Our regular Thursday morning birding group, consisting of Helen 
Patton, Gerry Hawkins, Lou Demouy, Linda Friedland and I, went into 
DC on Thursday morning, 12/15, and visited Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens 
and Kenilworth Park.

Highlights of the morning were two MERLINs and a female AMERICAN 
KESTREL in the park.  The first Merlin we saw was a male, who flew up 
from the grass and perched where we could get a scope on him.  The 
second Merlin was a female (part of a pair?) that flew over us 
several times -- a notably large bird -- and perched briefly on one 
the football goalposts where once again we had great scope 
views.  The Kestrel perched in a different tree right by the road for 
most of the time we were watching the Merlins.

Otherwise, the most notable sightings were an estimated 200 Cedar 
Waxwings, 3 Bald Eagles (2 adults and an immature), and 2 Winter 
Wrens.  Sparrows were staying low in cover to avoid the stiff South 
wind.  Song, Swamp, and White-throated were around in decent numbers.

Michael Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda, MD

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom

-- I use GoodSearch to benefit the American Birding Association --
http://www.goodsearch.com/ 

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