[MDOsprey] Wilson Bridge pelican (15 Sep PM to 17 Sep AM)
SSUTER (ssuter@aaas.org)
Fri, 17 Sep 1999 09:23:48 -0400
The White Pelican was on its snag at last light Weds [15 Sep] evening
(I checked at 1940 on my later-than-usual ride downstream). Thursday
AM, it was on the snag, hunkered down, from when I arrived at 0645
until Rob Hilton, Lisa Shannon, and I left at 0915. In the evening, I
spent another hour at the bridge (and Jones Point) from 1835 to 1945.
No sign of the pelican then--when I failed to find it on the snag, I
wandered around the point to the E tip of the cove in front of the
Hunting Towers Apts. From there I scanned the birds off the mouth of
Hunting Creek, without finding it either.
Thought it might have moved on during Floyd's passage. Especially
when I failed to find it off the mouth of Hunting Creek or from the
foot of Jones Pt Road this morning. But with the clear skies and
bright sun, the view towards the snags was directly into the glare
(could only discern the outlines of snags and cormorants). So I
checked again from the pier at the end of Duke Street: at 0745 the
pelican was swimming N of the bridge, a short distance west of its
snag.
I will be away for much of the weekend, and would appreciate notes
from anyone who sees the pelican Saturday or Sunday (or who tries to
find it and fails).
Sherman Suter
Alexandria VA 22307
ssuter@aaas.org