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Subject:

Cackling Goose at Tidal Basin

From:

Gail Mackiernan

Reply-To:

Gail Mackiernan

Date:

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:19:19 -0500

Hi all --

We made a run around the Tidal Basin, Hain's Point and Anacostia Park this
morning. The fog made traffic bad (accidents?) and also, the viewing at
Hain's was terrible - peering at black shapes in the dense fog. We saw about
25 Lesser Scaup close enough to examine carefully but could not locate the
Redhead. An unhappy perched Bald Eagle and a Redtail were the most
interesting birds seen, so sign of any Merlins. The Tidal Basin had a
winter-plumaged COMMON LOON and about 75 Canada Geese, some on the bank near
the Jefferson Memorial and some in the water; with the latter was the single
CACKLING GOOSE reported earlier by a number of observers.

Over to Anacostia Park where we had a brief glimpse of the Orange-crowned
Warbler at Poplar Point, in a loose mixed flock of sparrows, chickadees, and
cardinals which were working the brushy edges along the river. Unfortunately
the flock disappeared into thick cover before good views could be obtained.
The only other bird of interest was a drake American Widgeon with Mallards
at the rocky spit. About 150 Canadas but no Cackling Goose with them. No
gulls of interest either...

Then the sun came out.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Coleville, MD