Yesterday at Hughes Hollow looking toward the east side of the main
impoundment a group of 6 Hooded Mergansers evenly divided between male
and females were chasing each other about. Also several days ago I saw again
three pair in the Potomac from the towpath just downriver from Sycamore
Island and close to shore. This is about where the eagles are nesting on the
Virginia side. The nest is obviously active and there is usually an eagle in the
nest -sometimes both eagles perched and clearly visible near the nest. Also
Common Mergansers are in some numbers scattered between Sycamore Island
and Little Falls Dams. Early one evening I counted 16, both males and
females, in a group in the quiet water just upriver from the tip of Snake
Island. There also were large numbers of Mallards in the river in the vicinity of
the pumping station.
Phil Brody |