[MDOsprey] Hunting Creek mouth (Fri eve, 17 Sep)

SSUTER (ssuter@aaas.org)
Mon, 20 Sep 1999 10:08:09 -0400


     VA: Alexandria/Fairfax Co: mouth Hunting Creek     
     17 Sep 1999: 1920-1940 EDT
     
     After failing to find the White Pelican north of the bridge on my 
     downstream commute Friday evening(17 Sep; 1900-1915 EDT), I was happy 
     to spot it near the south end of the flats that extend S from Hunting 
     Towers Apts (on the river side of the channel coming out of the mouth 
     of Hunting Creek)--so a few 100 m south of the Stone Bridge over the 
     creek.  
     
     There were also 122 Great Egrets scattered around (all East of the GW 
     Parkway): 30+ on the pilings, c 60 on the tidal flats between the 
     Hunting Tower Apts and Jones Point [which also hosted 9 Snowy Egret 
     and 1 immature Little Blue Heron], others on the flats running S 
     towards the picnic area and a few off the N end of the picnic area.   
     
     Two Stilt Sandpipers were amongst the small flock of yellowlegs on the 
     spit just SE of the Stone Bridge.  Lack of scope and failing light 
     kept me from trying to count the shorebirds on the flats W of the 
     bridge.  (Tide was falling, low tide c 2035).
     
     Cheers and good birds,
     
     Sherman Suter
     Alexandria, VA 22307
     ssuter@aaas.org