Date: 1/15/13 11:05 am
From: Michael Bowen <dhmbowen...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Common Goldeneye(s) in DC, January 15


Jason Berry reported a female Common Goldeneye on McMillan Reservoir
in DC on January 14. Since I had an appointment in DC today, Tuesday,
I decided to go over to the reservoir to take a look at just after 11 a.m..

I started at the NW end of the reservoir, near the end of Harvard St.
and quickly saw a small diving duck way beyond the close-in
Ring-necked Ducks (75-plus), many Mallards, 2 Coot and 1 Ruddy Duck.
It was dark with some white on the wing and had a dark triangular
head -- Jason's female Goldeneye. I then walked about a third of the
way down the reservoir and looked again. This time I saw 5 Lesser
Scaup with another diving duck, this one very white on the sides with
a triangular head -- a male Common Goldeneye. These ducks were diving
actively, staying under water for a long time and returning to the
surface only fleetingly.

I didn't have time to tarry and in any case it was raining hard
enough at 40 degrees to feel mighty cold. I didn't make it all the
way down to the SE corner of the reservoir, where Jason says that
ducks often hide from the wind.

So there are at least two Goldeneye at McMillan Reservoir, which
these days is proving to be better for DC waterfowl than the recently
cleaned and sanitized Georgetown Reservoir.

Jason Berry's advice about where to park, in a recent post of his,
should be heeded by anyone who decides to go to McMillan. It's in a
very confusing part of Washington, with one-way streets that wiggle
this way and that. And the parking enforcement people are all over
the place. Drivers in DC should be aware that the city derives
significant revenue from parking fines and speed cameras and
drive/park accordingly.

Michael Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda, MD

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom


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