Dulles Wetlands, March 31st.
Dendroica@aol.com
Wed, 31 Mar 1999 20:40:44 EST
After an afternoon visit to a favorite plant nursery out Rte 50, I decided to
check out a few of the birding hot spots in that area. My first stop was
Beaverdam Reservoir which was a big disappointment. The rains and snow early
this year have not effectively replenished the water level after last summer's
drought. My bird count there consisted of a one male Bufflehead, one D-C
Cormorant, about twelve Ring-Billed Gulls, and two Common Crows. Not one
shorebird despite the low water levels!
The situation was much better at the Dulles Wetlands, where I saw the
following from the road. Numbers are estimated.
Canada Geese--10
Great Blue Heron--2
Black Duck--15
Mallard--6
Shoveler--8
Green-Winged Teal -60
Red-Shouldered Hawk--1
Common Snipe--3
Greater Yellowlegs--1
Lesser Yellowlegs--3
Killdeer--10
plus the usual contingent of Turkey Vultures, Crows, Red-wings, and Common
Grackles, and a huge flock of Starlings.
Maybe it'll be a good shorebird spring at the Wetlands. The water level looks
good right now--lots of sandbars.
Ralph Wall
Great Falls, Va.