A first winter red-necked grebe was making a seemingly serious assault on
the fish population of Little Hunting Creek this morning. When last seen (a
few minutes ago) the bird was hanging around the area near the stone bridge
at Riverside Park. A pair of hooded mergansers was nearby.
The grebe dived repeatedly and each time came up with a small fish of
indeterminate species. (That's an obscure reference to the fact that a
snakehead was caught last year in the exact same location.)
I took a number of photographs, none of which are particularly sharp. This
was mostly due to the bird's distance from the comfort of my sun room which
I was unwilling to abandon for the greater proximity (to the bird) and
exposure (to the elements) of my dock. Nonetheless, I consider it a worthy
addition to my collection of yard bird photos.
An early morning visit to Huntley Meadows was rewarded by quantity but
limited variety. The best birds were a barred owl (heard only) near the
visitor's center, a pair of fish crows, and a pair of adult red-headed
woodpeckers near the beaver lodge in Barnyard Run.
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