I had a productive morning and early afternoon birding southern Prince George's County today. The highlight was four White-winged Crossbills feeding in a group of hemlock at the colonial farm in Accokeek. The birds consisted of one male and three females, which I got photos of. They were in a group of trees near what I believe is the park office: a small brown building with a few picnic tables outside. Also outside this building is a group of three or four small hemlocks, as well as some hollies and juniper. The crossbills were foraging in the hemlocks, which are heavily covered in cones. I also birded the pastures at the farm, but found only juncos, White-throats, Eastern Bluebirds and Canada Geese.
Waterfowl diversity also appeared to be up along Piscataway Creek and the Potomac River, at least since the last time I was there. There were five Canvasback, four Redheads, and two Common Goldeneye at Wharf Road, mixed in with the usual scaup, Ruddy Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, and Gadwall. Highlights from the Potomac (viewed from the boardwalk) included 3 Common Mergansers and five Red-breasted Mergansers (all males). A pair of Hooded Mergansers were also present for good measure.
I swung by Schoolhouse Pond and Depot Pond on my way home, but both locations were largely devoid of gulls. Schoolhouse Pond did have a flock of over 1,000 Canada Geese, but no more unusual geese were found. Other ducks at Schoolhouse Pond included Mallards, 7 Gadwall, 29 Shovelers, and a male Hooded Merganser. Good birding,
Fred Shaffer
<GlaucousGull...>
Crofton, Anne Arundel
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