Ralph Wall, the Lansings, and I spent about an hour and a half walking along
the Potomac River at Riverbend this afternoon.
There was noticeably more waterfowl than had been seen there a day or two
ago. We observed probably 40 Bufflehead, both males and females, in several
groups on the river. A male Lessor Scaup had now joined the two females that
were there before. There were two new rafts of Ruddy Ducks, comprising
probably 25 to 30 birds. The three or four Pied-billed Grebes seen today were
also not observed before.
The female Common Mergansers were still on the river, as well as the large
raft of Coots
The best birds, seen again right at sunset from the observation platform,
were a resplendent male, and three female Hooded Mergansers.
Other birds of note included a female Sharp-shinned Hawk circling over the
river, two adult Bald Eagles, and a heard and flitting, but not well seen,
Winter Wren.
Things are looking up.
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Virginia
Sent from my iPad
