Helen Patton and I visited Hughes Hollow, nearby Sycamore Landing Rd.
and close-by areas this morning, just as a new cold front came
through from the northwest.
Sparrows were very visible, with the most numerous being SONG,
WHITE-THROATED, AND SWAMP. We also saw a few FIELD, 2 CHIPPING, and
2 WHITE-CROWNED on Sugarland Rd.
Raptors were quite evident with RED-SHOULDERED and RED-TAILED HAWKS,
4 SHARP-SHINNED in a single group and a briefly perched MERLIN.
Most exciting sighting was of 2 WINTER WREN, initially both heard
only. Then one of them perched and sang in plain view not ten feet
from us. I don't think I have ever heard this species sing around
here in the fall/early winter, only in late spring, when they migrate
north. We also had an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in Hughes Hollow
-- in fact, we saw/heard all of the regularly occurring Eastern
woodpeckers. The PILEATED WOODPECKER was being harassed by the
MERLIN reported above!
There were surprisingly few ducks, although a group of 9 AMERICAN
WIGEON repeatedly circled above us, they didn't judge it safe enough
to land in Hughes Hollow, which harbored only 16 AMERICAN
COOT. Undoubtedly, they had been shot at in areas to our north. 2
WOOD DUCK were flushed from nearby (free-flowing!) Dry Seneca Creek.
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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