VA BIRDers,
This morning I found a molting female Canvasback in Pohick Bay, along the
south side of the bay about a half mile west of the Pohick Park boat
launches. Her primaries were still growing in and about half the fully
grown length.
On an island in Belmont Bay were two Goosanders, one was obviously a male in
molt and the other was a female or immature. These mergansers were first
scope-viewed from Mason Neck SP from over quarter mile. I later found them
crossing the mouth of the bay east of the new marina by the Occoquan River
RR Bridge. This vantage was a bit closer and I could see that the head size
of the female/immature was noticeably smaller than the male by about 20% and
the body size and bill were also smaller/thinner by about the same
proportion. Unfortunately, I was unable to make out the facial markings at
this distance to determine if it was an immature bird. This bird followed
the male but not too closely and dived occasionally.
There was a second hand report relayed by Scott Baron of 3 Goosanders in
Belmont Bay June 1 and these are likely connected to today's observation.
If someone is out there on a boat, you may be able to get closer to these
birds to determine if one is an immature.
The other interesting sightings of the day were Peregrine Falcon on the
Hunting Creek mudflats (river side), Spotted Sandpiper on the Hunting Creek
mudflats (west side), Caspian Tern in Belmont Bay, and 3 Forster's Terns in
Pohick Bay.
Kurt Gaskill
