Hi Everybody: 

After work on Tues.,Feb.1st I drove out to Riley's Lock and scanned the Potomac River. I was there from 5:20 to 5:40 PM. First scanning downriver and then tight against the Montgomery Co. riverbank I did not see anything except a pair of Mallards. I then crossed the bridge and walked down to the river and scanned  north. Here I found the White-winged Scoters (9) in a tight group, Redheads (10), Common Goldeneye (1), Ruddy Duck (1), Mallards (17) and American Coot (15).

Sometime after I had completed my first scan I had a single Bonaparte's Gull fly in from the north and land among the waterfowl. It was there for only 5 minutes or so before it picked up and headed south towards Violette's Lock before I lost it in the fading light. The WW Scoters were slowly drifting downriver when I left.

I also heard a very vocal Belted Kingfisher when I first arrived and a chipping Winter Wren on the way out. One nice thing about the start of February is it gives you a quick window of daylight to bird after getting out of work at 5 PM and that window will only get bigger!

Thanks to Dave Czaplak for the initial report  on the scoters and Andy Martin for the update.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!