Dear All

Just a very few minor things to add to Paul et al. good birds yesterday.  As Paul mentioned I was only able to get down to the Potomac after the Sooty Terns had gone past but I managed to see the following of note in the afternoon and evening :

Black Tern - an imm just upstream of Memorial Bridge, nice views dip feeding amongst a gull flock.  Then two adults, one with lots of black on the belly, heading upstream in the Potomac very close by Hains Pt  at about 6.30pm.

Shoveler - on the Polo pitch plus ca 50 Killdeer.

Wilson's Snipe  One flushed from the edge of the golf course at about 6.45pm .

Cliff Swallow; one along the stantions of the Potomac railway bridge and with about 30 other swallows, all Barn except two Bank, one Tree (the first i've seen in DC since about April!)

Finally, there were two surreal moments for me yesterday:

The first was standing in a rushing gutter outside the house with two bouncing children in wellies in the pouring rain and my cell phone buzzes with the text from Paul Pisano - 2 sooties!!

The second, walking back from Hains Pt at about 6.45pm with not a single sole in sight thinking I had the place to myself and getting a call from Olivier Langrand who was standing at Gravelly Pt watching me (as he'd nothing better to look at).  It felt like being in a spy film.

Chjeers

gary

GAllport at Audubon dot org