We had a fairly quiet morning along the C&O Canal and Potomac River at Great Falls (maybe from the rapidly rising temperature).  Highlights were a female Hooded Merganser with five chicks in tow on a vernal pond in the woods between the Canal and the River, the pair of Bald Eagles apparently feeding chicks in their nest on Conn Island, lots of Great Blue Herons on the stick nests in their rookery on the Island, and lingering Ring-necked Ducks and Blue-winged Teal on the River.  Pretty quiet on land with only one Northern Parula, one Yellow-rumped Warbler, and three Pine Warblers among the many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.  Complete list from my eBird report appears below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

Location:     Great Falls
Observation date:     4/18/08
Notes:     Bald Eagle pair on nest.  Great Blue Herons in rookery. Hooded Merganser count is female with 5 chicks.
Number of species:     32

Canada Goose     43
Wood Duck     7
Mallard     2
Blue-winged Teal     2
Ring-necked Duck     10
Hooded Merganser     6
Common Merganser     2
Double-crested Cormorant     13
Great Blue Heron     31
Black Vulture     3
Turkey Vulture     3
Bald Eagle     2
Broad-winged Hawk     1
Mourning Dove     2
Downy Woodpecker     2
Blue Jay     2
Tree Swallow     3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow     2
Carolina Chickadee     9
Tufted Titmouse     6
Carolina Wren     9
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     13
Eastern Bluebird     1
European Starling     1
Northern Parula     1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     1
Pine Warbler     3
Northern Cardinal     1
Red-winged Blackbird     4
Common Grackle     30
Brown-headed Cowbird     3
American Goldfinch     8