The annual "Earliest Bird" field trip of the Montgomery Bird Club 
went, as usual, into the District of Columbia this cold New Year's Day morning.

We had unusual trouble locating waterfowl, with Georgetown Reservoir 
coming up completely empty and the pond at Constitution Gardens 
yielding only a single Wood Duck and single Red-breasted Merganser 
(both males) as well as the expected Ring-necked Ducks. Hundreds of 
Scaup (presumably Lesser) were floating by the marina just where the 
Anacostia River runs into the Potomac but at least 1/2 mile away from 
our vantage point.  Paul Pisano counted more than a thousand Lesser 
Scaup here a few days ago.  We did have nice views of 3 drakes near 
the 14th St. RR bridge.

The land birding at the LBJ Grove across the river (but still in DC) 
was quite rewarding, with a bright yellow male Pine Warbler, 
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren and 
many Golden-crowned Kinglets.  But no Siskins or Crossbills -- 
sorry!  No unusual gulls were spotted, either.  We also missed the 
adult Peregrine Falcon I saw perched on the 14th St. railroad bridge 
only two days ago.

Our only Hooded Mergansers (about 40) were in nearby Arlington 
County, VA, at Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary close to Reagan 
National Airport, where there were also a few Pied-billed Grebes and 
about a dozen Great Blue Herons.

Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom