Thanks to Lydia ("The Voice") Schindler for posting to MDOsprey this
morning my sightings of a couple of White-winged Scoters on the Potomac
River in DC.
The birds were about equidistant from the 14th St. and Teddy Roosevelt
Bridges, about 1/2 way out in the river. I initially thought they must be
Black Ducks and wasn't going to 'scope them, but one waggled and shook its
wings and the big white patches got my attention right away! I watched
them for about 20 minutes, starting at 11:30 a.m. I concluded that they
were both young male birds. The heads were dark, contrasting with dark
blotchy brown on the bodies as they sat on the water. The white wing
patches were difficult to see unless the birds "wing-waggled." Both birds
had the long-headed look of W-W Scoters, with noticeably light tips to
their bills. One bird had the beginnings of the white "comma" that
distinguishes these attractive birds in breeding plumage. They did not
dive during the time that I watched, and they were still in approximately
the same place when I left.
Less excitingly, here are some other sightings from Washington, DC, midday
today:
At the Tidal Basin - 6 COMMON MERGANSER and 20 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.
At Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens - 3 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 10 WOOD DUCK, 8 HOODED
MERGANSER, 3 COMMON MERGANSER, 12 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
At Georgetown Reservoir - 1 RED-NECKED GREBE, 2 HORNED GREBE, 2
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD
D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowen@xxxxxxxxx
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