At about 11 AM we arrived at Blackwater NWR, stopped in at the visitor's center, drove the wildlife drive and then headed to Hooper's Island.? Highlights for the day:

Several adult and immature bald eagles, one carrying a very large fish
American White Pelicans, which were mostly keeping heads down and bills tucked, probably due to the cold wind
Many tundra swans - a few in the water, but a large number walking, resting and feeding in the fields (I didn't know they did that!)
A single flock of snow geese which flew in overhead, and landed - but were gone when we returned later in the day
Several northern harriers - the light "gray ghost" plumage
Lots of pintails and great blue herons.? 
The above at Blackwater.? 

At Hooper's, near the long bridge, we had a real treat - a raft of 200-300 redheads.? The view was good and the field marks were clear.? At one end of the raft a group of about two dozen canvasbacks kept more or less to themselves.? A single horned grebe kept bobbing in and out of the ducks as well.? We had to leave and returned about 20 minutes later and the entire flock was gone - except for the lone grebe.? About half the redheads returned dramatically, escorted by a bald eagle.? The ducks maneuvered back and forth for awhile, until the eagle flew away and they landed once again, almost exactly where we spotted them earlier.? ? 

On the bay side of the same bridge we saw several surf scoters, bufflehead, longtailed duck, common golden eyes, horned grebes, and two common loons.? We suspected black and white wing scoters, but between the?distraction of the eagle and the lack of good, safe choices to stop and scope, we could not be sure.? 

Best,

Joanne

Joanne Howl
West River, MD