Hi all --

Barry and I decided to try and add one new bird to our DC lists on this, the
penultimate day of 2004. We drove down to Hains Point via Canal Road and
just as we reached the turn for Georgetown, I looked down and saw a Swan
swimming rather majestically across the dead calm Potomac just upstream of
Key Bridge. Some twists and turns, we ended at the boathouse just at the
beginning of the Crescent Trail and scoped the river for the bird. Alas, it
was a Tundra Swan! (Only a DC lister would be hoping for a Mute Swan, for
which I think there is only one record in DC). However a good bird for the
District in any case.

Onwards towards Hains Point, and a stop to go through about 1000 Canada
Geese in the water in West Potomac Park -- nothing of interest. (When is
someone going to see a Cackling Goose for DC?)

Hain's Point held two Merlins, two Cooper's Hawks, one Redtail, one
Red-shouldered and no Peregrines or eagles today (in the raptor line).
Scoping across to the opposite shore of the Anacostia, finally the SNOW
GOOSE with Canadas! Yea, new bird for DC!

Flushed with this success we tried for a hat trick with the reported
White-fronted Goose in Anacostia Park, but despite about another 500 geese
there, no W-F. (It may have been with the 100s of geese in the off-limits
military bases, which we could see distantly from the Point.)

We did find one Lesser Black-backed Gull along the Anacostia and another at
Georgetown Reservoir on the way home.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD