The very large flock of Canada Geese that has been seen recently around the
Hains Point golf course in D.C. was still there this morning (January 27)
at about 11 a.m. In with them was an adult Snow Goose and a young Snow
Goose (still quite gray) -- these two birds moved around close to one
another and possibly are related. Neither one was banded. When I saw them,
the whole goose flock, accompanied by a leisurely Red Fox, was on the golf
course just south of the intersection of Ohio Drive with Buckeye
Drive. Additional geese were steadily flying in from the Washington
Channel (still entirely ice-free) the whole time I was there. Despite the
lack of ice, the only ducks, other than Mallards, that I saw in the channel
were about 40 LESSER SCAUP, part of a flock that is for the most part
anchored off James Creek Marina near Fort McNair, where it has been most of
the winter.
At the National Arboretum in NE D.C., not much was happening, except at the
entrance to Fern Valley, where shelter from the North wind, exposure to the
bright but weak Southern sun, and an abundance of Winterberries, attracted
a nice bunch of AMERICAN ROBINs, together with a HERMIT THRUSH and GRAY
CATBIRD. In the weedy expanse nearby, which in the summer is home to the
native flower area, were SONG SPARROWS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs, a FIELD
SPARROW and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.
The Anacostia River just off Anacostia Park, NE D.C., had quite large
unfrozen patches of water. In one patch I found a pair of HOODED MERGANSER
paddling around with geese. One of the collections of gulls on the ice
contained an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL.
Good Birding!
Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD, and Dewey Beach, DE
D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowen@xxxxxxxxx
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