This morning I realized I have far too many vacation days saved up so  
on the way to work I decided to burn one off by doing a tour of the  
usual DC hotspots.  So, the first stop was down by the Jefferson  
Memorial - nothing of note there except what I believe was one Mike  
Bowen wandering in the distance amidst a flock of a couple hundred  
Canada Geese - I was a bit too far away to verify.  Then to Hains  
Point where there was one Common Merganser in the same vicinity as the  
large raft of Scaups over by Fort McNair.

Anacostia Park had five Ruddy Ducks, an adult Bald Eagle standing on  
the ice and chowing down on an impressive fish, and one Lesser Black- 
backed Gull standing in a line with a Herring, Ring-billed and Greater  
Black-backed - it was quite a nice study of these four gulls.  I  
couldn't locate the Kestrel that's usually out and about .

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens had one rather disheveled looking Brown  
Thrasher on the walk in followed by one not-at-all disheveled Tom  
Jones who was on his walk out (nice to meet you Tom).  I took the  
Marsh Trail which yielded two nice adult hawks - a Red-tailed and Red- 
shouldered.  Tom mentioned Merlins over at the Arboretum so I couldn't  
resist.  And I wasn't disappointed - had a great look at one in a tree  
overlooking the river by the Asian section.  That area also yielded a  
couple Hermit Thrushes (as did Roosevelt Island afterwards), a bunch  
of Carolina Wrens and other usual suspects....though surprisingly not  
a single Downy, Hairy, Sapsucker or Creeper.

We need a warm spell to de-ice all the rivers, tidal basins, ponds,  
etc. in DC which presumably would bring the ducks, loons & grebes  
back.  Can I order one up please?  Three or four nice 50 degree  
days....not too much to ask, right?

Cheers,
Steve Hersey
Washington, DC