While birding Mason Neck SP on this very windy but beautiful day I observed an
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN on the Prince William Co. side of Belmont bay at 9:30am.
The bird was standing on a sandbar with about a dozen Cormorants. I last saw
it a few minutes later. By 9:50 it had disappeared. I believe it may have
flown out to the Potomac, as I was scanning the northeast side of Belmont Bay
(right side as one faces the water) and thus probably would have seen it if it
had passed by. This area has held Pelicans in the past.
The Pelican and a handful of Caspian Terns across the bay, as well as a
Blackpoll Water at Mason Neck SP were the only obvious migrants that I had at
the state park and Mason Neck NWR. Most of the species encountered could have
been local breeders/summer residents.
Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.
