I went by Riley’s Lock midmorning today hoping to see some of the waterbirds that had been reported recently.  I discovered a strong wing coming across the Potomac River and a noisy workboat moored midstream opposite the Lock and the water intake structure on the Virginia side.  Needless to say, there were few waterbirds in sight.  There were lots of swallows over the water, a few Pied-bill Grebes, and Double-crested Cormorants.  

I almost left to try somewhere else, but I decided to explore a bit inland before leaving.  I walked north on the west side of Seneca Creek back to River Road, then back on the east side of Seneca Creek to the Lock and then downstream on the towpath about half a mile.  I found an interesting array of birds (a respectable 45 species) – highlights included quite a few first of season Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Palm Warblers, a Pine Warbler, quite a few Eastern Phoebes (mainly paired up), a Hooded Merganser pair on the Creek, and a Field Sparrow singing from the golf course behind one of the houses on the east side of the Creek.  My complete list from eBird follows below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda

Location:     C&O Canal, Riley's Lock
Observation date:     4/6/11
Notes:     Strong wind from the South/Southwest coming off the Potomac River.  A workboat was moored midriver directly opposite the lock, so no waterbirds were present in that area.  Walked inland on both sides of Seneca Creek to River Road and about .4 mile downstream on towpath.
Number of species:     45

Canada Goose     4
Mallard     2
Hooded Merganser     2
Pied-billed Grebe     7
Double-crested Cormorant     16
Great Blue Heron     3
Turkey Vulture     6
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
American Coot     1
gull sp.     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     5
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     3
Eastern Phoebe     6
Blue Jay     2
American Crow     1
Fish Crow     28
Northern Rough-winged Swallow     1
Tree Swallow     20
swallow sp.     10
Carolina Chickadee     23
Tufted Titmouse     12
White-breasted Nuthatch     8
Brown Creeper     1
Carolina Wren     9
Winter Wren     2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     4
Eastern Bluebird     4
American Robin     11
Northern Mockingbird     2
European Starling     13
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     9
Pine Warbler     1
Palm Warbler     4
Eastern Towhee     1
Chipping Sparrow     2
Field Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow     5
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     22
Northern Cardinal     11
Brown-headed Cowbird     1
House Finch     1
American Goldfinch     6


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