MIDDLE ATLANTIC 
al.), as was a Horned Grebe at Rigby’s Folly, 
Talbot, MD 25 May (HTA). This was an above- 
average spring for Red-necked Grebe, with 
about 40 birds reported from 35 locations in 
20 Maryland and Virginia counties, plus in 
D.C. Very rare in the spring, an Eared Grebe 
continued from the winter at 32nd St., 
Worcester, MD through 21 Mar (m.ob.). An- 
other Eared Grebe was on the Potomac R., 
Fairfax, VA 28 Mar (KG). An Eared Grehe in 
breeding plumage was an exceptional find at 
the sewage treatment plant in Roanoke, VA 
20-21 Apr (KD, MS, MP). 
As often happens, persistent easterly winds 
in mid- to late May produced multiple coastal 
Sooty Shearwater records. Three and 8 Sooty 
Shearwaters were at O.C. Inlet 17 QB et al.) & 
19 May (SD et al.), respectively. An exhausted 
Sooty Shearwater rested near Smith 1., 
NortharnptotJ, VA 23 May (J&HL, fide HTA); 
one was at Fisherman’s Island N.W.R., 
Northampton 24 May (ph. SR); and another 
was closely observed at the C.B.B.T. 30 May 
(ph. AD, TT). Single Leach’s Storm-Petrels 
were sighted on Worcester pelagics 24 (JLS et 
al.) & 30 May (MB). An ad. Red-billed Trop- 
icbird was carefully studied for five minutes at 
distances as close as 5 m overhead at Ship 
Shoal 1., Northampton 24 May (ph. AW, ND). If 
accepted, this will represent a first record for 
the Region. It is possible that this tropicbird 
was the same individual as observed onshore 
in Mar/Apr at Buxton, NC. American White 
Pelicans were well reported: 30 continued 
from the winter at Blackwater N.W.R., Dorch- 
ester through 7 Apr (m.ob.); one was seen 
soaring over Hog I., Suny, VA 18 Mar (FB, 
SDe, BW, BT); and another at Sewards, Dorch- 
ester 5 Apr+ (m.ob.) was presumably one of 
the Blackwater flock that moved away from the 
refuge. The 500+ Brown Pelicans at Pt. Look- 
out, St. Mary’s, MD 5 Apr (PR) was an excel- 
lent early season count. A Brown Pelican at Ft. 
Smallwood, Arrne Arundel 17 Apr (SRi et al.) 
was unexpected, as the species is very rare n. 
of the Bay Bridge. A Great Cormorant was seen 
flying downstream at Violette’s Lock, Mont- 
gomery 4 Apr (DCz); imms. were at Hart 9 May 
(EJS et al.) and at O.C. Inlet 17 May (BH et 
al.). Primarily rare visitors to se. Virginia in the 
Region, Anhingas were seen well away from 
Hampton Roads cities this season: singles were 
at Lilypons, Frederick, MD 3 May QMo et al.), 
over Bedford, VA 8 May (RB), and on the Oc- 
coquan R. at Belmont Bay, Prince William, VA 
10 May (MO), and 2 were at Susquehanna S.P., 
Harford 22 May (p.a., KGr, JD). 
An American Bittern was heard at Finzel 
Swamp, Garrett 24 May (MH et al.), suggest- 
ing possible breeding. The 6 Snowy Egrets at 
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, D.C, 7 May 
(GM, BC) made an unusually high spring 
count. A Cattle Egret was a bit out of place at 
Veteran’s Park, Prince William 5-17 Apr (TJ, 
MF, MR); other singles were on the Mall, D.C. 
21-22 Apr QF et al.), at E. Potomac Park, D.C. 
4-6 May (GM, BC), and at Shirley Plantation, 
Charles City 5 May (RE). Two Cattle Egrets at 
Lilypons, Frederick 1-3 May (MW et al.) were 
also away from the species’ usual locations. A 
rare and local transient and summer visitor in 
the Piedmont, a juv. Yellow-crowned Night- 
Heron delighted observers in Madison 
Heights, Amherst 5-10 May (RB et al.). 
A White Ibis at Sparrows Pt., Baltimore, 
MD 4-9 May (RRo et al.) provided a rare 
spring record for Maryland. Single Glossy Ibis 
were good finds on the James R., Newport 
News, VA 3 Apr (NF); at Dameron Marsh 
Natural Area Preserve, Northumberland, VA 4 
Apr (TS); at Hains Pt., D.C. 15 May (PP); and 
at E. Potomac Park, D.C. 26-27 May (PP). 
Single ad. White-faced Ibis were at Snow Hill, 
Worcester 18 Apr Ql-S) and Berlin, Worcester 
18-27 Apr (RG et al.). A White-faced Ibis at 
Chine. 30 May (AD, TT) made the first Vir- 
ginia spring record since 2006. 
KITES THROUGH ALODS 
One or 2 ad. Swallow-tailed Kites were seen 
between the Eastern Shore Virginia N.W.R. 
and near Painter, Northampton 1-6 May (DR, 
SH; GF); another graced the skies near Burke 
L., Fairfax 9 May (SB). A Mississippi Kite in 
Halifax, VA 1 May QBO was at approximately 
the same location where the species has been 
seen annually since the 1998 Virginia Society 
of Ornithology Foray. Mississippi Kite had an 
above-average spring in Maryland, including 
6 birds at Ft. Smallwood and five additional 
reports. The 2009 C.C.B. Bald Eagle survey 
documented 71 nesting pairs in coastal Vir- 
ginia, including 52 on the Eastern Shore (Ac- 
comack had 36 pairs, Northampton 16 pairs). 
Seven and 12 nesting Bald Eagle pairs were 
recorded in Hampton/Newport News and 
lower Tidewater, respectively (BWa, MBy). A 
Northern Goshawk at the College Creek 
Hawkwatch, Williamsburg, VA 21 Mar (BT et 
al.) provided only the 3rd record for this lo- 
cation. A Rough-legged Hawk sighted above 
Stuarts Draft, Augusta 1 Mar (AL) furnished 
the 2nd county record in spring. The 19 
Golden Eagles at Dan’s Rock, Allegany 5 Mar 
(ML, JB Churchill) made an excellent spring 
count. A subad. Golden Eagle was unexpect- 
ed in Westmoreland, VA 11 Mar (TD). A Mer- 
lin was a nice find at Ft. Smallwood, Arme 
Arundel 22 May (SRi et al.). A Peregrine Fal- 
con seen at Oakton, Fairfax 3 Apr (FA) had 
an antenna attached to its back, possibly the 
bird dubbed “Ross” that was hacked from the 
New River Gorge N.P. in summer 2007 and 
has been tracked by the C.C.B. 
Always rare and elusive in the Region, 3 
Yellow Rails were heard well at Rumbly Pt., 
Somerset, MD 24-25 Apr (HH et al.). Two 
Black Rails called from the Saxis marsh, Acco- 
mack, VA 24 Apr (S&SK, jrde DM). One of the 
few reliable Virginia locations for this species, 
4 King Rails were at Occoquan Bay N.W.R., 
Prince William 3 May (KG et al). A Purple 
Gallinule was an excellent find at the James 
River S.P., Buckingham, VA 14 May (ABr). An 
impressive total of 24 Sandhill Cranes was re- 
ported from nine locations, including 10 birds 
at the Patuxent Research Refuge, Prince 
George’s, MD 10 Mar (EG, AG); 3 flying over 
Ferndale, Anne Arundel 10 Mar (Stan and 
EA); and 5 at Columbia, Howard, MD 31 Mar 
(BE et al.), a 6th county record. 
A rare spring transient in the Region, an 
American Golden-Plover was found in Albe- 
marle, VA 23 Mar (THo); another was at Jug 
Bay, Anne Arundel 5 Apr (POs, DK). Two Pip- 
ing Plovers were notable at Bethel Beach, 
Mathews, VA 17-22 Mar (G&RH, AB); singles 
were at Craney 1. 23 Apr (DC) and Hughlett 
Point Natural Area Preserve, Northumberlarrd 
24 May (TS). An American Oystercatcher at 
Hart 31 Mar-2 Apr (EJS et al.) was unusual. A 
Black-necked Stilt was a nice find at Great 
Oak Pond, Kent 9 May (WE, NM); 4 were at 
Snow Hill, Worcester 31 May (MHo). Two 
Black-necked Stilt nests with eggs were dis- 
covered at Hart 30 May (RFR et al). Single 
Western Willets were at Ft. Smallwood, Anne 
Arundel 1 May (BH), at Sandy Pt., Anne Arun- 
del 7 May (DH et al), and Shirley Plantation, 
Charles City 17 May (AB). A Eurasian Whim- 
brel at Assat. 24 Apr (ph. JLS) made just the 
2nd Maryland record. The 130 Whimbrels at 
Dyke Marsh, Fairfax 18 May (KG et al.) were 
an unusually high count for the location. A 
Long-billed Curlew was still at Elkins Marsh, 
Northampton 30 May (ph. BTr, FSm), where at 
least one has visited periodically since 2003. 
A rare spring transient, especially away from 
the immediate coast, a Marbled Godwit flew 
over Blackwater N.W.R., Dorchester 9 May 
QMo). Inclement weather hampered the 
C.C.B.A(C.R. coastal barrier islands Red Knot 
migration investigations. The peak count for 
this spring was 6079 birds 25 May, compara- 
ble to the peak 2006 and 2007 counts of 5783 
and 5939 birds, respectively, but well below 
the 8000+ typically observed in the mid- 
1990s, the 7802 birds recorded in 2008, and 
the high of 9150 Red Knots tallied in 2005. 
Two Sanderlings at Summit Hall Turf Farm, 
Montgomery 31 May were well inland (DCz). 
Very rare in the spring, a well-described West- 
ern Sandpiper was at Blackwater N.W.R., 
404 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
