Kind of a busman's holiday.  After spending my time here recently 
doing my winter counts, the Rusty Blackbird blitz, GBBC, and continuing my 
site survey I came out today to bird for no particular reason.
      Started early along Sycamore Landing Rd listening for woodcock. Not 
sure if it was too cold or I came  out too late but I didn't find any.
     Then I went to the impoundments and did what I call my core count. 
First circled the impoundments, then  east on Hunting Quarter Rd to the 
middle parking lot, then south to the towpath, west to Horsepen Hiker-Biker, 
then back to the impoundments.
     Didn't seem like birds were very common, but I recorded 39 species. 
Highlights were:
     WOOD DUCK-  30 including 2
         pairs exploring for nest sites as
         flew out of trees.
      RING-NECKED DUCK-30
         (7 females ) in the large
         impoundment.
      RING-BILLED GULLS-45 small
         groups flying to NW
      WILSON'S SNIPE heard one
         flying over.
       MOURNING DOVE-heard one
         calling for the first time this year.
       TREE SWALLOW-5 flying high
          over impoundment to right of
          main dike. My earliest record
          although I cheated one year
          and looked and found them
          on 2-29
       AMERICAN ROBIN- flock of
           75 feeding on the ground.
           among soybean stubble.
        RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-
           875 Several large groups
           around but nowhere near the
           5,000 I found on 2-24.
        COMMON GRACKLE- Heard
          singing on territory for the first
          time this year. Red-wings have
          been on territory since 2-12.

Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA
 

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