Our group -- myself, Brad Beukema and Chris Wright -- covered the C&O Canal 
from Milepost 22 (Violette's Lock) to Milepost 25. This stretch also 
includes Riley's Lock, better known as Seneca. There was a great deal of ice 
on the river, although unfortunately not enough to impede the duck hunters.

We tallied 42 species in our three miles, the same total as last year but 
not the same assortment (33 species the same, 9 different, with a much 
broader variety of waterfowl this time). All seven woodpeckers were seen 
again, including three RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS (two adults, one juvenile). 
Most surprising species missed: Dark-eyed Junco. Most enjoyable sighting: 
lengthy close-up looks at a gorgeous male Golden-crowned Kinglet.


Pied-billed Grebe  7
Great Blue Heron  6
Black Vulture  8
Turkey Vulture  8
Canada Goose  57
Mallard  9
Canvasback  95
Ring-necked Duck  16
Lesser Scaup  1
Hooded Merganser  10
Common Merganser  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Ring-billed Gull  37
Herring Gull  4
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Belted Kingfisher  4
Red-headed Woodpecker  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  11
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  2
Downy Woodpecker  9
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker 5
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  15
Carolina Chickadee  37
Tufted Titmouse  21
White-breasted Nuthatch  11
Brown Creeper  4
Carolina Wren  19
Winter Wren  5
Golden-crowned Kinglet  12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Eastern Bluebird  5
Hermit Thrush  1
Song Sparrow  6
Swamp Sparrow  3
White-throated Sparrow  22
Northern Cardinal  17
Pine Siskin  1
American Goldfinch  10


Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)

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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot