Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 19:14:09 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Phil Davis Subject: VA Barnacle Goose - Yes, late afternoon, 01/20/2002 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Could someone please cross-post this to VA Birds ... I'm not subscribed and some listservers will not accept messages from non-subscribers ... Thx. All - This afternoon, Sunday, 01/20/2002, Barbara and I looked for the Barnacle Goose at Belle Haven/Hunting Creek, Alexandria, VA. After about an hour or more of searching the Potomac River, Hunting Creek, the golf course, and the cove over towards Jones Point, we eventually found the bird at 4:40 pm on the Golf Course, in with 1000, or so, Canada Geese. We found the bird while standing on the west side of the George Washington Parkway bridge over Hunting Creek as we scanned the flock of geese feeding on the golf course. The bird was about 1/8 mile away and was on the near edge of the Canada Goose flock. We watched it for about 8 minutes before it disappeared behind one of the hills that line the golf course. At 5:00 pm we relocated it again in the flock, a little further to the south of where we lost it. [We were now between the "Speed Limit 35" and the "Mt. Vernon 8.0 miles" signs on the west side of the southbound parkway]. This time we watched the goose for about 5 minutes before it again disappeared behind a hill. By this time, the light was getting pretty low and we stopped searching. I'm sure most people are familiar with the lay of the land here, but for those that aren't ... here are directions: From the DC Beltway/Wilson Bridge, take the George Washington Parkway south towards Mount Vernon. About 1/2 mile after crossing the Hunting Creek bridge (not marked), there is an entrance on your left (east side of the parkway) for the Belle Haven Park and Marina. Head to the furthest north end of the parking area. Park and get on the paved walking path. Walk north for about 1/4 mile and you will be on top of the Hunting Creek bridge. Previous reports have had the bird in places other than the golf course, at various times, so scan all the Canada Goose flocks in the area (on the river, in the mouth of the creek, as well as on the golf course). I'll forward a sighing report to the VA Records Committee. Good luck ... Phil ================================== Phil Davis Davidsonville, Maryland USA mailto:PDavis@ix.netcom.com ================================== ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================