I Middle Atlantic 
Mark T. Adams 
Matt Hafner 
J une temperatures were near normal 
across most of the Region, though parts of 
Maryland and northern Virginia were 
somewhat cooler than average. July was a 
marked contrast to June: Virginia and Mary- 
land recorded their 4th and 7th coldest July 
average temperatures, respectively, of the past 
115 years. The Region’s mid-summer cool 
down was part of a larger pattern of below-av- 
erage temperatures that extended across at 
least ten nearby states in July. Precipitation 
was above average in June, but July rainfall 
was below normal except in far southwestern 
Virginia, where it was near normal. 
, The season’s avian highlights included Yel- 
low-nosed Albatross, Brown Booby, Neotropic 
Cormorant, Great 'White Egret, multiple 
Roseate Spoonbills, an amazing Violet- 
crowned Hummingbird, and encouraging 
breeding success for the Region’s sole Red- 
cockaded Woodpecker colony. In addition to 
this report’s many individual contributors, we 
thank Tim Hodge, Adam D’Onofrio, Nick 
Flanders, YuLee Lamer, Robert E Ringler, jo 
Solem, and Bill Williams for their assistance 
in compiling and interpreting the season’s 
records. 
Abbreviations: Assat. (Assateague I., Worces- 
ter, MD); Back Bay (Back Bay N.W.R., Virginia 
Beach, VA); Bay (Chesapeake Bay); Chine. 
(Chincoteague N.W.R., Accomack, VA); 
Craney (Craney I. Disposal Area, Portsmouth, 
VA); False Cape (False Cape S.R, Virginia 
Beach, VA); Hart (Hart-Miller L, Baltimore, 
MD); Poplar (Poplar I., Talbot, MD); 
V.D.G.I.F (Virginia Department of Game and 
Inland Fisheries). 
WATERFOWL THROUGH IBISES 
Eight Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks visited 
Jug Bay, Prince George’s/Anne Arundel, MD 2 
Jun (DB, m.ob.); the 8 Black-bellied 
Whistling-Ducks seen flying northward at 
Wooten’s Landing, Anne Arundel 4 Jun (HH) 
were only about 10 km n. of Jug Bay 
and probably the same flock; these 
birds were also likely the same flock 
reported in late spring at L. 
Churchill, Montgomery, MD. The 
Ross’s Goose near downtown 
Lynchburg, VA in late spring (TDa 
et al.) remained through 1 Jun. A 
Tundra Swan at Lyndhurst, Augusta, 
VA 15 Jun (DQ,JideYL) established 
a first county record in summer. The 
injured Tundra Swan at Blackwater 
N.W.R., Dorchester, MD continued 
from the spring through 18 Jul (m.ob.). 
An impressive variety of accidental to rare 
waterfowl was reported. Two Gadwalls lin- 
gered at Hart 6-20 Jun (EJS et al), as did 2 
Blue-winged Teal 6-13 Jun (EJS et al.). A fe- 
male Northern Pintail tending a seven-egg 
nest on Metompkin 1., Accomack, VA 6 Jun 
(AW) provided a rare Virginia breeding 
record, though a check 19 Jun found the nest 
abandoned. An early Green-winged Teal visit- 
ed Mill Creek L., Amherst, VA 25 Jul (RB, 
TDa); 3 Green-winged Teal were at 
Hart 20 Jun (KGr et al.). An unex- 
pected Canvasback was at Ma- 
sonville, Baltimore, MD 20 Jul 
(KGr). At least 8 Ring-necked 
Ducks were observed around the 
Region, including a one on the Po- 
tomac R. at Great Falls N.P., Faufax, 
VA 21 Jun (MR) and 2 drakes at 
Clyde’s Pond, Dick Cross W.M.A., 
Mecklenburg, VA 27 Jun (AD, TT). 
Three Greater Scaup were at Hart 6- 
20 Jun (EJS et al.); 2 were on the Po- 
tomac R., Prince George’s 7-14 Jun 
(m.ob.); and the latest was a single 
at Masonville, Baltimore 20 Jul 
(KGr). At least 9 Lesser Scaup lin- 
gered into summer, including a 
drake at Craney 1 Jul+ (BW). An 
imm. male King Eider, very rare in 
summer, was at Poplar 6 Jul+ (JR, 
m.ob.), often mingling with 11 Surf 
Scoters that were present 23 Jun+ 
(]R, m.ob.). A Surf Scoter was at 
Fisherman I., Northampton, VA 29 Jul (RLA). 
Rare in summer even on the coast, 2 Long- 
tailed Ducks visited Poplar 6-20 Jul QR, 
m.ob.). Single Buffleheads were surprising 30 
Juji at Violette’s Lock, Montgomery, MD 
(DCz) and at Patuxent River Park, Prince 
George’s (CO). A female Common Merganser 
was on a nest on the Youghiheny R., Garrett, 
MD 12 Jun (BH). A female Common Mer- 
ganser and 9 young were an excellent find at 
Violette’s Lock, Montgomery 18 Jun (SA). An 
apparently injured drake Common Merganser 
was on the Shenandoah R., Clarke, VA 9 Jul 
(DCa). Single Red-breasted Mergansers con- 
tinued from the spring at Ocean City, Worces- 
ter, MD through 22 Jul (m.ob.) and at Hart 
through 6 Jun (EJS et al.). Others were at Ft. 
Smallwood, Anne Arundel 2 Jun (fide Voice of 
the Naturalist) and Liberty L., CatroU, MD 15 
Jun (RFR). At least 11 Common Loons were 
seen, the latest 2 birds each on 18 Jul at 
Chine. OU and at Liberty L., Carroll (RFR). 
Four Horned Grebes were reported from 
Maryland, including a bird from the spring at 
Rigby’s Folly, Talbot, MD that remained 
through the summer (HTA). A Western 
Grebe briefly visited a pond at The Summit, 
Bedford 6 Jun O^o) for only the 5th Virginia 
Piedmont record. 
A Yellow-nosed Albatross over the ocean 
at Assat. 6 Jun (p.a., SA) was well described 
and would be Maryland’s 2nd record. This 
bird was only a stone’s throw from Virginia, 
which has just two accepted Yellow-nosed Al- 
batross sight records (1979, 1981). Six 
Greater Shearwaters and a Sooty Shearwater 
were nice finds off Fisherman I. and Smith L, 
Northampton, VA 29 Jun (FS). A pelagic trip 
out of Lewes, DE 16 Jun (ES) reported 325 
Cory’s, 25 Greater, and 3 Sooty Shearwaters in 
Maryland waters; another Lewes pelagic trip 
26 Jun recorded 10 Cory’s and 8 Greater 
Shearwaters OLS) in Maryland waters. Rarely 
seen from the Bay shore, a Wilson’s Storm-Pe- 
trel was at Pt. Lookout, St. Mary’s, MD 19 Jul 
(TF). An imm. Brown Booby perched on a 
boat sailing in the Bay just below the Potomac 
R. in Virginia waters 17 Jul (ph. LF, fide TD). 
A first for Maryland, an imm. Brown Booby 
was photographed 22 Jul flying southward 
This immature Brov/n Booby rested on a boat that was sailing around the 
northwestern Chesapeake Bay, apparently in Virginia waters, on 17 July 
2009. Photograph by Lois fusseU. 
578 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
