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Re: Long-tailed Ducks - access to Cash Lake

From:

Jeff Shenot

Reply-To:

Jeff Shenot

Date:

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 08:54:07 -0400

I needed a new tractor battery and went to Bowie yesterday eve, and of course wanted to try for the ducks as well, so I went there at about 6:30.  I had hoped to access Cash Lake off Rt 197, but as Peter noted the gate was closed and no trespassing signs are posted prominently.  So I went to the Visitor Center (off Powdermill Rd), but the gate there was also closed, and the sign on it says they close at 4pm.  I guess Peter must have been there before they closed the gate, and assume it opens automatically if you are exiting.

I was not going to give up that easy.  I looked for a place to pull off on Rt 197 where I might be able to see the lake.  The first place I tried was NW of the Lake, which was bad because there is no shoulder on Rt 197 and I had to pull off the road (literally), and I am not sure if this was legal.  Not to mention it had a poor vantage.  I tried earnestly, but had no luck.  The pull out where the (closed) gate is at is below the water elevation so you can't see water from there, so I did not try.  I was about to give up, but noticed as I drove back that on the SW side there is a safe place to pull over, and you can also see a good bit of the lake from there!  After searching a bit, to my great delight I found the two Longtails (6:50pm), feeding near the pipe with the water coming out of it (near the center?).  This required a scope for id, but if they had been closer to the dam I could not have seen them from this vantage.

Thanks for posting these - a great County bird.

Cheers!
Jeff Shenot