I was there with my Ornithology class on Thursday
afternoon (4/8). Best viewing of the loons was
from the public boat ramp near the dam as
described by Lori below. We saw the following:
7 common loons in spectacular plumage, close
enough to see green iridescence on head. One
called, seemingly in response to one of my
student's imitations. NICE!
5 pied -billed grebes
135 double-crsted cormorants: again really
excellent views of their fabulous turquoise eyes
and bizarre crests, and iridescence. Most were
perching on the trees on the island but others
were diving, swimming, taking off.
11 great blue herons: tremendous views
1 pair of fairly tame wood ducks
1 female red-breasted merganser at marina
4 bufflehead
1 lesser black backed gull, at marina the first
time I've seen it at Burke Lake but it was
reported earlier in the week by another birder.
All the best
Fred
--- Lori Keeler <dol_kee@xxxxxxx> wrote:
VA Birders,
Numbers are dwindling, but this afternoon I saw
at least 16 Common Loons in full breeding
plumage at Burke Lake. I saw 12 straight out
from the floating fishing pier to the right of
the marina and four over near the dam (accessed
by parking in state boat ramp parking lot and
walking the trail ahead that bends to the right
towards the dam). I had such good views of
the Loons over by the the dam, that I could see
the dark red eye clearly--a first for me.
Scopes are great!
Also seen:
50 or so D.C. Cormorants
2 Female Mergansers (I could not identify as
Common or Red Breasted)
2 Pied-billed Grebes
2 Ruddy Ducks
8 Am. Coots
2 Gr. Bl. Herons
1 male Hooded Merganser (not anywhere near the
other mergansers I saw)
20 Canada Geese
Many Ring-billed Gulls
Several Tree Swallows
Lori Keeler
Arlington, VA
dol_kee@xxxxxxx<mailto:dol_kee@xxxxxxx>
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