After work I birded the Potomac and Piscataway Creek in Prince George's 
County. Waterfowl are already present in big numbers. From the Accokeek 
Boardwalk I counted 600 Gadwall exactly and 28 American Wigeon among a 
spattering of other ducks.

Piscataway Creek at Whard Road held 33 Northern Shovelers and 18 
Pied-billed Grebes. Both of these counts are new personal highs in the 
county. They were joined by hundreds of other ducks. Four Dunlin were 
also seen feeding in the shallow water of the creek, something which 
I've never seen at this location.

Full lists:

Location:     Piscataway Park--Boardwalk

Canada Goose     75
Gadwall     600     exact count
American Wigeon     28
American Black Duck     2
Mallard     6
Northern Shoveler     3
Green-winged Teal (American)     5
Lesser Scaup     1
Ruddy Duck     1
Horned Grebe     1
Great Blue Heron     2
Bald Eagle     1
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
Laughing Gull     5
Ring-billed Gull     70
Forster's Tern     12
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     1
American Crow     15
Fish Crow     1
crow sp.     48
Carolina Chickadee     2
Tufted Titmouse     1
Eastern Bluebird     2
American Robin     1
European Starling     25
Song Sparrow     2
Swamp Sparrow     3
White-throated Sparrow     2
Red-winged Blackbird     150
American Goldfinch     1


Location:     Piscataway Creek--Wharf Road

Canada Goose     458
Wood Duck     1
Gadwall     78
American Wigeon     16
American Black Duck     1
Mallard     10     est
Northern Shoveler     33     New personal high count in the county.
Green-winged Teal (American)     13
Ring-necked Duck     12
Ruddy Duck     122
Pied-billed Grebe     18     New personal high count in the county.
Great Blue Heron     1
Dunlin     4     Feeding in the middle of the creek. Apparently the water was low enough to allow this - the first time I've seen shorebirds here.
Ring-billed Gull     75
Forster's Tern     3
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     1
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Fish Crow     115     Flew over in one group around sunset.
Tufted Titmouse     1
Carolina Wren     1
Golden-crowned Kinglet     3
Eastern Bluebird     3
American Robin     15
Northern Mockingbird     1
Eastern Towhee     1
White-throated Sparrow     15
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     20
Northern Cardinal     2

Rob Ostrowski
Crofton, MD