Hello,
Had another great morning at Occoquan NWR today from 7:30-10:00 am.
Highlights were 1 AMERICAN BITTERN (out in the open in the pond by the
parking lot when I first arrived), 1 WINTER WREN, 150+ RUDDY DUCKS, 1
CANVASBACK, 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and about 40 AMERICAN COOT.
Complete list is below.
~Mike Webster
Canada Goose 19
Wood Duck 2
Gadwall 3
American Black Duck 30
Mallard 5
Canvasback 1
Ruddy Duck 150 Huge raft in Bay on South side of the refuge.
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 15
American Bittern 1 One seen at 7:30 in the small pond by the parking
lot.
Great Blue Heron 2
Bald Eagle 4
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 3
hawk sp. 1 falcon, probably Merlin
American Coot 40 25 flushed from along the bank of the walk by the
bay! Then 15 more were out with Ruddy Ducks.
Ring-billed Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 7
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 40
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 2
Winter Wren 1 Life bird for me! Barring on flanks & underside.
Darker than House Wren with more mottling on breast. Clear Eye brow.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 20
American Robin 50
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 200
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Palm Warbler 2 Both "yellow".
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 5
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 16
Swamp Sparrow 10
White-throated Sparrow 15
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Rusty Blackbird 3 Rusty Blackbirds were in with flock of 150+
starlings, Grackles, and R-w blackbirds in a freshwater marsh area.
Common Grackle 30
House Finch 7
American Goldfinch 4
