Hi all --

Despite being tired from our successful twitch of the Red-footed Falcon in
Massachusetts yesterday (a one-day trip with echoes of that movie, "Planes,
Trains and Automobiles" or maybe, "The Great Race") we went out for the DC
Glossy Ibis at Hains Point, as this is a very difficult bird for DC listers
to see.

We found the bird about 8:30 a.m. back at the "usual spot" -- almost
directly opposite, but a bit up the road, from the entrance to the Golf
Course, and between the road and the Washington Channel. However it was
invisible from the road -- we parked at the first pull-over after the road
becomes one-way and walked back along the sidewalk, and saw the bird behind
a hick evergreen tree, working grass in the shade. There seems to be some
grass-cutting being planned for that area (crews getting ready) so not sure
if the bird will stay around or seek an area with longer grass. Also heard a
couple of Bobolinks flying over.

We were almost as delighted as Rob Hilton to see this guy (gal?), as we had
missed the last Glossy Ibis appearance a few years ago. Interestingly, we
saw a White Ibis in DC almost exactly two years ago, at Kenilworth! There
are a number of birds which, for those of us who list in DC, are greatly
anticipated although elsewhere would be dismissed or overlooked  -- such as
Mute Swan, Cattle Egret, Willet, Little Blue Heron etc. One of the
challenges of this mini-area. Not that great birds have not been recorded,
including Tufted Duck, Pacific Loon, Ash-throated FC (both of the latter
courtesy of Rob, btw) and of course, last winter's Smithsonian hummers.

Also, if Norm would forgive a brief aside -- for anyone interested in going
for the falcon, we can give logistics of how we did it in one day (with
plenty of time to spare) but of course, contact us off-list.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD