VA BIRDers,
A quick visit this afternoon at the Mason Neck Visitor Center produced a
grand sight - thousands of divers on Belmont Bay! After a few tens of
minutes I located a few Redhead mixed in with the scaup, several Canvasback,
the occasional Ring-necked Duck, some Buffleheads, 2 Horned Grebes, a
Greater Scaup (the rest seemed very much of the Lesser ilk), and a
smattering of Common and Red-breasted Mergansers. It was really much fun
and for all of you with the new "Holiday Spotting Scope" you will have a
great fun too.
At the Great Marsh (off main Gunston Road, about a mile plus south of the
turn off that leads into the park and which goes to the Visitors Center) the
one mile trail leads to a huge assembly of dabblers, dominated by American
Black Duck (perhaps 1000?) plus Mallards, many Tundra Swan a few Northern
Pintail, a few Green-winged Teal and some Greater Yellowlegs. Belted
Kingfishers, Swamp Sparrows and Brown Creepers were easily heard. On the
river were nearly a thousand Canada Geese - perhaps an enterprising soul can
dig out a Cackling or Greater White-fronted?
The Mason Neck Sector of the Fort Belvoir CBC has many areas - some
overlooking the Great Marsh and Belmont Bay - available for counting teams.
If interested, please drop me a line. Thanks!
Kurt Gaskill
Kurtcapt87 at verizon.net