Started my breeding bird surveys on May 30 (River Rd from upper parking 
lot to Willard Rd).  Then one on June 1 (main parking lot to Sycamore 
Landing Rd along south edge of the impoundments); one the next day (Towpath 
from Sycamore Landing to Ten Foot Island), and lastly one on June 6 (River 
Rd from Willard to Summit Hill TF).  After these counts I came back to the 
car along different routes. Some of the highlights from these trips are:

HOODED MERGANSER- female with five large young in a wooded swamp among the 
central fields on 6-02.  Earlier before the flooding there were 2 fledged 
young in the large impoundment.

PIED-BILLED GREBE- one in the large impoundment on 6-01. This species has 
been present at the same location for the past month and I suspect they are 
nesting.

GREAT EGRET- one in the large impoundment on 6-01.  Another species that has 
been present quite awhile and I suspect they are nesting here.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON-   one seen flying on 6-02.  Only the second time 
I have seen them this spring.

LEAST BITTERN-  one calling from a cattail marsh near the Summit Hall Turf 
Farm on 6-06.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER-  first heard on 6-01 in the willows (where else?) a 
little south of the bulletin board at the main impoundments.  Third time was 
a charm since I had already walked by this spot twice that morning without 
hearing it.  Present again the next day calling weakly.  On 6-06 there were 
2 birds calling more vigorously- the new bird was south of the other one.

KENTUCKY WARBLER- one calling on 5-30 near Hunting Quarter and River Rds.

PRAIRIE  WARBLER-  counted 17 along River Rd on 5-30 which is in the normal 
range of my previous counts.  I was worried that with all the recent 
clearing of vegetation under the power lines this species would decline but 
that was the case.

Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA