Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2001 17:07:01 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: John Hubbell Subject: DC Ruddy Ducks, etc., 10/14 A few nice birds seen today in the National Airport area. All birds reported except the last were seen in DC. Starting at Columbia Island Marina just north of the airport around daybreak, I had a Black-crowned Night Heron, a Great Egret, a few Yellow- rumped Warblers, and 100+ Chimney Swifts overhead (around 7:15 am). From the end of Gibbon St in Alexandria, a group of 25-30 Forster's Terns came in from the Potomac River on to the pilings, and then returned to the river. The water south of National Airport was quite busy, the highlight being 25 Ruddy Ducks along with many American Coot and Pied-billed Grebes. The Ruddy Ducks were hugging the Virginia shore, so could be seen well from the running/biking trail along GW Parkway just south of Four Mile Run. Finally, an adult Bald Eagle was seen from the GW Parkway bridge over Four Mile Run. It was west of the Parkway, so in Virginia. I watched it for a while, hoping it would drift east to become my first Bald Eagle in DC, but alas it headed west instead. John Hubbell Chevy Chase, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================