I also was at Piscataway Park yesterday (Sunday, January 4) and 
came upon Bob Mumford shortly after he had found the EURASIAN 
WIGEON.  (Thanks again, Bob, for showing it to me!)  As always at 
this time of year, I was impressed by the enormous number of 
waterfowl that congregate at this location.  In particular, I was 
struck by the relatively abundant REDHEAD that were spread out 
among the many scaup and GADWALL in small groups of 3 or 4 
individuals.  Also, it was the first time that I can remember seeing 
all three species of mergansers in one location.  There were small 
numbers of COMMON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS out in 
the river, and I spotted a single female HOODED MERGANSER near 
the mouth of Accokeek Creek.  Upstream from the main flock, opposite 
the large field, I saw 3 CACKLING GEESE swimming out into the river.  
I walked through the field, hoping to flush some pipets, but found only 
about two dozen KILLDEER.

After leaving Piscataway, I ventured into Charles County and checked 
a couple of locations along Mattawoman Creek.  There wasn't much doing 
at the end of Mattawoman Creek Road - widely scattered BUFFLEHEADS, 
a small flock of HOODED MERGANSERS upstream, and a group of 
6 female COMMON MERGANSERS diving along the far shore.

At Smallwood State Park I found a very large flock of AMERICAN COOTS, 
probably close to 1000 birds, out in the creek at the Sweden Point boat 
ramp.  They were tightly bunched together, perhaps because of the adult 
BALD EAGLE perched nearby.  Upstream, near the end of a pier, I saw a 
group of 10 PIED-BILLED GREBES resting or sleeping together.

Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)



-- 
--
you @ usa.com
is available and 170 other free domains.
Sign up at www.mail.com