A birder who was leaving when I parked at the Jefferson Patterson archeological complex at about 2 PM informed me that he had been watching the drake Barrow's Goldeneye off the ANSERC pier.  After a fruitless half hour or so in the blustery wind searching the Patuxent downstream from the gravel road (and repeatedly checking the two small groups and a couple solitary goldeneye that were present), I moved to the cove just north of the gravel access road.  There I found a third group of goldeneye: another 11 female Common, 1 drake Common, and the drake Barrows.

***** *****

28 Feb 2009:  1330 to 1450 EST
MD: Calvert Co: Jefferson Patterson Park

checking Patuxent River from kayak launching spot and shoreline W of Archeological Center;  short stops along N entrance road;  
4 C; overcast; NNW 25 à ¢à  à   30 km/hr;  high tide c 1640; 30à ¢à  à  40 cm waves;

Canada Goose     440
Greater Scaup    4
Long-Tailed Duck     5
Bufflehead     45
Common Goldeneye     42   (35 f / 7 m)
Barrow's Goldeneye     1   (m)
Ruddy Duck     210
Horned Grebe     12
Turkey Vulture     1
Mourning Dove     4
Blue Jay     8
American Crow     4
Carolina Chickadee     3
Tufted Titmouse     1
White-Breasted Nuthatch     1
Carolina Wren     7
E Bluebird      9
American Robin     6
N Mockingbird     2
Euro Starling     14
Myrtle Warbler     58
E Towhee     3
Chipping Sparrow     30
Field Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     9
White-Throated Sparrow      12
Slate-Colored Junco     30
N Cardinal     15
Red-Winged Blackbird     8
American Goldfinch     4


Sherman Suter

Port Republic MD 20676   / Alexandria VA 22307
ssuter   aaas    org