Well it wasn't warm, exactly, but the sun was out much of the time
this morning, April 18, in Washington, DC. And there were definitely
some avian signs of spring:
In the muddy and fast-running Potomac at Hains Point, many of the
sizeable logs being carried down river provided perches for indolent
BONAPARTE'S GULLS -- maybe as many as 50 altogether. A CASPIAN TERN
flew over while I watched the Bonies and swarms of Tree and
Rough-winged Swallows.
Later, in Anacostia Park. there was a group of CHIMNEY SWIFTS, at
least 20 in all, dipping quite low, accompanied by some BARN
SWALLOWS. The Swifts were first of the year for me. I flushed 3
WILSON'S SNIPE in the wetlands area of the park, where I also found 4
FIELD SPARROWS and 6 SWAMP SPARROWS in gorgeous spring plumage.
In Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens there were 3 GREAT EGRETS. Overhead,
an immature BALD EAGLE, molting and missing many primary feathers,
was unsuccessfully trying to make one of the local OSPREYS release a
large fish it was grasping in its talons.
Happy Spring, everyone
Mike Bowen
Bethesda MD
D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom |