Re: Greenbelt Area bird finds on January 1, 1999--Friday I think!
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Sat, 02 Jan 99 09:27:41 EST
Janelle -- Also try the lake at Patuxent, the vistor's center is open from
10 am to 5 pm, and you can watch from inside through an observation window!
(the center is open every day of the year except Christmas).
The lake is the nearest fresh water to the local landfill, and thus attracts
a lot of gulls. The down side is the presence of a couple of Bald Eagles
(if these can ever be a "down side") which periodically give the gulls a
scare. (We saw one catch a Ring-billed Gull last week, so the gulls take them
seriously). If the eagles get too intense, I suspect the gulls move off to
other sites -- which is why the lakes and ponds Phil mentions should also be
checked.
Good luck,
Gail Mackiernan