Paula Sullivan and I did a little bit of birding at Manassas Battlefield Park.
Prompted by the reports of Laura Catterton, we first stopped at the pond behind
the Comfort Suites. Here we tallied 4 Red-necked Grebes, 1 drake Redhead,
about 2 dozen Ring-necked Ducks, and an assortment of dabblers and Ring-billed
Gulls. At a second stop, we found a drake Black Duck that was displaying
amorous intentions to a Mallard hen. The Black Duck ran off two Mallard
drakes, so it seems that there may be some hybrids on the way. The battlefield
was dead, so off to the Occoquan Sewage Treatment Plant, again prompted by
Laura's reports. I didn't keep very good notes, but I remember seeing at least
40 Common Mergansers, about 80% drakes, and one Pied-billed Grebe. The
unexpected snow made it feel that we were on a winter outing, not a birding
trip for spring migrants.
Larry Cartwright
acartwright@xxxxxxxxx
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