After noticing large numbers of waterfowl off Hunting Creek when I drove =
south on the GW Parkway mid afternoon Sunday, I returned with my scope to =
look through the flocks. As others have already reported, there was a =
fair diversity present:
VA: Alexandria / Fairfax Co: Hunting Creek flats, Bell Haven Picnic =
Grounds, Bell Haven Marina, and adjacent Potomac River;
Sunday, 25 January 2004: 1530 to 1720 EST;
scoping flats W of GW Parkway from S. Alfred St and Stone Bridge, mouth of =
Hunting Creek and adjacent Potomac River from Stone Bridge and along Bike =
Path S to Belle Haven Picnic Ground; Potomac River from shores of Picnic =
Ground down to S. end of Belle Haven Marina;
-7 C to -5 C; complete overcast; winds calm to 10 km/hr, variable =
direction; ice along shores and over much of shallow waters, though open =
channel down Hunting Creek and then S along shore before bending E toward =
river; ice flows, chunks, and sheets over parts of main channel; marina =
cove largely frozen;
numbers (West of GW Parkway / East of Parkway):
Great Blue Heron 2 / 12
Canada Goose 950+ / 650
Wood Duck 2 / =AF [along W edge B. H. Golf Course]
Gadwall =AF / 4
Am. Wigeon =AF / 1 (m) [mouth of Hunting Creek]
Am Black Duck 2 / 56
Mallard 18 / 280
N Pintail =AF / 21
Green Winged Teal 8 / 14
Canvasback =AF / 6 [main channel, off S end of Picnic =
Grounds]
Lesser Scaup =AF / 28 [main channel, off S end of Picnic =
Grounds]
Bufflehead =AF / 4
Hooded Merganser 8 / =AF
Red-Breasted Merganser 1 / 4
Common Merganser =AF / 138 [most in a couple large flocks off =
marina]
Ruddy Duck =AF / 4 [off marina]
Bald Eagle =AF / 1 (ad)
Am Coot 1 / =AF
Killdeer 1 / 2
Ring-Billed Gull 95 / 1225+
Herring Gull =AF / 30
Great Black Backed Gull =AF / 35
Mourning Dove 6 / 4
Rock Dove =AF / 8
Belted Kingfisher 1 / 1
...
Sherman Suter
Alexandria VA 22307
ssuter@xxxxxxxx
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