Hi -- 

After we called Paul we ate lunch at the marina cafe and sat and watched the river for a while. We enjoyed a late OSPREY flying about, diving to catch a fish, struggling with same (floating with wings outspread on the water) and then finally laboriously flying off with it, low over the water,  to shore. A little while later it was back, again fishing -- what happened to fish #1? -- when an adult Bald Eagle arrived and the Osprey decided to take his luck elsewhere. Possibly the answer to the missing fish question...

We did the DC waters of the Potomac from Wolfe Street to Gravelley Point, looking for waterfowl. Not too much other activity, no sign of the Great Cormorant, no Bufflehead, in fact no other ducks but Mallard. Raptors, besides the Osprey and 2 Bald Eagles, included an adult Cooper's perched over Wolfe Street and a Red-shouldered at Gravelly Point. Two Common Loons as well.

Happy to see the Scoters, Black S. was the species we were missing in DC...

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD



-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Paul Pisano <>
> I just got a call from Gail M at 12:45 p.m. on Monday.  She and Barry C.
> found 8 female BLACK SCOTERS and 2 SURF SCOTERS on the Potomac River
> opposite Daingerfield Island.  Daingerfield isn't actually an island<snip>