Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 22:23:48 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Michael Bowen Subject: DC sightings, Dec. 26 Comments: To: Voice of the Naturalist Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Georgetown Reservoir, DC, today (12/26) had the usual RING-NECKED DUCKS , one female CANVASBACK and a couple of PIED-BILLED GREBES this morning, and not much else. An adult PEREGRINE FALCON spooked all the gulls about 10:30 a.m., then perched on one of the standpipes on the central dike. Also this morning, though the Tidal Basin had no waterfowl beyond a few Canada Geese, there was an active RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in the holly trees near the bridge over the channel connecting the T.B. with the Potomac. At Hains Point I saw no sign of Merlins, but there was an AMERICAN KESTREL perched on one of the big Sycamores on the golf course. AMERICAN COOT numbers are starting to increase in the Washington Channel but the flocks of LESSER SCAUP that we normally expect this time of year are nowhere to be seen. Anacostia Park had an adult winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in with numerous HERRING, RING-BILLED AND GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on one of the loafing areas near the roller rink. This particular individual, which I haven't seen there before, has a striking bill with the inner two-thirds (both upper and lower mandibles) a dirty grey while the outermost third is very yellow with a showy red blob on the lower mandible. Legs are quite yellow. Head very streaked. We'll be looking for this gull on the MOS/MCC "earliest bird" trip on January 1. Happy New Year to all! Mike Bowen Bethesda MD D.H. Michael Bowen 8609 Ewing Drive Bethesda MD 20817 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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================