Jeffrey Storey of Santa Monica, CA, and I were birding along the C&O
Canal above Riley's Lock, Seneca, Montgomery County, this morning
(9/29), at about 7:30 a.m. when we saw a cuckoo perched at eye level
in a sapling between the towpath and the river only about 50 yards
upstream from the aqueduct.
I believe the bird to have been a juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo, which
I don't know that I've ever seen (that is, a juvenile, I've seen
quite a few adults), certainly not here in the DC area. Notes I made:
"No more than 20 ft. away and observed for several minutes. Probable
juvenile bird, sitting quietly at eye level in small tree by towpath.
Uniform dark brown from crown down back and upper tail all way to end
of tail; eye dark with suspicion of light brown eye ring; under tail
very plain and quite dark with no particular pattern distinguishable;
vent and lower belly dirty rufous brown below light breast and
throat; upper and lower mandibles dark, with some lighter color
visible at base of lower mandible; did not vocalize and eventually
flew away silently; no hint of rufous in the wings."
Apart from hearing a Barred Owl call and seeing an immature Bald
Eagle right overhead, we found it pretty quiet on this part of the
towpath. Only warbler species seen was Black-throated Green Warbler
(2 individuals).
Michael Bowen
Bethesda, MD
D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
--
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
Posts can be sent to the group by sending an email to <mdbirding...>
|