Dear All

A few nice things to report from Dc in the last 48 hrs.  

Yesterday, 30th Dec  i didn't do any birding per se but did find two Y B 
Sapsuckers.  One very vocal bird rather surprising at the bottom of a small 
bush beside the car park at the back of Child's Play off Connecticut Ave in 
Upper NW/Chevy chase.  Then later in the day whilst out with my son i cam 
upon another Sapsucker on Beach Drive in Rock Creek park and a Red-brested 
Nuthatch too.

This morning I did a skip along the Potomac starting at Georgetown Res.  
There were, rather surprisingly, no ducks at all on the Res but a nice adult 
Lesser-black Backed Gull on the causeway made it all worthwhile.

The Potomac down to Hains Pt was quiet and the golf course had the usual 
Merlin and Bald Eagle. Highlight was a group of three very obliging Red Foxes 
which looked like well grown cubs.  

The ponds on Constitution Gardens were, however, quite busy.  All the usual 
birds were there - including the pair of Wigeon and the Redhead - but a nice 
addition was a female Gadwall.  The ponds would make a nice place for a visit 
if you want to get familiar with a few species of common ducks.  You get 
really close views of Mallard, Black Duck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, 
Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and Coot in nice light.  Highly 
recommended for a short lunchtime break for those working in DC.

Happy New Year

Gary Allport