Because ambient temperatures were way down and it was half-tide, I 
judged it was practical to go into the District of Columbia this 
morning (Friday, July 29) to look for shorebirds along the Anacostia River.

I found the following waders on the side channel of the Anacostia 
right next to the Langston Golf Course, just upstream of the Benning 
Rd. bridge, an area also known as Kingman Island, where a combination 
of government agencies has successfully replanted marsh vegetation:

KILLDEER  6
GREATER YELLOWLEGS  4
LESSER YELLOWLEGS  1
SPOTTED SANDPIPER  3
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER  1
LEAST SANDPIPER  6

This general area also had 6 GREAT EGRETS, 2 GREEN HERONS and 2 
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS.

Of particular interest was that I heard, but did not see, at least 2 
MARSH WRENS.  They were in an area that has been successfully 
replanted in Wild Rice.  Interestingly, a female/immature 
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was working the wild rice.

There also was an AMERICAN KESTREL in nearby Kenilworth Park, perched 
on one of the football goalposts.

Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD

D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: