Thanks to the persistent efforts of Neal Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Audubon Naturalist Society, three of us were able to bird the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) off Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest D.C. this morning as part of the D.C. Christmas Bird Count. Neal had valiantly tried to get us permission to bird the White House grounds, but that was not to be. Ace �pisher� Daphne Gemmill led our party which included the indomitable Don Messersmith and me. We weren�t allowed into the portion of the USNO grounds which contains the Vice-Presidential residence, but we were able to view a portion of those grounds through the fence as part of our count.
We found a respectable 25 species as the USNO. Highlights were a cooperative Merlin that allowed us to take long looks from various angles to rule out American Kestrel and then the Sharp-shinned Hawk that chased the Merlin away and a Cooper�s Hawk later in the morning being harassed by American Crows. The biggest surprise was finding no Carolina Chickadees. We decided the lack of understory in the wooded areas is the result of the herd of about a dozen white-tailed deer we saw on the grounds.
The complete list from my eBird report is below.
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD
U.S. Naval Observatory, District of Columbia, US-DC
Dec 14, 2012 7:45 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.8 mile(s)
Comments: Part of District of Columbia Christmas Bird Count. Party led by Daphne Gemmill and included Don Messersmith and Jim Nelson. Cloudy, temperatures high 30's to low 40's F., no wind.
25 species
Canada Goose 42
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 35
Red-bellied Woodpecker 9
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Merlin 1
Blue Jay 9
American Crow 7
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 7
Carolina Wren 8
American Robin 100
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 110
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 19
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 42
Northern Cardinal 3
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 8
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