Mason Neck, VA and other VA Points along the Potomac
KurtCapt87@aol.com
Sat, 21 Nov 1998 19:40:53 EST
Mason Neck, VA and other VA Points along the Potomac (Fairfax Co.)
Today, 21 Nov 98, Todd and Mike Day, Ray Carter and myself visited the Mason
Neck refuge great marsh (0830-1000) and state park including Belmont Bay
(1000-1130), Ft Belvoir Accotink Bay (1130-1230), and the Jones Pt/Hunting
Creek area (1300-1400, this area was not completely covered). Highlights of
the day were a male Cinnamon Teal in vivid basic plummage at the great marsh
and Accotink Bay, Tundra Swan at the great marsh, some large duck rafts, Bald
Eagles at all sites, Boneparte Gulls at Accotink Bay, and Laughing Gulls at
the Hunting Creek mudflats. The numbers of Double-crested Cormorants were
very low and no terns were noted. Additional details on the Cinnamon Teal are
discussed after the species listing.
M=Mason Neck great marsh and SP, F=Ft Belvoir Accotink Bay, H=Jones Pt/Hunting
Creek area
Pied-billed Grebe - 5+H, Double-crested Cormorant - 6M, Great Blue Heron - 6M,
20F, 4H, Great Egret - 1H, Tundra Swan - 20+M, Canada Goose - M,F,H, Wood Duck
- 2M, Green-winged Teal - 4M,50+F, Am. Black Duck - 500M,100+F,10+H, Mallard -
40M,20+F,50+H, No. Pintail - 1F, 20+H, Blue-winged Teal - 2M, 1F, Cinnamon
Teal - 1F, "Teal" - 1M, 1F, No. Shoveler - 1M, 40+H, Gadwall - 2+H, Am.
Widgeon - 5+H, Canvasback - 100M (Belmont Bay), Lesser Scaup - 4000+M (Belmont
Bay), Bufflehead - 12M,20+F,20+H, Hooded Merganser - 2M, Ruddy Duck -
10000M(Belmont Bay), Turkey Vulture - 2M, Bald Eagle - 2M,2F,10H, Accip. Sp. -
1H, Red-tailed Hawk - 2M, 1H, Am. Coot - 1M,300+F, 300+H, Killdeer -
3M,4F,10H, Greater Yellowlegs - 5M, Common Snipe - 2M, Laughing Gull - 50+H,
Boneparte's Gull - 40F, Ring-billed Gull - M,F,H, Herring Gull - F,H, Greater
Black-backed Gull - F,H, Rock Dove - F,H, Mourning Dove - 7M, Belted
Kingfisher - 1M,1H, Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2M, Yellow-bellied Woodpecker -
1M, Downy Woodpecker - 2M, Hairy Woodpecker - 1M, No. Flicker - 2M, Pileated
Woodpecker - 3M, Blue Jay - 6M,1F,6H, Am. Crow - 20+M,F,H, Fish Crow - 20+H,
Carolina Chickadee - 6M,1F, Tufted Titmouse - 15M, White-breasted Nuthatch -
6M, Brown Creeper - 1+M, Carolina Wren - 5M, Winter Wren - 1M, Golden-crowned
Kinglet - 3M, Eastern Bluebird - 2+M, Hermit Thrush - 4M, Am. Robin - 1M,
European Starling - nr M, nr F,H, No. Cardinal - 6M,1F, Song Sparrow - 20M,2F,
Swamp Sparrow - 2M, White-throated Sparrow - 20M,6H, Dark-eyed Junco - 30M,
Redwing Blackbird - 20M, Common Grackle - 2M, Am. Goldfinch - 2M
The Cinnamon Teal found at Accotink Bay is likely to be the individual from
the great marsh. Including the observations of another observer at the great
marsh, the Cinnamon was seen from 0800-0930 when it flew out of the marsh.
Including the observations of yet another observer at Accotink, it was
observed from 1030-1230 (when we left). At the great marsh it was
accompanied by 2 male Blue-winged Teal, at Accotink it was accompanied by one
male Blue-wing Teal and a female "Teal" (either Blue-wing or Cinnamon). The
Blue-wings in each case were nearly into full basic plummage as the white
crescent behind the bill was well-defined, yet the overall coloration of the
birds were somewhat grayer than Blue-wings in basic plummage. The bill of the
Cinnamon could be very occasionally studied through scopes (200 yds) at
Accotink and the slightly spatulate nature was just noticed. There were no
opportunities to see the bill of the female "Teal". Information by other
observers, esp. in the 0930-1030 time range would be most valuable.
Kurt Gaskill, kurtcapt87@aol.com