At Georgetown Reservoir, Washington D.C., at around 10 a.m. on
Monday, March 6, there were:
14 COMMON MERGANSER (both males and females)
3 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (all drakes)
3 BUFFLEHEAD
2 RUDDY DUCK
6 LESSER SCAUP
1 AMERICAN COOT
In with the usual gull collection was a first-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.
The Tidal Basin still had a large group of SCAUP -- probably all
Lesser, but I didn't check every bird -- that has been there for at
least several weeks. I counted 140 birds. Scaup numbers around Hains
Point have dropped off a lot.
In the large tree at the extreme South end of the golf course at
Hains Point was a perched OSPREY, my first of the year for D.C. This
is the earliest date I have seen Osprey in Washington; previous early
date was March 7, 2004, when I saw two on the 14th St. railroad bridge.
The "wetlands" area in Anacostia Park has dried up quite a bit, and
the water is now pretty much confined to the parts flanking the chain
link fence. I flushed a first-of-the-year-for-DC WILSON'S SNIPE from
this area. Numerous DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were flying along the
Anacostia River and/or perched on pilings. A single KILLDEER flew over.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens had no waterfowl to speak of, except for a
pair of HOODED MERGANSER in one of the cells. I found 3 GRAY
CATBIRDS and a HERMIT THRUSH in a bush near the start of the
boardwalk. Nearby were 2 FOX SPARROWS.
I visited the National Arboretum around midday, but did not stay long
enough to find the Red-headed Woodpecker that John Beetham has
reported a few times. I did find 2 CHIPPING SPARROWS in with a flock
of White-throats and Song Sparrows near the administrative
building. I don't usually see Chipping in D.C. until the end of
March, according to my records. The Hooded Mergansers that John
reported yesterday were still in the same pond -- 5 hens and a single drake.
DARK-EYED JUNCOS must be on the move. There was a flock of at least
100 near the parking lot at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, and another
100-200 were feeding with a big flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds (also
numbering about 100) in the grass between the Reflecting Pool and
Constitution Gardens in the Mall area.
Spring is definitely coming. And I do believe I saw incipient
blossoms on some of the famous cherry trees.
Good Birding!
Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD
D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
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