Yesterday, Saturday, February 9, we had a nice afternoon walk along the C&O Canal and the banks of the Potomac River above Great Falls in Montgomery County.  Most interesting sighting was at least 33 Great Blue Herons, almost all perched in the first 50 yards of the shoreline of the island immediately above the dam that diverts water into the water intake structure.  Each year, there is a major rookery on this island, and we suspect the large number of Herons present means that they will soon be starting to nest.  Also had a nice variety of waterfowl on the River from the dam upstream and a calling Barred Owl in the woods.  No sign of the Bald Eagle pair that nests on the island, but another person said they have been working on the nest lately.

Complete list from eBird is below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

Location:     Great Falls
Observation date:     2/9/08
Number of species:     23

Canada Goose     108
Mallard     20
Ring-necked Duck     30
Bufflehead     10
Common Merganser     3
Pied-billed Grebe     1
Double-crested Cormorant     2
Great Blue Heron     33
Turkey Vulture     2
Red-shouldered Hawk     2
American Coot     29
Ring-billed Gull     36
Barred Owl     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     3
Downy Woodpecker     1
Pileated Woodpecker     2
American Crow     8
Carolina Chickadee     5
Tufted Titmouse     5
White-breasted Nuthatch     3
Carolina Wren     2
American Robin     5