Hi Everybody:

 I led a bird trip for Montgomery Bird Club from 5 PM through dusk today. The bad news is nobody showed up; the good news is I saw a decent variety of waterfowl. The overwhelming majority of the ducks were seen while scanning the Potomac River from Riley's Lock and downstream towards Violette's Lock. The sun was slowly setting behind me and provided great scope views of most of the birds that were downriver from me. I attempted to count every species and feel that the numbers are fairly close. However I am sure I missed on some because of diving and moving about closely together and my distance from some of the ducks.

Pied-billed Grebe           2
Mallard                          1
American Wigeon      134
Northern Pintail             8
Gadwall                         4
Ring-necked Duck          3
Greater Scaup               3
Common Goldeneye    14
Common Merganser      9
Bufflehead                   55
Redhead                      56

The only gulls seen were all Ring-billed and there was one adult Bald Eagle perched high in a tree below the Violette's Lock rapids.


I then moved onto Hughes Hollow The large impoundment on the left as you walk out is now completely thawed (as of this past Tuesday AM it was still completely frozen over. The water level is extremely high. The only species seen here were HOODED MERGANSERS (6) and WOOD DUCKS (9 - all flyovers). Red-winged Blackbirds were active but I did not see any Tree Swallows. I saw and later heard a second BARRED OWL.

I finished on Sycamore Landing Road looking for A. Woodcocks. Due to the cold and the wind I was not overly optimistic and so was not disappointed by their absence. I did have one this past Monday fly into a field but there was no "penting" or display. 

I will be doing 2 more of these trips: Tues., 3/9 and Tues. 3/16. Meeting place is on the bridge at the end of Riley's Lock Road (off of River Road) at 5 PM for anybody that is interested.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

Work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!