anne Arundel Co, MD on April 28. Birders enjoyed encounters with the expected migratory warbler species throughout the reporting area. These included SWAINSON’S WARBLERS, which continued to arrive in the Great Dismal Swamp NWR in the southeastern coastal plain of VA, the only place where this species is known to regularly breed in the reporting area. Perhaps the most unlikely warbler report during the week was a MOURNING WARBLER heard singing in overgrown vegetation in the front yard of a residence on Alton Place in Washington, DC on May 1. Individual CERULEAN WARBLERS were encountered at several locations, including Milford Mill Park in Baltimore Co, MD on April 25 and 26; Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore Co, MD on April 30; Susquehanna SP in Harford Co, MD on April 27 and 28; Fort Dupont Park in Washington, DC on April 28 and 29; and Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC on April 28 and 30. An early CANADA WARBLER was found long Big Run Road in Garrett Co, MD on April 29.