[va-bird] Bald Eagle nest site, Langley, Fairfax County
- From: Michael Bowen <dhmbowen@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:16:55 -0500
Va Birders:
Today, while birding in Montgomery County at the Little Falls Pumping
Station, I noticed for the first time an eagle nest over the river in
Fairfax County, about 1/4 mile up from the fast water right about the
same distance as a white marker buoy near the Virginia shore that
warns of "Danger Dam Ahead". I know it's an eagle nest because two
adult Bald Eagles were sitting on it! One was on the rim and the
other was in the nest. I watched for about 15 minutes at about 10:30
a.m., during which time the one on the rim never moved at all and the
one in the nest moved around at intervals, fussing at something in
the nest (twigs? eggs?)
I doubt that this nest could be seen by anyone on the Virginia side,
except possibly the inhabitants of two large and imposing houses just
downstream. I gage from my map that the nest is in a section of
federally owned parkland that provides a buffer between the CIA and
the Potomac.
I had not heard of a nest at this site, but maybe I just wasn't
paying attention. To get to this vantage point, drive from the
Beltway towards DC on the Clara Barton Parkway and park at Lock
6. Cross the canal near the old lock house and walk back upstream
until you come to the pump house. Go to the edge of the river near
the pump house and scope across the river and upstream. Look for the
white buoy mentioned above, then for a smallish sycamore tree growing
right by the water and tilting noticeably to the right. The nest is
in a taller tree right behind the sycamore.
Note that you can reach the Lock 6 parking lot only by approaching
from the north, and not at all during the afternoon rush hour (say
2:30 p.m. on), when traffic is one way out of Washington. In the
afternoon it would be practical to park on MacArthur Blvd. and take
the walking bridge that crosses Clara Barton Parkway and thence to
the canal towpath, moving downstream from there to the pumping
station. Anyone wishing to do this should contact my off-line.
If anyone out there knows the history of this nest -- if it isn't new
then how many years has it been used and how many, if any, chicks
have been raised there? -- I would be most interested.
Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda MD
D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
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