Having noticed some large white waterfowl while passing the pond on 2/17/11, i stopped for a look the next day.  I rarely visit this location, and only after having read on MDOsprey some years ago that the landowners were accommodating to birders.  The lane back to the pond is only wide enough for a single car.  I have always been careful not to stray on the grassy border.  You can turn around at the top of the lane where it forms a "Y"just before you get to the housing area, by pulling a series of K turns.  This time not long after having done that i was confronted with a vehicle approaching me from the highway.  I backed up for a while, until i got to a flat section where i pulled a little off onto the grass thinking that the car would do the same and so pass by.  It refused to do so.  I then backed up until i got to the "Y" section where i could get out of the way.  The vehicle stopped and i got a questioning look and a rolled down window with the
 request to know what i was doing.  I explained "checking out the waterfowl" with the amendment that "i heard it was OK to do so" feeling very lame about it.  The man/driver then became more  friendly and talked about the birds.  He asked that i not stray from the paved surface of the road and i wanted to pass this info along to the list.

The white birds were Tundra swans totally 4 or 5.

Jim (Michael) Speicher
jugornought—at—yahoo-dot-com
Bethesda  AT work :(
Broad Run_S. FRED Co  AT home


      

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