I went on my annual 'escorted' tour of the UOSA ponds this morning, as part
of count week for the Manassas CBC. Since 9/11 we have not been allowed to
wander the fenced off portions on our own, but only with a security escort; and
that means no weekends. UOSA can have some good stuff, but only in really
cold weather when its never-freezing ponds attract just about everything. It
was
quite warm today (unfortunately), although raining rather hard at times. A
few quite good birds for the Piedmont location though:
Pied-billed Grebe (5)
Great Blue Heron (3)
Canada Goose (zillions)
Wood Duck (6)
American Black Duck (3)
Mallard (zillions)
Northern Pintail (1 male)
Gadwall (12)
Hooded Merganser (6)
Common Merganser (30)
Bald Eagle (1, almost full adult - just a little black left in tail)
Red-shouldered Hawk (1)
American Coot (2 sightings, probably a single bird - up until a few years
ago, we used to get a regular flock of 60-70 birds, which was excellent for the
piedmont - then they mysteriously disappeared)
Ring-billed Gull (zillions)
Herring Gull (2 immatures - we seldom see adult birds here)
Greater Black-backed Gull (a 1st-year bird - have not previously had this
species here)
Stephen Eccles
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