Hello All,

This morning I birded Great Falls National Park followed by Riverbend 
Park.  Perhaps the only bird of note at Great Falls is the SPOTTED 
SANDPIPER that was flying around the rocks, and the usual BLACK-CROWNED 
NIGHT HERONs (both species on the MD side as well).

At Riverbend, I walked the trail along the Potomac in the direction of 
Great Falls.  About 1/3 of the distance to GF a small island appears 
between mainland VA and MD.  At this northern point of the island, three 
drake RING-NECKED DUCKS were strongly associating with 7 hen and one drake 
Mallards.  I watched them for about 20 minutes, and during this time they 
swam to and fro with the mallards, at one point getting into a scuffle with 
a couple of the hens.  They disappeared for several minutes between the 
island and the MD shore but reappeared with the flock later.

Also at this island, two adult Bald Eagles repeatedly flew into and out of 
some trees with fish, apparently dropping the fish and leaving since it 
would take a while for even an eagle to down a foot-long fish.  By their 
behavior, I would tend to believ ethere is a nest there, but I could not 
see into the leaves.  It would likely be visible from the MD shore, and if 
there is a nest there I am sure others are already aware of it.

Finally, while walking back, I heard then saw well a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO 
fly from the park across the river and land in the trees on the Maryland 
side.

Composite MD/VA Riverbend list follows, generated by eBird:

Jay Keller
Arlington, VA

Location:     Riverbend Park
Observation date:     7/4/06
Number of species:     58
 
Canada Goose     58
Wood Duck     3
Mallard     15
Ring-necked Duck     3
Double-crested Cormorant     4
Great Blue Heron     12
Green Heron     1
Bald Eagle     2
Mourning Dove     18
Black-billed Cuckoo     1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     4
Chimney Swift     3
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Downy Woodpecker     4
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     2
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Eastern Wood-Pewee     5
Acadian Flycatcher     3
Great Crested Flycatcher     4
Eastern Kingbird     4
Yellow-throated Vireo     1
Warbling Vireo     1
Red-eyed Vireo     6
Blue Jay     8
American Crow     9
Tree Swallow     5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow     2
Barn Swallow     4
Carolina Chickadee     12
Tufted Titmouse     7
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Carolina Wren     8
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     2
Eastern Bluebird     4
Wood Thrush     7
American Robin     9
Northern Mockingbird     2
European Starling     8
Cedar Waxwing     3
Northern Parula     2
Prothonotary Warbler     1
Worm-eating Warbler     1
Ovenbird     2
Scarlet Tanager     4
Eastern Towhee     1
Chipping Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     8
Indigo Bunting     9
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Common Grackle     5
Brown-headed Cowbird     5
Orchard Oriole     2
Baltimore Oriole     1
American Goldfinch     8
House Sparrow    4