Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 16:55:01 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Michael Bowen Subject: DC sightings Comments: To: Voice of the Naturalist Comments: cc: John Bjerke Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Here are highlights of some recent sightings in the District of Columbia: on Sunday, December 9 The Tidal Basin had a flock of 28 LESSER SCAUP and 3 HORNED GREBE right next to the walkway under the cherry trees, near the FDR Memorial. They were close enough to view without binocs. The same day there was a winter adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on the south side of the Reflecting Pool, on the grass about midway between the Lincoln Memorial and the big construction site for the new WWII Memorial. The trees nearby contained large flocks of AMERICAN ROBINs and CEDAR WAXWINGs -- lots of berries around. Also on 12/9, an Immature BALD EAGLE flew north past the tip of Hains Point, and the pond area just north of Chain Bridge had 3-4 WOOD DUCK mixed in among the numerous Mallards and Canada Geese. Today, 12/10, I found 2 AMERICAN KESTRELs hunting in the south area of Kenilworth Park, NE DC. This area also held a large mixed flock of finches (80% House Finch, 20% American Goldfinch), several EASTERN BLUEBIRD (I've seen up to 6 at this location in the past) and lots of sparrows, mostly SONG and WHITE-THROATED, with 2 FOX SPARROWs and a SAVANNAH SPARROW. At least one vocal YELLOW-BREASTED SAPSUCKER is wintering nearby. This afternoon, Georgetown Reservoir had the customary flock of 60-70 RING-NECKED DUCK with a single female CANVASBACK and 3 PIED-BILLED GREBEs. I did not see the Long-tailed Duck earlier reported from the reservoir. Mike Bowen Bethesda, MD D.H. Michael Bowen 8609 Ewing Drive Bethesda MD 20817 (Montgomery County) Tel.: (301)530-5764 dhmbowen@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================